LLTT Newsletter #4 - July 2023
LLTT - Issue #4 - July 2023
Welcome back.
In this issue, we discuss the theory of "Anti-Practice" and how it might help improve your shorthand skill. We then dive into an interview with Rosalie Watts, co-founder of Let's Love Teeline Together. We discuss online tutoring and how it differs from the classroom, what type of student benefits from tutoring and the challenges (and rewards) of providing hands-on guidance and feedback in an online environment. Finally, we offer some thoughts on how to "prepare" a dictation, so let's get to it!
Anti-Practice
After working on your shorthand for any length of time, you’re bound to run into challenges. These could be problems or issues you can’t seem to fix, no matter what you do. We’ve all been there. However, you can often find solutions if you “work across disciplines.”
We came across an article recently entitled “Do These 3 Things Today and Play Better Tomorrow." The site bills itself as “revealing possibilities for those who may not see what is achievable.” The article, while directed at musicians (specifically, harpists), refers to a term the author calls “Anti-Practice,” which upon reflection, we believe has relevance to developing skill in Teeline shorthand. See if you agree.
In this sense, anti-practice relates to the concept of "different, not more." When you wish to become better at something, the typical advice is to "keep plugging away," or "get more hours under your belt." However, unless you're already using a relatively effective approach, this may not help you much if you're stuck. Simply put, "plugging away" can make you more experienced at doing the same thing, but it may not move you forward.
A better approach is to rebuild the skill entirely with a different mindset. Instead of inching along in your familiar way, consider embracing the difficulty of learning a perhaps unfamiliar, but ultimately stronger, method as though you’ve never done the thing before at all.
The article references three techniques to consider. We will address each in turn and how these techniques might translate to the world of Teeline.
Anti-Practice Technique #1: Music of the Mind: Read it until you can hear it.
“Start by taking your music to a different room from where you normally practise. Read the music and try to hear it in your mind [...] Go over the piece until you can “hear” it...with some level of detail. Don’t move your hands to mimic your playing...go back to your instrument and play what you hear in your head. Don’t worry about notes you are missing. Just try to recreate your vision for the piece as closely as you are able.”
Shorthand Strategy:
“Take every opportunity to read printed Teeline...read and re-read the Teeline until you can read it fluently. Doing this will help to imprint the outlines on your brain and make the recalling of them easier.” - Harry Butler - Building to High Speed
Reading printed shorthand is strongly recommended by most high-speed writers as pattern recognition can play a crucial role in shorthand learning, offering numerous benefits to those aiming to improve their speed and accuracy. In short:
a) Enhances Outline Recognition: Although there is much more to writing shorthand than simply recognising an outline, through reading and regularly engaging with printed shorthand, you will improve your sight recognition of Teeline outlines, which in turn will help you produce the outlines more quickly in your own writing.
b) It builds confidence: Proficiency in reading Teeline boosts confidence. This is especially true when you read your own writing. Doing so makes you more adept at transcribing your notes quickly during revision and/or exams.
c) It reinforces learning: Reading Teeline reinforces the knowledge gained during theory classes (or personal study) and over time serves as a review and is good for strengthening your memory retention.
Anti-Practice Technique #2: Personal Trainer: Let an expert set the pace.
"Find a recording of your piece played by a master...Play along with the recording."
Shorthand Strategy:
There is a good article by Scott Young called "The Intermediate Plateau." In it, he writes "in problem-solving, we can get further (only) if we see better ways of doing things. The people who succeed are often those who can find better mentors and, therefore, can continue the relatively efficient ‘learning from others’ path.”
The "learning from others" concept emphasises the importance of finding those who can help enhance our learning process. Instead of stumbling through trial and error alone, seek guidance from those who are already doing what you want to do. These experts enable you to navigate your journey far more efficiently. A mentor not only imparts wisdom, but also valuable life lessons. Further, they can help ignite inspiration and provide constructive feedback to catapult you up the ladder far more efficiently if you let them.
Anti-Practice Technique #3: Repeat Performance: Develop some stamina.
