Court Reporting Help rocks the steno world

Do this drill only after you have done Step One and Step Two. These three steps are the first steps you should take. Afterwards, if you want to focus on a specific stroking problem, look at the drills in the General Speed Teacher Drills.

Think of writing steno as a combination of two things: clarity and speed. If you write quality strokes slowly, you will be able to translate your work, but you will be slow. On the other hand, if you write at high speed, you may get a stroke for everything, but there will be a large amount of mistakes.

The trick is to combine the two elements.

Do the drill from Step One or Step Two until you have achieved a consistent level of clarity. Do the drills strictly according to the instructions.

Once you have the clarity, you are ready.

Here are the steps to meld your clarity with your innate speed.

1. Set up the Speed Teacher as if you were going to do the Step One drill.

2. Number of words should be set at Five.

3. The drill is the Top 100 drill from the Common Words section. Don't choose an alternate drill. This drill teaches one thing: how to move your hands quickly. Choosing a harder drill will force you to write hard words at high speed. You can do that later. Right now, your job is to learn the basics of how to write at high speed. There is a significant difference between the two.

4. The speed of the drill should be set to a very low speed. If you normally drill at 80 wpm on the Step One drill, set the speed to 40. If you normally start at 160 wpm, set the speed to 100. The slower you go, the better it works.

5. Reach up and click that big ol' Stairstepper button in the middle of the Speed Teacher. Set the Stairstepper to six seconds.

6. Start the drill.

The drill begins very slow.
The speed will increase 10 words per minute every six seconds. Actually, the speed can only increase when the screen changes; so it
Since the drill started very slow, you will not be pushed for speed in the beginning. In fact, you may not notice the initial increases of speed.
You will probably find that the drill feels too slow even when it has reached your normal drill speed.
Eventually the speed of the drill will cause you to hesitate or fall behind or lose clarity. Let's put it this way. Eventually, your writing will break down under the stress of the ever-increasing speed. When this happens, you must stop immediately.

7. Remember what it is you are trying to practice. You already know how to write fast and out of control. Don't use this drill to continue that pattern. When you begin to lose your clarity and rhythm, stop the drill. When you fall behind, stop the drill. When you hesitate, stop the drill.

8. When you stop the drill, make sure that you set the speed back to where it was in the beginning. Don't cheat. You need the low speed to get you into the rhythm.

9. This drill should not be done for hours and hours. It requires absolute concentration. At a minimum, do it twice a day for two twenty-minute sessions. At the maximum, thirty minutes per drilling session is more than adequate.

10. This drill is not as important as the Step One and Step Two drills. But it is a very satisfying drill. It will leave you feeling very confident about your writing. You will find that you are writing faster and clearer than ever.

11. The drills of Step One, Step Two and Step Three should always be part of your practice. They teach clarity (Step One), rhythm and quick response (Step Two), and speed (Step Three).

12. There is only one more drill that you really need. Sorry. I don't know what that drill is. You have to discover it. Do you carry words? Do you hesitate on briefs? Do you hesitate on big words? Do you have trouble with clarity? What is the biggest fault that you have? Correct that fault, and you will remove your greatest obstacle.

13. There are plenty of drills in the Speed Teacher. And there are plenty of ways to use those drills. The drills that are in the General Speed Teacher Drills are only the tip of the iceberg. There are drills for everything.

13. You should see progress every month that you are in school. If you don't see that progress, start bugging your teachers. Search out the students who are passing tests. Ask them what they are doing. Analyze your writing. Do not accept being stuck in a speed. It may be a popular thing to do, but it is entirely avoidable.

14. Every steno problem has a corresponding easy answer. There are no hard answers.

15. If you want the easy answers to your hard problems, just ask. We are always here for you.

16. Chill out. Getting the next test is not a life-and-death situation. As Uncle Clem used to say, "It ain't like it's fourth and ten in the bottom of the ninth." Good grief. It's just steno.

Goofy

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