Research show that 4th grade is the best beginning point to learn keyboarding, with a repeat course being highly recommended in the 5th grade. If introduced in the 3rd grade, the student's needs may be different; they may not have the attention span necessary to learn keyboarding. And, studies have shown that introducing keyboarding in the 6th grade and beyond is too late.

The goal for elementary keyboarding is a rate that is faster than the average handwriting speed of 7 to 10 words per minute (wpm) for grades 4 through 6.

In order to learn keyboarding, motor control is a must. Children younger than the 3rd grade may not have the necessary motor control skills, making keyboarding difficult. For children in 6th grade and beyond, it is extremely important to learn the proper wrist position, to always keep their fingers on the "home keys," and to make sure their feet remain flat on the floor. For younger children, these are less important as they will learn them over time.

The important thing to remember is that keyboarding accesses a different part of the brain than handwriting. Therefore, effective keyboarding requires close monitoring and motivation by a knowledgeable instructor.