"Play the whole piece through 3 times without stopping. Don’t stop for mistakes and don’t stop in between repetitions. This will help you get out of the trees and see the forest. It will also help you develop the focus and stamina required to play the entire piece. You will likely discover that the piece is less daunting, less difficult or more fun to play than you thought."
Shorthand Strategy:
Stamina is your ability to sustain a physical or mental effort for longer periods of time. Everyone who has taken shorthand knows it can be mentally taxing!
To this end, you will want to try taking down increasingly longer passages without stopping. Whether or not you increase the speed or difficulty is not as important. Your ability to focus and write for longer periods of time is.
Longer dictations are much like a new exercise program. When you first start out, "pain" and "resistance" are close companions. But you need to keep at it until your brain acclimates to the new norm. It WILL be DIFFICULT. It WILL be PAINFUL. No one learns to run a marathon by only running for 2 minutes at a time. But just like training for a marathon, consistent practice with increasing levels of difficulty (that is, longer and longer periods of time) will prove valuable to you if you put in the work.
"To be successful, you must be willing to do the things today others won't do in order to have the things tomorrow others won't have."
Interview with Rosalie Watts
This month’s interview is with Rosalie Watts, the co-founder of Let’s Love Teeline Together. She is an expert in Teeline and works both as a freelance writer and a university teacher. As this interview will reveal, she sees teaching as her true calling and feels best when in front of a class while her writing work allows her creative abilities to shine in a different way. We talk about how she found her way into teaching, the creation of Let's Love Teeline Together and the advantages (and challenges) of teaching Teeline online.
Thanks for making the time. Why don't you introduce yourself and tell us about your introduction to Teeline and how you found your way into teaching.
My name is Rosalie Watts, co-founder of Let’s Love Teeline Together. I fell in love with Teeline when being taught by the wonderful Jo Goodall during my time studying Journalism at Staffordshire University. It may sound cliche, but I genuinely found Teeline difficult, yet fascinating, in equal measure. I wouldn’t say I was naturally gifted, more extremely curious. I always had questions- which went far beyond the classroom. I would often wake in the night thinking about how to write outlines or words I had learnt that day in class. If I couldn’t remember how to write an outline, I would get out of bed and check my notes. I found myself looking at words in longhand, street names, or the names of chocolate bars and trying to form an outline in my head. Even when having a conversation, I was thinking in shorthand.
That’s when I knew I had the shorthand ‘bug’. With time, dedication and an endless collection of notepads I became pretty good at writing and reading shorthand, so much so that Jo asked me to help other students in her office when I had free time. Jo spent endless hours training me how to read to speed - which is more difficult than one would expect. During my final year of studies, a part-time shorthand teaching post became available and I was offered the position. Little did I know there were some concerns whether or not I would be right for the role - being a naturally fast speaker with a strong northern accent. Thankfully, Jo assured the powers that be she was sure I would be successful. I will never forget delivering my first formal lecture, I was SO nervous. I have since taught all over the country including delivering on courses for The Telegraph as well as lecturing to classes of over 100 students.
Did you know you wanted to teach from the beginning?
While I had never considered teaching as a career, things fell into place and I soon realised I felt at my best when delivering a lecture. I am passionate about my subject and helping students reach their potential. There’s no subject quite like shorthand and it’s a memorable experience. The high energy of a lecture theatre, the buzz of reaching a speed milestone - it’s amazing for all involved!
How would you classify your teaching style?
Collaborative, high-energy and fast-paced. I aim to create a comfortable space where students feel like they can ask anything, at any time.
Is there a difference between teaching and tutoring or are they effectively the same?
I often associate teaching with laying the groundwork and tutoring with working to speed, but essentially they are the same thing.
So what prompted the creation of Let's Love Teeline Together?
At the start of the pandemic, when it was announced educational institutions were closing, including News Associates where I was teaching shorthand at the time, I went from being super busy to having some time on my hands - something I had not experienced before. With little chance of restrictions lifting, I decided in March 2020 to move back to my mum’s temporarily. Once we were allowed to mix households, I visited Jo and after many cups of coffee (and a glass or two of wine!), we decided we would put pen to paper and plan on how to make our YouTube dream a reality. The Let's Love Teeline Together name was actually suggested by Jo’s son, who is an advertising whizz. I remember Jo sketching the logo in her upstairs office. From there we spent many hours creating, recording and editing videos. There are SO many funny takes, forgotten lines and bursts of laughter. We had the BEST time creating the videos. It never felt like work. The vision was to inspire. We wanted students to have a place they could go to - no matter if they were learning theory or preparing for exams.
