The rhythm of learning sounds a lot like keys clicking across Salote Faasoo\u2019s classroom at North Euless Elementary.<\/p>\n
Third graders sit at rows of Chromebooks, fingers hovering above home keys as Faasoo moves between desks, glancing at screens and offering reminders.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One student beams after a perfect round. He\u2019s the fastest typist in the class, students shouted. Another groans after earning zero stars.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard,\u201d admits third grader Ronan Reid, who earned five stars on his lessons. \u201cBut it challenges you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The brief morning lesson is part of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD\u2019s growing focus on digital literacy. Each day, third graders spend about 10 minutes in Typing Club<\/a>, an online platform that teaches accuracy, finger placement and rhythm \u2014 all skills the district says prepare students for reading, writing and online testing.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTyping builds letter recognition, especially with our lower reading students,\u201d Faasoo said. \u201cThey have to spell the words correctly, no autocorrect like on a phone or tablet. It forces them to pay attention.\u201d<\/p>\n The district\u2019s formal keyboarding program, now in its third year, follows national guidance<\/a> on how students learn typing \u2014 including proper hand placement and accuracy \u2014 as well as state standards<\/a> that require students to correctly use a keyboard as part of technology instruction. Third graders are expected to reach 10 to 15 words per minute with at least 90% accuracy, according to district benchmarks.\u00a0<\/p>\n HEB ISD began integrating Typing Club into elementary classrooms after STAAR moved fully online in 2023<\/a>. The lessons are built into the part of the day focused on reading and writing \u2014 a shift that officials and Faasoo say connects digital fluency to literacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt shows in their writing,\u201d Faasoo said. \u201cFrom the beginning of the year to now, you can see the growth.\u201d<\/p>\n For many students, though, progress means patience. Most are far more familiar with tapping on touch screens than navigating a full keyboard, Faasoo said \u2014 especially when it comes to using both hands and keeping their eyes on the screen instead of the keys.<\/p>\n Student Arianna Cabrera said she tries her best to be accurate but sometimes still gets zero stars for falling short. When that happens, she keeps practicing and pushes herself to improve.<\/p>\n \u201cThen I\u2019ll try to do it a little faster next time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Arianna hopes to become a doctor one day. Ronan wants to be a soccer player. For now, both are simply working through each level, adjusting to the feel of real keys under their fingers as they learn to balance accuracy, speed and focus.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the consistency of those small gains that Faasoo builds on. She uses Typing Club as a warm-up before essay writing and encourages students to log in from home through the district\u2019s online portal as developing the skills are incorporated into lessons.<\/p>\n \u201cThey look forward to it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n District leaders say that excitement \u2014 and steady improvement \u2014 show the effort is paying off.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo years\u2019 worth of data tells us we\u2019re moving in the right direction,\u201d Holly Norgaard, HEB ISD\u2019s executive director of curriculum and instruction, said at a recent board meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n Students are typing at or above the district\u2019s accuracy and words-per-minute goals, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBut we need to find that balance between the number of minutes they spend in the program and the outcomes we\u2019re seeing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n For Faasoo\u2019s class, the balance looks like a morning full of focus \u2014 and a few proud smiles.\u00a0<\/p>\n Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n