Hi. I made the switch to Colemak 2 or 3 months ago. I've reached the stage where it's easy to use, and it's very comfortable. But I'm still working on my speed, and was thinking of ways to improve on this. I realised something. While I am fine typing things that are in my head, I can't pick a key at random and know right away what letter it sends. (BTW I use blank or very dark keyboards, and I haven't rearranged any boards to show the Colemak layout.)

I know that ability isn't needed in order to type well. But I think it shows a gap in my learning, and if I fix that it might help with my speed.

Here's what I've come up with: A custom lesson for TypeFaster that takes me through the alphabet typing the phonetic words for each letter. That is the easy warm up. Then I do it the same but in keyboard order. This requires being able to work out what each key does (i.e. what I'm setting out to learn properly.) Then I do both of those sequences in reverse.

Now here's the good bit. I have to do all that with my eyes closed (it isn't as hard as you might think.) The sounds from TypeFaster let me know how I'm going.

Here is the lesson if anyone wants to give it a try. It might be worth cutting out the reverse alphabet stage if it doesn't feel natural to you:

Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Juliet Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey Xray Yankee Zulu Quebec Whiskey Foxtrot Papa Golf Juliet Lima Uniform Yankee Alpha Romeo Sierra Tango Delta Hotel November Echo India Oscar Zulu Xray Charlie Victor Bravo Kilo Mike Zulu Yankee Xray Whiskey Victor Uniform Tango Sierra Romeo Quebec Papa Oscar November Mike Lima Kilo Juliet India Hotel Golf Foxtrot Echo Delta Charlie Bravo Alpha Mike Kilo Bravo Victor Charlie Xray Zulu Oscar India Echo November Hotel Delta Tango Sierra Romeo Alpha Yankee Uniform Lima Juliet Golf Papa Foxtrot Whiskey Quebec

I've just had another idea. You don't even need to be at a computer for this lesson, you can do it in your head! I might try this as a way of sending myself off to sleep. :-)