What are the advantages of online tutoring, say, compared to traditional classroom tutoring for learning Teeline shorthand?
The main advantage is accessibility and convenience. I am able to deliver lessons to people all over the country - and even the world - and that’s amazing. It’s particularly helpful for those who are already in a reporting role as they can have lessons around working hours without having to travel.
Are there any challenges unique to teaching Teeline shorthand online that you don't encounter in a traditional classroom setting?
Engagement. This isn’t an issue with small groups as we share our cameras and we can send over notes during the session. I tend to use WhatsApp so I can provide feedback during the lesson. With larger groups though, it can be more difficult to provide this style of feedback due to time constraints. It’s also handy to be able to watch someone write by looking over their shoulder instead of reading notes. This can raise issues such as how hard they are pressing on their notepad or whether they are holding their pen in an awkward position.
In your opinion, what makes online tutoring an effective method for teaching Teeline shorthand? Did the pandemic change the playing field?
It's effective in the sense that it’s accessible - especially for people who have busy working lives. It can also be difficult to find shorthand tutors so remote teaching means centres are more likely to be able to find a good tutor who might not live in the same area. The pandemic certainly changed things as we had the chance to analyse exam results during a time when all tuition was remote. Incidentally, at my centre, there wasn’t any difference in results when comparing remote versus in-person teaching.
How do you address the potential challenges of providing guidance and feedback to students in an online environment?
Live feedback can be great for smaller classes where I can share and annotate notes live. When working with larger groups, I will set an end of week task and mark their work using Google Keep - there they can see annotations. For one to one sessions, WhatsApp can also work really well. The most important thing is that tutors have a Wacom tablet so students can see live drawings.
Give us an idea of the types of people you work with daily and an idea of what they come to you looking for.
It varies greatly. I have worked with students who have had to completely restart theory - this is either due to finding it too difficult or missing lessons due to personal circumstances. I also work with those purely on speed-building where I support their progression to obtaining a speed certificate, whether that’s 60, 100 or 120 wpm! In addition to having private students I also teach on undergraduate courses, postgraduate courses and I teach at different news organisations too - these tend to be smaller groups where their employer requires a 100 wpm qualification in order to sit their seniors exams.
Are there any limitations or drawbacks to online tutoring for Teeline shorthand that you've encountered? If yes, what are they, and how do you overcome them?
When working one to one, I don’t think there are any limitations since personalised feedback can be provided instantly. As I mentioned earlier, it's helpful to be able to physically see how a student writes to discuss things like pen control and how hard a writer is pressing on the pad.
A classroom environment can be beneficial with bigger groups as they can experience a sense of togetherness and share their struggles and wins. For most students, they have never studied Teeline before and so they all start on a level playing field. Strong writers can help motivate those students finding it more difficult and those who might be struggling can see success is possible.
It has been noted some students may feel more comfortable raising a question in an online environment, however I have found students don’t ask as many questions online - especially in a large group. I think that in person, providing the environment is comfortable and open, students are more likely to ask questions and they also have the chance to approach a teacher after class to ask questions at the end of the lesson.
My concern with delivering to large groups online is that students can easily hide away. Therefore, the in-person interaction is perhaps more important with larger groups and when teaching on university cohorts - where students can sometimes need extra motivation.
Not surprisingly, when teaching those who are already in a job role and who may need to obtain the qualification to progress in their career, motivation and engagement are rarely issues, so online delivery works very well indeed.
How do you maintain engagement and ensure active participation from students during online Teeline lessons?
The main thing is to always ask questions and request notes be sent over - ideally during the session, depending on group size. Ensuring all students have their cameras on and asking questions at random times always keeps them on their toes!
How do you foster a sense of community and interaction in an online tutoring setting?
