How can I keep the on screen keyboard displayed?

I have an interesting issue that will hopefully have a simple fix.

I just got a Dell Inspiron Tablet+Laptop combo running Windows 8.1. I've installed the Russian language option, and I can successfully switch to Russian characters and use the physical keyboard or on screen keyboard to type. However, I am not familiar with the key map. So when using the on screen keyboard there are no issues, but I can't figure out a way to keep the on screen keyboard displayed while I use the physical keyboard. Because of this, I can't really know what keys to press unless I open the keyboard after each press.

I just want to figure out a way to "lock" the on screen keyboard where it will not minimize any time I press a button on the physical keyboard. I haven't been able to find this in any google searches, as all queries show results related to hiding the on screen keyboard.

hi,

i know virtually nothing about tablet/laptop combos so what i have to say may not be correct,but when i try to do a similar thing on my asus transformer which i think is a similar computer to yours, i can find no way to keep the on screen keyboard up whilst typing on the physical keyboard,possibly because not many people need this to happen,you either use the physical keyboard or the screen one not both at the same time.maybe there is a way but given the amount of time this thread has been up and the lots of people who have viewed this thread, if there was a solution someone would have told you,there are lots of helpful expert people on this forum obviously myself not being one of them.

a possible very low tech solution,that may not be what your after-take a shot of the on screen keyboard using snipping tool,open the capture of the on screen keyboard using windows photo viewer. then tap the maximize button so you can resize the capture and position it to your requirements .then do the same to resize the app you want to type into (if it has a maximize button) ,so you can then put the capture of the on screen keyboard at the bottom and the application at the top and resize them to suit you, then you can see an image of the on screen keyboard whilst using the physical keyboard to type into the app. i'm sure you've thought of this but are looking for a more technical solution and maybe this solution doesn't meet your needs

I could also print a picture of the keyboard and hang that up next to my screen

There are indeed low tech solutions, but I was curious if there was just a simple "lock the on screen keyboard so it stays up when I type."

Apparently not, which is unfortunate.