Type Slower to Go Faster. Yes, Really!
“If you slow down, you’ll actually type faster.”
I was explaining this to one of my students recently and he looked at me as though I was talking complete gibberish!
How on earth could typing more slowly make you faster?
But once I explained what I meant, he completely got it.
In fact, he came up with his own version:
“Type faster to go slower!”
And actually, he had a point!
It might sound like a contradiction, but when it comes to learning to touch type, slowing down can genuinely help you become a faster, more accurate typist.
Let me explain.
“Accuracy Doesn’t Matter. That’s What the Backspace Key Is For!”
I hear variations of this quite often.
And I can understand the thinking.
If you type the wrong letter, you simply press Backspace, correct it and carry on. Problem solved!
Except it isn’t quite that simple.
Every time you make a typing mistake, you have to recognise the error, stop what you’re doing, press Backspace and type the correct letter.
Sometimes you might have to delete several letters or even a whole word before you can continue.
And then you need to pick up where you left off.
All of that takes time.
So although your fingers might be flying across the keyboard, you may not be producing accurate text particularly quickly.
Typing fast and typing efficiently aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Why Rushing Can Actually Make You Slower
I’ve seen first-hand just how much correcting mistakes can affect typing speed.
In some cases, I’ve seen students lose 10 words per minute or more because they’re spending so much time correcting errors.
That’s quite a difference!
A student might be capable of typing at 40 words per minute when they’re typing accurately, but if they’re constantly stopping to press Backspace and retype words, their effective speed could drop to 30 words per minute.
And that’s why I sometimes tell my students something that sounds completely ridiculous:
“If you want to type faster, slow down!”
It might seem counterintuitive, but once they realise how much time they’re losing through corrections, it starts to make perfect sense.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that slowing down will always result in a higher words-per-minute score. It depends on how many mistakes someone is making and how much time they spend correcting them.
But the principle is simple: fewer mistakes often mean fewer interruptions and more fluent typing.
And it’s not just something I’ve noticed during lessons. Research analysing 136 million keystrokes found that typists who made and corrected fewer mistakes generally typed faster.
So perhaps my advice to slow down isn’t quite as ridiculous as it first sounds!
Of course, typing speed is important, but it’s only part of the picture. I’ve explored this in more detail in my article, What Is a Good Typing Speed for a Child?, where I explain why accuracy and the ability to use typing skills in everyday writing matter just as much as words per minute.
What Happens When We Keep Making the Same Typing Mistakes?
There’s another reason why I encourage students not to rush.
When we’re learning to touch type, we’re training our fingers to make particular movements.
Each finger has its own set of keys, and through practice we gradually learn which finger to use and where it needs to move.
At Type IT!, we use Memory Words to help students remember those movements.
For example, our students learn that the middle finger resting on the K key is associated with KIK, our little green football boot.
If they forget which finger to use, remembering KIK helps them work it out.
But if a student is racing through an exercise, they might repeatedly use the wrong finger or hit the wrong key.
And if they keep practising those incorrect movements, they risk reinforcing the very habits we’re trying to change.
That’s why I would much rather see a student typing carefully and accurately than rushing to achieve an impressive speed.
We want to practise the right movements, not simply practise moving our fingers quickly.
Rushing is just one of the habits that can make touch typing more difficult. Looking down at the keyboard, using the wrong fingers and stretching to reach keys are others. I talk about these in my article 6 Surprisingly Common Typing Problems (and How to Fix Them).
Why We Focus on Accuracy Before Speed at Type IT!
If your child has attended one of our touch typing courses, they’ll probably have heard me say this more than once:
“Don’t worry about your speed. Concentrate on your accuracy!”
On most of our courses, we aim for at least 95% accuracy before students progress to the next stage.
And there’s a reason for that.
When children are learning new keys, they’re developing new finger movements. They need time to remember those movements and become comfortable using them.
If we push for speed too early, they may start guessing, stretching with the wrong fingers or looking down at the keyboard.
That might help them get through an exercise more quickly in the short term, but it doesn’t help them develop reliable touch typing habits.
