Phone vs Keyboard Typing: Do Kids Still Need Touch Typing?
Many teens can text faster than their parents can talk. So it is fair to ask: if students are this quick on a phone, do they still need keyboard lessons? The short answer is yes. Here is what the research says, and how to build both skills. For speed goals by grade, see our guide to typing speed by age.
How fast do people type on phones?
In 2019, researchers from Aalto University in Finland and the University of Cambridge studied more than 37,000 volunteers typing on their own phones. (Palin et al., 2019; Aalto University summary) They found:
- The average speed was 36.2 words per minute, with 2.3% of errors left uncorrected.
- People who typed with two thumbs averaged 38 wpm. People who used one finger averaged 29 wpm.
- People aged 10 to 19 were the fastest group, at about 40 wpm.
- The fastest phone typists went over 80 wpm.
- People who used autocorrect were faster on average. People who often tapped word suggestions were slower.
How does that compare with a keyboard?
Several of the same researchers ran a larger study of computer typing the year before, with 168,000 volunteers. The average there was 52 wpm, and the fastest typists reached about 120 wpm. (University of Cambridge) The phone study reports that, on average, mobile typing was about 15 wpm slower than computer typing.
For students, Typing.com's guidelines suggest 20 to 30 wpm in grades 6 to 8 and 30 to 40 wpm in high school, on a computer keyboard. (Typing.com Help Center)
Two different skills
Thumb typing and keyboard typing use different movements. On a phone, two thumbs share a small screen and autocorrect fixes many mistakes. On a keyboard, ten fingers each own a group of keys, and there is much less autocorrect to lean on.
That is why a student can be fast on one and slow on the other. Being a quick texter does not mean a student is ready to type a five-paragraph essay.
Why keyboards still matter for students
School writing happens on keyboards. The Common Core writing standards expect students to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting in 4th grade, two pages in 5th grade and three pages in 6th grade. (W.4.6, W.5.6, W.6.6)
Typing is part of writing. A US Department of Education practice guide recommends teaching elementary students to be fluent with handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, typing and word processing. (IES What Works Clearinghouse) When typing is slow, students have less attention left for ideas.
Accuracy without autocorrect. Typing.com points out that even 90% accuracy is not good enough in typing: one wrong key in ten means most five-letter words have a mistake. (Typing.com Help Center) A phone hides many of those mistakes. A keyboard shows them.
Work and tests. Most office work, coding and many online tests use a full keyboard.
Does it have to be touch typing?
Touch typing means all ten fingers from the home row, eyes on the screen. Typing.com reports that students who hunt and peck average about 27 wpm. (Typing.com Blog) The 2018 study also found that some self-taught typists who use fewer fingers can be as fast as touch typists. (University of Cambridge)
Our advice: teach touch typing to beginners, because it is the clearest path. If an older student already types fast and accurately another way, focus on accuracy and not looking at the keys instead of a full restart.
Practice both, on purpose
Phone practice still has value. Students write messages, notes and school posts on phones, and spelling and punctuation count there too. A balanced week might look like this:
- Most days: 10 minutes on a computer keyboard, accuracy first.
- A couple of times a week: a short phone round, with autocorrect off for practice, so mistakes stay visible.
- Once a week: a 1-minute test on each, with both numbers written down.
Expect the phone number to be lower than the keyboard number once touch typing is in place. That matches the research.
Tips for faster, cleaner thumb typing
- Use two thumbs. In the study, two-thumb typists were about 9 wpm faster than one-finger typists.
- Hold the phone with both hands, close to the body.
- Look at the text, not the keys, as much as possible.
- Turn autocorrect off for practice, then back on for real messages.
Try both in one game
UpOnly Learning presents The Stories You Type, a free typing game with a computer keyboard mode and phone-style keyboard modes. Students type short stories and see their speed and accuracy as they go, in English, Spanish or Portuguese. There is no account and nothing to install. Play The Stories You Type, then check the typing speed by age table for a goal that fits.
Common questions
What is the average typing speed on a phone?
In a 2019 study of more than 37,000 volunteers, the average was 36.2 words per minute. Two-thumb typists averaged 38 words per minute, and people aged 10 to 19 were the fastest group.
Is phone typing faster than keyboard typing?
Usually not. In that study, phone typing was about 15 words per minute slower than computer typing on average.
Do kids still need to learn keyboard typing?
Yes. School essays, online tests and most jobs still use a full keyboard, and the Common Core standards expect students to type up to three pages in one sitting by 6th grade.