Speed Teacher Drills
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This is a list of steno drills that have proven to be highly effective to correct a variety of stroking faults.
How to Select a Drill
Everyone should do this Reaction Drill. It should be the first Speed Teacher drill that you use. Make it a part of your daily routine. It will help immeasurably. Reaction Drill Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 |
If you hesitate on unfamiliar finger patterns, do Finger Drills, Hesitation Drills, Testimony Drills or Concentration Drills.
If you hesitate only on hard finger patterns or difficult words, do the Literary Drills.
If you hesitate on easy strokes even when you are concentrating, do the Hesitation Drills.
If you hesitate only when your concentration wanders, then do the Concentration Drills.
If you love to carry words, do the Carrying Drills.
If you are not writing clearly before you hesitate or carry, you should do Clarity Drills.
If you hesitate and carry at the same time, examine your steno outlines to discover which one you do first. Work on the one that you do first.
Clarity Drills
The Anna Mae Way/Weigh/Whey
- Set the number of words at 5.
- Set the speed at one half of your normal goal steno speed.
- Select Vowels Only from the Miscellaneous section of the Finger Drills.
- Reduce the speed if you do not achieve perfect notes at all times with no shadows.
- Reduce the speed if you must push at all for any reason in order to complete each screen.
- Increase the speed if your notes are perfect and if you are completing all screens.
- Although you do increase or decrease the speed to find your Optimum Drilling Speed, your goal is not to write as quickly as possible. Your goal is to write quality strokes as quickly as possible. There is a big difference between the two.
- Fully stroke each outline.
- Do not rush the next strokes if you hesitate. Reduce the speed.
- ACCEPT ONLY 100% PERFECT NOTES.
Harder Drills
i. Easy LHV from the Left Hand with Vowels section of the Finger Drills
ii. Easy RHV from the Right Hand with Vowels section of the Finger Drills
iii. Medium LHV from the Left Hand with Vowels section of the Finger Drills
iv. Medium RHV from the Right Hand with Vowels section of the Finger Drills
v. Any of the Vowels Drills from the General Drills. These drills are words, not just vowels.
vi. For those who hate words that begin with vowels, choose an appropriate drill from the Words Starting With ... section of the General Drills.
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Hesitation
Classic Hesitation Steno Drill
- Set the number of words at 14.
- Set the speed at no more than half of your normal goal speed.
- Select the Top 100 drill from Common Words or an easy drill from the Finger Drills. DO NOT SELECT A HARD DRILL. A challenging drill will work against you.
- Set the StairStepper on 10 seconds. Note: the speed probably will not change every 10 seconds. The speed changes only when the screen changes. Do not worry about this. This is not a speed drill.
- Your goal is to finish each group of 14 words as quickly as possible. Do not go slow simply because the drill begins at a very slow speed. Push the strokes. Get them all done. Wait for the screen to change.
- As the drill progresses, the speed will be increasing. Stop the drill when the screen changes before you have finished writing all of the words.
- After stopping the drill, reset the speed to the original speed that you used in Step 2.
- Begin the drill again.
- Pay particular attention to the low-speed screens at the beginning of each drill. That is where you will conquer the hesitation. Push through those words. The longer you have to wait for the screen to change, the more you are improving.
- The high-speed screens at the end of the drill are where you implement the skills that you learned in the low-speed section. This is not where you learn. This is the performance area. It is vital that you do not continue the drill if you are not completing all of the words on each screen.
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Carrying
- Set the number of words at 14.
- Set the speed at no more than half of your normal goal speed.
- Select the Top 100 drill from the Common Words. This is the easiest drill.
- Drill for approximately one minute.
- You must stroke all words before the screen changes to a new set of 14 words.
- If any section of the drill is stroked considerably slower FOR ANY REASON, lower the speed, and concentrate on keeping the fingers moving at all times.
- If all sections of the drill are stroked relatively the same, and if you are finishing well before each screen changes, increase the speed.
