Sunburst Type to Learn¿ 3 Full Version for PC, Mac Review

I teach Computer Lab for 3rd-5th grade, and they are currently learning to type with Type to Learn 3. I love the "game" aspect of this with the peppy music, fun colors, and missions to complete. With each mission, more keys are added--usually 2 keys per mission. Learning to type is not exactly a fun thing to do, but this program helps add a little something extra to it.

We have just recently begun using the program, so most of the students are only up to mission 4 or 5 (f, j, g, h, r, u, t, y, d, k,). After awhile, the lessons and games are rather repetitive, and I'm afraid my students are going to be incredibly bored before they complete all missions. However, I know the only way to learn the keys is by repetition, so I just try to mix it up by occassionally letting them on other internet typing games as well.

I was surprised that the lessons did not teach the home row keys first. The missions show the students where to put their hands on the home row keys, but the lessons begin with all of the letters that use your index finger. Master that, and the lessons move on to the middle finger, and so.

My favorite part of the program is that I can customize it for each student. If one student is excelling much more quickly than the rest, I can have that student skip over a mission or 2 by manually putting in the next mission number. It's also up to me which (if any) of the games are required before the students can go on to the next mission. Also, I love that it saves the progress of the student. If we run out of time and the student must stop mid-lesson, Type to Learn automatically saves the work so the student may pick up mid-lesson next time.