Week 1: Home row for code: letters and keywords

Typing code is different from typing ordinary text. One wrong letter can stop a program from running or change its result. That is why accuracy matters more than speed this week. You will learn to place your fingers on the home row, return to it after every key, and type the short keywords of Small Basic cleanly. The symbols in this course follow the US English layout.

What you will learn

This week has no new symbols. The focus is on letters and keywords. Small Basic uses words such as If, Then, EndIf, For and While to control the flow of a program. Look at these two lines:

x = 5
If x = 5 Then

Type each word with the right letter order, and use a single space where the code needs one. Small Basic ignores letter case, but writing keywords the same way every time makes your code easier to read.

Technique tips

• Place your fingers on the home row and return to it after each key. Going back is what keeps your error count low.
• Keep your wrists floating above the desk instead of resting them on it.
• Look at the screen, not the keyboard. Follow the line you are writing.
• Do not spell each letter in your head. Think of the whole word and type it as one movement.
• Warm up for a few minutes before each lesson by repeating home row letters.

Lessons

1. Lesson 1, 10 to 15 minutes: Learn the keywords. Watch the keyboard demo, then type each keyword three times.
2. Lesson 2, 10 to 15 minutes: Practice short lines of code. Check each line before you move on.
3. Lesson 3, 10 to 15 minutes: Review what you practiced, then take the 2-minute test.

This week’s goal

The targets are 12 wpm and 90% accuracy. You earn one star for finishing the lessons. The second star comes when your accuracy reaches 90%. The third star also needs 12 wpm. Aim for accuracy first. Speed follows once your typing is clean.