- You must finish all screens before the next screen appears. If all sections of the drill are stroked relatively the same, and if you are finishing all of the screens relatively close to when the screens change, then you have found your Optimum Drilling Speed.
- When you have found your Optimum Drilling Speed in Step 8, reduce the number of words on each screen to 10 and decrease the speed by approximately one third.
- Repeat Steps 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Pay particular attention to Step 6. Your goal is to reach the original Optimum Drilling Speed that you set in Step 8.
- When you have again reached the Optimum Drilling Speed in Step 8, reduce the number of words on each screen to 6 and decrease the speed by approximately one third.
- Repeat Steps 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Pay particular attention to Step 6. Your goal is to reach the original Optimum Drilling Speed that you set in Step 8.
- After completing Step 12, you are ready to choose another drill. Here is a partial list to choose from. Some of these drills will force you drop your Optimum Drilling Speed to a much lower level.
- Top 100 from the Common Words
- Top 1000 from the Common Words
- Vowels from the General Drills (not the Finger Drills)
- Essential Jury Charge from the Common Words
- Essential Testimony from the Common Words
- Three-Letter Words from the EMMAnator
- Four-Letter Words from the EMMAnator
- Follow the instructions with no deviation. Of all the rules, Step 6 is the most important. Step 6 is where carriers will most likely “cheat.”
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Concentration
Concentration problems are similar to Hesitation problems on easy words. However, those who hesitate will hesitate whether they are concentrating or not. Those who lack concentration will hesitate only when they do not concentrate, and they will hesitate on easy words or hard words.
If you hesitate on easy words even when you are concentrating, try the Hesitation Drills.
If you hesitate only on hard words, try the Literary Drills.
If you hesitate because you are thinking about lunch or what is happening outside the window, then Concentration Drills are made for you.
1) Set the number of words at 5.
2) Set the speed at one third of your normal goal speed.
3) Select Easy LH or similar drill from Finger Drills. Do not select a hard drill.
4) Set the StairStepper at 10 seconds
5) All strokes must be perfect without shadows
6) Stop the drill just BEFORE you are pushed beyond your limits. Do not wait until you do not complete a screen. STOP BEFORE YOU FAIL TO COMPLETE A SCREEN.
7) After stopping the drill, reset the speed to the original speed in Step 2.
8) Repeat steps 2 through 7.
Resist the temptation to increase the speed in Step 2. Your problem is concentration, not speed. Focus your attention on learning to focus your attention.
Step 6 is the critical step. If you do Step 6 properly, you will learn to hate this drill and the SOB who created it; however, you will also cure your concentration problem.
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Literary Drills
People who have more trouble with Literary drills than they have with Testimony are apt to have trouble with numbers, names, or difficult words. For this reason, they should concentrate on harder material, rather than speed drills on easy or normal material.
Great steno drills for Literary practice are:
1. the Finger Drills, especially the harder ones
2. Essential Jury Charge from the Common Words section
3. Essential Testimony drills from the Common Words section
4. Essential Jury Charge with the Top 1000 from the Common Words section
5. Essential Testimony from the Common Words section
6. Names from the General section
7. Numbers from the General section
8. Medical Terms from the Medical Terms section
The best drills for Literary practice are found in the EMMAnator section. The EMMAnator has two sections: Testimony Drills and Literary Drills. Although the Literary Drills are designed specifically for Literary practice, the best Literary Drill for first-time users is a Testimony Drill. That is because the Literary Drills are much tougher than the Testimony Drills. It is important that you do the drills properly, and it is a great deal easier to establish the proper drilling pattern by using a Testimony Drill.
For the above reasons, the Classic Literary Drill uses a Testimony Drill. As your writing improves, you may substitute one of the other recommended drills or any drill that pushes you to properly stroke the correct finger patterns.