Admittedly, this can be difficult. During lockdown, I created an Instagram account which helped and students would send over pictures of their working set up - pets included! This is something I hope to resume this next academic year. Engaging in group chats and asking students to unmute themselves to talk can also help too. Weekly emails with motivational stories or quotes can also keep spirits high!
Can you share any success stories or positive outcomes from your experience with online tutoring for Teeline shorthand?
There are so many! I have helped many students reach their 60 and 100 wpm qualifications. It’s remarkable that I have not met all these people in person, yet we have formed wonderful relationships. I have received some lovely feedback, especially since we started the YouTube channel. I have one student in particular who found the theory really hard. She studied the LLTT Beginner Series and then we started having weekly lessons. She is now due to sit her 60 wpm this month.
Do you believe there are certain types of students or learning styles that benefit more from online tutoring?
I think all students can benefit from both styles of learning but from a visual perspective, learning online can be easier. Before the pandemic, I was delivering to over 100 students using a chalkboard and it could be very difficult for students to see. It’s also more inclusive as I can record the lectures which is great if someone is unwell or wants to revisit the content at a later date.
How do you personalise your online tutoring sessions to meet the individual needs of your Teeline shorthand students?
Prior to working together, I analyse notes to look for theory gaps. I ask the students if they feel it’s theory, speed or a combination of both which they are finding most difficult. When looking at a piece of shorthand, I can spot issues straight away - whether it’s missing theory, not using word groupings or forgetting special outlines. We stay in touch via email between sessions and I often ask the student for feedback. I like lessons to be collaborative. It is a team effort. I get just as nervous as the students do when it comes to exams!
For students who may be hesitant about online tutoring for Teeline shorthand, what would you say to convince them of its effectiveness?
I would say give it a go! Have a lesson and then make your decision from there. I have proven time and time again that it’s absolutely possible to progress with an online tutor in the same way as one would in the classroom. You have the flexibility to arrange the lessons when it suits you and can carry them out from the comfort of your own home.
Based on your experience, what do you think the future holds for online tutoring in the field of Teeline shorthand, and how do you see it evolving?
I think that there will always be a need for in-person teaching when it comes to shorthand - just in the same way that there is for other subjects.
Meeting your tutor in-person and building relationships with both tutor and classmates can be extremely beneficial. I do, however, think that there will always be some who prefer the online environment - largely due to convenience. For those in full time employment, it’s fantastic.
For larger groups like university cohorts, a hybrid approach could be the answer. Where I teach at Sheffield University, timetabling has been an issue. It’s only possible to teach shorthand early in the morning due to other modules. Pre-pandemic, this sometimes had a negative effect on attendance as the lessons were at 9am each morning. This year, we are trialling a hybrid approach where we will hold one in-person lesson and four remote lessons each week. This way, students will be able to build rapport with their tutor and classmates while still having the convenience of online lessons for the rest of the week. These lessons will be recorded and saved online so they can be used as revision/access material easily if a lesson is missed.
"Preparing" a dictation
Broadly, there are two types of dictations: prepared and unprepared.
While an unprepared dictation involves taking down the spoken word without knowing what is coming next (and is important for consolidation work), a prepared dictation allows you to choose a passage for study prior to taking the dictation.
Unlike an unprepared dictation, a prepared dictation is where you learn most of your new outlines and/or word groupings.
By preparing a dictation, students can enhance their shorthand skills in several ways.
Firstly, analysing outlines and groupings allows learners to identify common word or sentence patterns as well as recurring passage elements.
Secondly, preparation helps you to consider the underlying principles and rules of shorthand construction; in other words, you have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the theory you learned in the beginning stages. It is always good to refresh on the fundamentals, for they do not change.
There are essentially five steps involved in a prepared dictation.
Obtain a Teeline passage, print it out and read it through, ideally with a highlighter or coloured pencil to identify new outlines, word groupings or potential "trouble" spots.
Try one of these:
Man stands trial following bar attack
After you can read it with fluency, take some time to write it out, one sentence at a time.
Next, read back what you have written until you can do so without hesitation.
Then, you can either read the passage out loud while recording yourself -OR- if there is already a recorded dictation, you can use that to take the dictation at speed.
