1. A method for facilitating user input of a character to an electronic device having a touch screen display, the method comprising: displaying in a graphical user interface on the display an input area within which a plurality of user-selectable input keys are persistently displayed, each input key being associated with a respective candidate character group, each candidate character group comprising at least one candidate character; and displaying in the graphical user interface a candidate area comprising a group of user-selectable candidate character keys, each candidate character key being correlated to a candidate in a current candidate character group, whereby user selection of an input key in the input area causes the characters of the candidate character group associated with the selected input key to be displayed in the candidate area on respective candidate character keys, and whereby user selection of a candidate character key causes entry in the electronic device of the character associated with the selected candidate character key.