Classic Literary Drill
1. Set the number of words at 5.
2. Set the speed at half of your normal goal speed.
3. Select the Three-Letter Words from the Testimony Drills.
4. Begin the drill.
5. The speed that you chose in Step 2 is only a starting point.
a. Increase or decrease the speed to achieve your Optimum Drilling Speed.
b. Your Optimum Drilling Speed is a little slower than your Ultimate Drilling Speed.
c. You are drilling at your Optimum Drilling Speed when each screen changes relatively soon after completion IF YOU DO NOT HESITATE.
6. When you have found the proper speed, you are ready to drill in earnest. Do not go on to Step 7 unless you are positive that the only time you will not complete each screen is when you hesitate.
7. Start the drill.
8. Stop the drill immediately if you hesitate. Do not continue.
9. Before restarting the drill, it is important to gather your wits. Examine the strokes that caused you to hesitate. Think about how you want to perform them the next time they appear. Visualize these strokes and visualize your hands moving over the keyboard with no hesitation.
10. Restart the drill. Repeat Steps 7, 8, and 9 over and over. It is imperative that you do not continue when you hesitate. Stop immediately, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HESITATE AT THE BEGINNING.
11. The Three-Letter Words drill that you chose in Step 3 can be very challenging. If you want an easier drill, try a Hesitation Drill or a Concentration Drill. You may find that those drills help you more
12. When you are ready to choose a harder drill, but be prepared to lower your speed to find your Optimum Drilling Speed on the new drill.
13. Recommended drills are:
a. Three-Letter Words from the Testimony section of the EMMAnator.
b. Four-Letter Words from the Testimony section of the EMMAnator.
c. Three-Letter Words as the Smallest Words and Five-Letter Words as the Largest Words from the Literary section of the EMMAnator.
d. Four-Letter Words as the Smallest Words and Five-Letter Words as the Largest Words from the Literary section of the EMMAnator.
e. Five-Letter Words from the Testimony Section of the EMMAnator.
f. Three-Letter Words as the Smallest Words and Six-Letter Words as the Largest Words from the Literary section of the EMMAnator.
g. Four-Letter Words as the Smallest Words and Six-Letter Words as the Largest Words from the Literary section of the EMMAnator.
h. Five-Letter Words as the Smallest Words and Six-Letter Words as the Largest Words from the Literary section of the EMMAnator.
i. Six-Letter Words from the Testimony section of the EMMAnator.
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Testimony Drills
1. Set the number of words at 5.
2. Set the speed at half of your normal goal speed.
3. Select the Three-Letter Words from the Testimony Drills of the EMMAnator.
4. Begin the drill.
5. The speed that you chose in Step 2 is only a starting point.
a. Increase or decrease the speed to achieve your Optimum Drilling Speed.
b. Your Optimum Drilling Speed is a little slower than your Ultimate Drilling Speed.
c. You are drilling at your Optimum Drilling Speed when each screen changes relatively soon after completion IF YOU DO NOT HESITATE.
6. When you have found the proper speed, you are ready to drill in earnest. Do not go on to Step 7 unless you are positive that the only time you will not complete each screen is when you hesitate.
7. Begin the drill.
8. Stop the drill immediately if you hesitate. Do not continue.
9. Before restarting the drill, it is important to gather your wits. Examine the strokes that caused you to hesitate. Think about how you want to perform them the next time they appear. Visualize these strokes and visualize your hands moving over the keyboard with no hesitation.
10. Restart the drill. Repeat Steps 7, 8 and 9 over and over. It is imperative that you do not continue when you hesitate. Stop immediately, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HESITATE AT THE BEGINNING.
11. The Three-Letter Words drill that you chose in Step 3 can be very challenging. You may change it if you want.
a. It is fine if you want to use a different drill, either easier or harder, but be prepared to change your speed to find your Optimum Drilling Speed on the new drill.
b. The harder the drill you choose, the less likely it is to help you with Testimony. Testimony is composed of smaller words than Literary. It is better to choose a drill with smaller words.