Instead, we encourage students to work at a pace where they can concentrate on using the correct fingers.
As the movements become more familiar, their speed starts to increase naturally.
And that’s much more sustainable than trying to force it.
The Backspace Key Isn’t the Enemy!
Now, don’t get me wrong.
I’m not suggesting that children should never use Backspace!
Of course they should correct mistakes. It’s a useful part of typing and something we all do.
Even experienced touch typists make errors.
The problem comes when Backspace becomes a substitute for accuracy.
If a child is making lots of mistakes because they’re rushing, constantly correcting those mistakes isn’t really solving the underlying problem.
They may simply need to slow down, concentrate on their finger movements and practise the keys they’re finding difficult.
Sometimes I’ll ask a student to repeat an exercise, but this time at a much steadier pace.
And it’s lovely when they suddenly see their accuracy improve.
That’s often when the penny drops!
Does Slowing Down Mean My Child Will Always Type Slowly?
Absolutely not!
In fact, quite the opposite.
The idea isn’t to teach children to type slowly forever.
It’s to help them build accurate, reliable finger movements so they can eventually type quickly without having to think about every key.
Think about learning to ride a bike.
At first, you’re concentrating on balancing, steering and pedalling. You don’t immediately try to go as fast as possible.
But once those skills become familiar, you can ride much more confidently and naturally.
Touch typing is similar.
In the early stages, accuracy and correct technique are the priorities.
As children practise, their finger movements become more automatic and they can gradually increase their speed.
And because they’re making fewer mistakes, they’re spending less time stopping to correct them.
That’s when typing starts to feel much more fluent.
A Simple Experiment to Try at Home
If your child tends to rush through typing exercises, here’s something you could try.
Ask them to complete a short typing passage at their usual speed.
Make a note of their typing speed and accuracy.
Then ask them to complete a similar passage, but this time encourage them to slow down slightly and really concentrate on hitting the correct keys.
Compare the results.
Did their accuracy improve? Did they make fewer mistakes? Did they spend less time pressing Backspace?
Their reported typing speed might be a little lower, particularly at first. But what matters is whether they’re producing accurate text more consistently.
It’s also worth remembering that different typing programs measure speed and accuracy differently. Some don’t fully reflect the time spent correcting mistakes.
That’s why I always look at accuracy as well as speed when assessing a student’s progress.
Little and Often Really Does Work
One of the best ways to improve touch typing accuracy is through regular, focused practice.
At Type IT!, we encourage students to practise for around 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
It doesn’t need to be a marathon session.
What matters is that they’re concentrating on using the correct fingers and building good habits.
If they notice they’re making lots of mistakes, it’s often a sign that they need to slow down a little.
And if they’re struggling with a particular key, it’s much better to spend some time practising that movement than to keep rushing through longer exercises.
With patience and repetition, those movements become more familiar.
And that’s when speed starts to develop.
So, Can Typing Slower Really Make You Faster?
Yes, it can!
Not because moving your fingers slowly is somehow magically faster.
But because accurate typing means fewer mistakes, fewer interruptions and less time spent correcting what you’ve already typed.
And over time, practising accurate finger movements helps those movements become automatic, making it easier to build speed.
So the next time your child is racing across the keyboard, making mistakes and constantly reaching for Backspace, remind them of something that sounds completely ridiculous but makes perfect sense:
Slow down to speed up!
Or, as my student so brilliantly put it:
“Type faster to go slower!”
Need Help Improving Your Child’s Typing Accuracy?
Whether your child is just getting started or has already picked up some rather creative typing habits, we can help them become a more accurate and fluent typist. You can find out more about our touch typing courses for children or get in touch if you’d like advice on where to start. At Type IT!, we teach children of all abilities to touch type, including those with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and other learning differences.
Our structured touch typing courses focus on building accurate finger movements, good keyboard habits and confidence before gradually developing speed.
Whether your child is just getting started or has already picked up some rather creative typing habits, we can help them become a more accurate and fluent typist.
Find out more about our touch typing courses at Type IT! or get in touch for advice on the best course for your child.