When you take notes, everything is speed and accuracy. In shorthand, speed and accuracy are 80%, depending on how many symbols you have in your memory and how many symbols you use while taking dictation and notes. Shorthand is a valuable skill for students, journalists, secretaries, and professionals who need to take quick, accurate notes.
Mastering shorthand symbols is a challenging task. However, it is not impossible to master shorthand symbols using effective strategies. So, don’t worry; I’m here for you to guide you through my effective strategy. Whether you’re a student in the learning process or a professional looking to refine your skills, these practical strategies and tips will help you master shorthand symbols efficiently.
Read More: How to Create Your Own Shorthand Dictionary? Complete Guide
1. Understand the Basics First
The first and foremost thing is to understand the basics of shorthand—the meaning of the basics—before going deeper into shorthand symbols. While each shorthand system, such as Gregg, Pitman, or Teeline, comes built with its own set of symbols, rules, and regulations, they all have at least a few things in common.
The first step is learning the basics of your shorthand system, i.e., the alphabet, consonants, and outlines. For example, Gregg shorthand is a computer made of curves and lines that denote different sounds. Memorize these basic shapes and get used to drawing them until you no longer have to think. This will be the basis for more complex symbols and constructs.
2. Practice Consistently
Like any other skill, shorthand requires consistent practice. Set a dedicated time every day to practice writing shorthand symbols. Even 1-2 hours daily can make a significant difference over time.
You can be perfect only by practicing and focusing on speed and accuracy. Start slowly to ensure your symbols are correctly formed, then gradually increase your speed. This approach will help you build muscle memory, making it easier to write quickly without sacrificing legibility.
I recommend using various materials for practice, such as writing down random sentences, transcribing audio clips, reading books or newspapers, or even copying text from books or articles. The more diverse your practice sessions, the better equipped you’ll be to handle different types of content in real-life situations.
Tip: Track your progress by timing how long it takes to transcribe a passage in shorthand. Over time, you should notice your speed improving.
3. Use Mnemonics to Remember Symbols
Remember, mnemonics are a great way to remember things and can be beneficial when learning shorthand symbols. Develops Icons Association – it associates icons with the sound they signify. For example, remember that with the image, if a symbol looks like something or an action.
Suppose a stylized shorthand symbol for the letter “L” appears like a loop. Think of it as something that lassos around, reminding you what sound goes with it. The brighter and more precise the mnemonic is, as well as your private connection to it, the easier it will be to inscribe in your memory.
Stories or phrases with several symbols incorporated into them are also possible. This method of learning helps memorization and makes the process exciting and fun.
Tips: You can share it with others learning shorthand, or it might give you new memory palace ideas.
4. Break Down Complex Symbols
Some shorthand symbols are whole words or phrases rather than single letters. These numbers can be daunting initially, but dividing them into smaller sections helps manage the process.
For example, if you need to learn a symbol meaning ‘nevertheless,’ understand it as syllables: nev–er-the-less,… what each part means in the context of the whole word. This makes learning more accessible and lets you see how shorthand symbols are constructed.
The more you learn about these complex symbols, the more effortless reading and writing them is. This will save time, especially when transcribing long sentences or taking notes during fast-paced meetings.
TIP: learn to write complex symbols in isolation until you can use them when using sentences. Then, you can understand the symbol itself without context.
5. Incorporate Technology
In this digital era, many technological tools are available to help you learn shorthand. Apps, online courses, and video tutorials are all here to help teach you shorthand symbols.
Interactive exercises in apps like Teeline Gold or Gregg Shorthand help reinforce what you learn. These involve audio clips to test your transcription, quizzes to check what you learned, and progress trackers to measure your progress.
Join online groups or forums where others who love shorthand share shortcuts, support, and motivation. Stumbling upon others in the same boat as you when learning shorthand can encourage and make this intimidating task much more fun!
Tips: Stylus and tablets are the best solutions for going digital for shorthand practice. This saves paper and lets you erase any mistakes or edit your symbols.
6. Develop Your Own Shortcuts
Practice the standard shorthand symbols and create abbreviations for improved speed and efficiency. The more often you run into some words or phrases in a work-related context, the better choice they are for custom symbols.
For instance, a journalist could make their own character for ‘artificial intelligence’ and another for cyber security (if you’re in the tech beat). The personal shortcuts make note transcriptions during interviews or discussions much shorter.
Don’t do it too much, though. Having too many custom symbols can cause confusion and misinterpretation. Use a small number of shortcuts that you use all the time, but be sure your factored output is different enough from standard symbols.
Pro tip: Create a personal Dictionary of Shorthand Symbols, in which you will write out your symbols and their contextual meanings. This will help you remain consistent and avoid forgetting what each symbol stands for.
7. Transcribe Real-Life Content
You begin mastering shorthand symbols by using them with real-world content. Listen to speeches and podcasts or transcribe conversations to translate shorthand in real-life situations.
Begin with something you know well, like a TED Talk or podcast in an area of interest. You are more likely to track and record what we say correctly. Once you are a pro, start experimenting with the more complex content, like live streaming and fast-paced discussions.
This will help you become more proficient in shorthand and increase your listening and understanding capabilities. You will learn to smooth out the main idea and discuss it succinctly — a helpful skill in every profession.
8. Stay Patient and Persistent
Again, shorthand symbols cannot be learned overnight. It requires patience, resiliency, and the right mindset. Often, you will feel overwhelmed and as if the world is against you, especially for complex symbols or when your speed begins to decrease.
In these types of moments, remember why you decided to learn shorthand in the first place. Whether you are trying to improve your note-taking, advance in your career, or just push yourself further, remembering what drives you will keep the momentum going.
Don’t forget to celebrate the small victories. Every new symbol, every word you write down, and each speed improvement is a small brick that leads to being perfect. Before long, your struggles will have been effortlessly replaced with second nature and shorthand writing.
9. Review and Reflect Regularly
Reviewing the essay regularly is vital in helping you remember what you learned. Set a weekly time to review the shorthand symbols you have learned, focus on ones that give you trouble, and practice them until they are smooth.
Consolidation is just as vital. Pause for a second and reflect on the best ways for you. What mnemonics worked best to remember more complex symbols? Could the added real-life content help you speed up? Once you understand that, you can build your learning around this and never stop improving.
As always, feel free to leave a comment with feedback. Ask others to improve your technique if you are learning shorthand in a class or group. What Are the Benefits of Constructive Criticism? Constructive criticism can offer excellent understanding and identify room for improvement when striving for minor or more.
10. Stay Updated and Adapt
It is a living skill and can change as you do. Learn new shorthand techniques, symbols, or tools to aid your development. Get involved in shorthand communities, attend workshops, or enroll in his dictionary__(‘Learn shorthand the easy way’) -Newsletter.
Practice morphing your shorthand to fit the requirements and aspirations you have for it. If you encounter some symbols or techniques that are not working for you, change them accordingly. The idea is to build a shorthand notation system that will work best for you, enabling your fastest, most accurate, and, more importantly, confident writing.
TIP: Be open-minded and willing to try new approaches. Also, remember that learning is a constant circle, and the ability to move on quickly from your mistakes helps in continuous improvement.
Conclusion
Learning shorthand symbols will be a rewarding journey, and it takes time, dedication & right strategy to master them! If anyone fails to grab it at that point, then there is a need for the person who helps him learn these principles and apply them effectively through years of practice using shortcut key chains. As described in this article, you can become an expert in shorthand symbols by copying simple steps. Patience, regular review, and adaptation as needed will help your shorthand skills improve. You can use these methods to write fast, accurately, and confidently when you take dictation in school or for your job.