12. Recommended drills in general order of difficulty are:
a. Easy and Medium Finger Drills
b. Top 100 Words from the Common Words
c. Top 1000 Words from the Common Words
d. Any Numbers Drill from General Drills
e. Any Vowels Drill from General Drills
f. Essential Testimony with Top 1000 Words from the Common Words
g. Three-Letter Words from the Testimony section of the EMMAnator.
h. Four-Letter Words from the Testimony section of the EMMAnator.
i. Five-Letter Words from the Testimony Section of the EMMAnator.
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Jury Charge Drills
Jury Charge is basically thick Literary drill that has a lot of briefs and phrases. There are few students who name Jury Charge as a trouble area. For those who do, most of them are trying to use briefs and phrases that they have not mastered. This causes hesitation, which leads to carrying unnecessarily. Most Jury Charge problems are, therefore, corrected simply by not using briefs and phrases that haven’t been mastered. Here is a drill to help you master them.
1. Set the number of words at 5.
2. Set the speed at half of your normal goal speed.
3. Select the Essential Jury Charge Drill from the Common Words.
4. Begin the drill.
5. The speed that you chose in Step 2 is only a starting point.
a. Increase or decrease the speed to achieve your Optimum Drilling Speed.
b. Your Optimum Drilling Speed is a little slower than your Ultimate Drilling Speed.
c. You are drilling at your Optimum Drilling Speed when each screen changes relatively soon after completion IF YOU DO NOT HESITATE.
6. When you have found the proper speed, you are ready to drill in earnest. Do not go on to Step 7 unless you are positive that the only time you will not complete each screen is when you hesitate.
7. Start the drill.
8. Stop the drill if you cannot complete all screens before they change.
a. Unlike other similar drills, Jury Charge contains a huge amount of briefs and phrases. It is expected that you will hesitate on certain strokes IF YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO INCORPORATE NEW BRIEFS AND PHRASES INTO YOUR WRITING. It is natural to hesitate under these circumstances. However, do not accept hesitation on briefs, phrases, and outlines that you use on a regular basis.
9. Stop the drill if you are hesitating on briefs, phrases, and outlines that you use on a regular basis, EVEN IF YOU CAN COMPLETE THE SCREEN BEFORE IT CHANGES. You may want to consider doing a Hesitation Drill or a Concentration Drill. There is a good chance it will help you more than this drill.
10. Before restarting the drill, it is important to examine the strokes that caused you to hesitate. Was the problem caused by a brief or phrase that you wanted to use, but could not remember? Review the outline for that stroke. Think about how you want to perform it the next time it appears.
11. Repeat Steps 7 and 8, 9, and 10 over and over. It is imperative that you do not continue when you hesitate on easy strokes. Stop immediately, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HESITATE AT THE BEGINNING.
12. Recommended drills are:
a. Essential Jury Charge from the Common Words
b. Essential Jury Charge with the Top 1000 Words from Common Words.
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Theory Drills
Keyboard Familiarization for Theory Students
- Set the number of words at 5.
- Set the speed at 20 words per minute.
- Select an appropriate drill from the Finger Drills section. DO NOT SELECT A DRILL CONTAINING LETTERS THAT YOU HAVE NOT STUDIED IN CLASS!! Do not select a tough drill. Appropriate drills are:
- Easy LH from the Finger Drills.
- Easy RH from the Finger Drills.
- Medium LH from the Finger Drills.
- Medium RH from the Finger Drills.
- Easy LHV from the Finger Drills.
- Easy RHV from the Finger Drills.
- Easy LH with numbers from the Finger Drills.
- Easy RH with numbers from the Finger Drills.
- Vowels Only from the Miscellaneous section of the Finger Drills.
- Stay away from the tough drills. Stick to the ones that are recommended.
- Do not rush the strokes. Fully depress each key on each stroke.