Although you will have gone through the passage several times by now, taking it at speed will likely reveal a few areas you may struggle with. If so, it is important to stop, clearly identify the hard bits and drill those specific areas and then try again.
Let's use the beginning of the Chamber of Commerce - 60 WPM passage as an example.
While reading through the first five sentences, you might have highlighted some of the outlines and/or word groupings above for further review and individual revision drilling. This will, of course, vary from person to person.
Next, write it out carefully, reading it out loud as you do.
After this, you should be ready to try your hand with an actual timed dictation. For the above passage, try your hand with the 60 WPM dictation here on Soundcloud.
It is important to remember that when it comes to shorthand, the proof is ALWAYS in the final transcript. After dictation, aim to compare your transcript against the original. You’ll be surprised how often you think you did well when you actually didn't quite measure up. The best course of action is to consider every mistake (no matter how small) an error. And your goal, post dictation, is to identify those errors. You cannot fix that which you do not know needs fixing.
In summary, preparing a dictation offers significant benefits. By taking your time and carefully reading printed Teeline, you can identify the challenging outlines or word groupings. This expands your vocabulary. Studying the overall structure of a piece helps you recognize patterns, deepening your understanding of shorthand theory and improving your writing. The more you employ this strategy, the more this will enhance your speed, accuracy, and overall proficiency, enabling you to handle future unprepared dictations more effectively.
See: https://www.letsloveteelinetogether.com/post/break-it-down
Interesting Links
A curated a collection of interesting links that may ignite your curiosity or broaden your horizons.
A Directory of Very Useful Websites
https://www.thebigproject.co.uk/Can You Guess the Most Common Letters in the English Language?
https://www.rd.com/article/common-letters-english-language/This paragraph is abnormal. It contains an oddity, a linguistic quirk that you will find in no popular book or journal or script in any library. Want a hint? A crucial bit of vocabulary is missing (saying it all aloud might aid you, but probably not). Can you spot our anomaly? And if you do, can you say what it is without spoiling it?
The answer is as plain as the nose on your face, or the cream in your coffee, or the vowels in your alphabet. The above paragraph is missing the most common letter in the English language: the letter E.
How to create lined paper in Word
Recent website updates
Over the past month, we added a new section to our website and to our YouTube channel that is focused on resurfacing important Teeline theory principles.
"Theory provides the framework, but understanding its principles brings it to life."
LLTT- Theory and Principles
It is important to return to Teeline theory and its fundamental principles regularly. Through short videos, we help you reinforce that foundational knowledge to build shorthand expertise.
Expanded Quizlet sets
Over the last month, we've created several new sets of flashcards that should come in handy for your revision efforts. Check out a couple of our latest:
https://quizlet.com/814980443/car-repairs-flash-cards/ https://quizlet.com/813555248/the-art-of-conversation-selected-words-and-groupings-flash-cards/Soundcloud
As of the end of this month, there are more than 334 audio files available for your revision work on Soundcloud. If there is a place on the web that has more freely-available dictation material, we are unaware of it!
Check out our most popular Soundcloud files.
Reading Practice
We're going to wrap up this newsletter with some Teeline reading practice. See how quickly you can read the following.
But before you start:
Grab your stopwatch (or use the one on your phone).
You'll want to record how much time it takes for you to read through it cold the first time.
Then do it again and see if you can beat the previous time.
And finally, repeat for a third time.
You should find each successive pass shaves seconds off the clock and by the third pass, you'll have substantially improved. This is not mere child's play. Reading printed Teeline is critical to developing greater facility with shorthand. Each time you go through this type of exercise, you are firmly imprinting the outlines into your mind. In this manner, reading Teeline will help you to ultimately write better Teeline.
Stay tuned and subscribe for the next issue where we share:
The best place to find homework. Yes, homework!
Why ignoring goals can be good if you want better results.
And finally, some thoughts on why learning requires Action.
Thanks for reading! Visit us at the LLTT Website, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Quizlet and Soundcloud. If you like what you see, we want to hear from you!
If you have suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered in future newsletters, contact us: https://www.letsloveteelinetogether.com/contact-us.
If you find this newsletter helpful, please forward to a Teeline friend and suggest they sign up!
A Parting Thought