- Speed is not your goal. In fact, it can be your greatest hindrance. However, if all of your strokes are perfect and if you are not hesitating and if you are not rushing, then you may increase the speed in increments of 10 words per minute.
- Your goal is to write smoothly at a low speed. Although you may be able to write these drills at a higher speed, you are doing yourself a great disservice if you do not master them at low speeds. You are writing smoothly if you do not hesitate and if you finish each screen in approximately the same amount of time.
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StairStepper
This is the ultimate speed drill. The results are remarkable. Do this drill correctly, and it will also have a beneficial effect on your clarity and hesitation. No cheating allowed.
This drill requires more mental preparation than most. You are going to be writing faster than you thought possible. If you want the dance to the tune, you must pay for the piper. That means that you will get the benefits of the drill if you prepare properly.
Start the Speed Teacher.
Set the Number of Words between 5 and 10 words per minute. Set it low if you are in a low-speed class. Set it higher if you are in a high-speed class.
Select an easy drill for Testimony practice. Easy drills include all of the Common Words drills, the three-letter words, four-letter words, and five-letter words from the EMMAnator drills for Testimony, Numbers, and Vowels.
Select a medium drill for Literary practice. Suggested drills are: the five-letter words from the EMMAnator or the higher drills for Testimony; any of the EMMAnator drills for Literary practice; Prefix drills, Suffix drills, the Names drills.
Before you select a speed, you must understand the concept of the drill. Suppose you are in 160 class. You want to be able to write at 180, 200, 225 and higher, don't you? Guess what? You already do, but you cannot sustain the speed. The StairStepper is designed to draw out your natural abilities so that you learn to sustain that high speed that you crave. The speed that you choose for the drill is only the starting speed. The StairStepper will rapidly increase the speed.
To select a speed, choose a speed that would seem unbearably slow if you were to drill on it constantly. You need this slow speed to prepare yourself for the ultra-fast drill. Concentrate on rhythm and smooth stroking as the drill begins. This is very important. The StairStepper will soon be pushing you beyond your limit. You need to prepare yourself mentally better than you prepare for any other drill. The beginning of the drill is slow. Do the beginning correctly, and you will do the high-speed portion correctly.
Click on the StairStepper button. This reveals a control panel that allows you to choose one of five buttons that are labeled Four Seconds, Five Seconds, Six Seconds, Eight Seconds, and Ten Seconds. This is the amount of time that the StairStepper will stay at one speed level. In other words, the drill will increase in speed every six seconds if you choose Six Seconds. Choose a low number if you are in a high-speed class. Choose a high number if you are in a low-speed class.
The controls are now set for the drill. Start the drill. Write smoothly. Do not race across the screen. Write with rhythm. As the speed increases, increase your hand speed. Do not stop the drill if the screen changes before you finish writing. Simply pick up with the next group of words. Stop the drill when your writing deteriorates. If you start hesitating, stop the drill. If your lose your clarity, stop the drill. Otherwise, continue to drill.
Notice the speed setting that now appears in the Speed control. It is much higher than it was before. The StairStepper increased the speed while you were drilling. You have to reset that control to your original starting speed before you begin the next drill.
When the next drill starts, concentrate even harder on rhythm and clarity. You must be writing well at the low speeds or you will not conquer the high speeds. If your clarity has deserted you, stop the drill. Turn off the StairStepper. Work on clarity for a minute or two. Do the same thing if you are hesitating. Turn off the StairStepper, and work on low-speed material until you do not hesitate. Then go back to the StairStepper.
Remember that it is not important whether you get every word in every line. It is important that you keep your hands moving at high speed as long as possible. Keep stroking. You are learning finger speed. When you drill in class, you will notice that you are able to stroke quicker, stronger, and with a higher degree of clarity than you thought possible.
Keep at it. This drill works wonders.
The StairStepper is a product of the mind of the great Barb DeWitt.
