English Shorthand Dictation Passages Pdf Downloadl
Kym Cavrak
Taking lots of unseen dictation will not teach you shorthand outlines, its purpose is to test your writing skills, let you know where your shorthand is at, and get you accustomed to writing shorthand without knowing what is coming next, so it does have its place in your training.
Purposeful preparation and practising of passages before taking them from dictation enables you to write at a greater speed than taking the passages unseen, and that is what you need to be doing as often as possible. It will improve your vocabulary, phrasing and neatness, thus building your skill and greatly increasing confidence.
Your speed on the known passages will increase dramatically which is a good self-encourager, as long as you remember that unseen dictations will not be as easy to write. There is no pressure as you practise at home and you will step up your expectations of yourself.
All the BlogSpot articles are available as MP3s on the new reading websitewww.long-live-pitmans-shorthand-reading.org.uk/blog-downloads.htm as ZIP files, to accompany the PDFs of the shorthand and text. There is also one blog per month provided as a Facility Drill book and a slow dictation of 40 wpm, this is generally the main dictation with pieces of silence added between the words and phrases.
It is not only your shorthand ability that makes any particular dictation seem slow or too fast, but also the frame of mind that you are in at that time. I suggest you take a simple but "too fast" dictation first, at the beginning of your session, and do your utmost to get as much down as possible, even if it is illegible and full of gaps. This will get the mind in fast reacting mode, and then all the following dictations will seem very much slower. It is quite astounding how it can change one's perception of what is slow and what is fast. Once you have experienced this, I hope you will be encouraged to make use of this extremely effective shorthand learning strategy. My shorthand teacher did this for us regularly, knowing its benefits, and a warm-up passage was always given in an exam, although the purpose there was also to accustom the students to the dictator's voice beforehand.
The easiest way to do free dictation at the lower speeds, with no helper, no computer, no sound files or tapes and no written text, is to use something you already know, such as a song, poem, rhyme, jingle, Christmas carol, hymn etc. You already know the whole text and can recite it from memory. As long as you either say the words, or imagine them being said, you are associating the outlines with the sounds, and avoiding the intrusion of longhand text. If you prepare and learn the shorthand outlines for your favourites, they will always be available to you for odd practising moments when you are away from your desk. You can do this mentally without even pen or paper, as you sit on the bus or stand in a queue. You set the pace every time. You do not need to time them and your determination to write (legibly) as fast as you can will get you through. This is similar to when youngsters first learn to write their signature in cursive writing, they take great delight in writing it everywhere, all the time, as fast as they can, until it can be done without the slightest hesitation, and of course using the best "statement pen" they can find.
All the blog articles are given at the end of each month as PDF (shorthand and text) and a ZIP file containing MP3 dictations. One blog per month is also given as a Facility Drill book PDF and as an additional dictation at 40wpm. An additional Facility Drill is occasionally given for theory subjects.
These drills help you to write smoothly and accurately, and get the hand into the habit of writing without stopping and starting. They are a preparation for taking dictation in the normal way onto empty paper. Facility drill books should not be used for actual dictation practice, as it is essential to be able to recall outlines in response to the sounds, instantly and without any help. It may be helpful to use a different colour ink, or pencil to write your shorthand, so you can see which lines are which. For further on this type of practice, seeBlog March 2015 Facility_Drills
Perform confidential clerical and administrative support services.
Take, transcribe, and proofread dictation, using shorthand and/or electronic dictation equipment and personal computers.
Type memos, reports, work sheets, schedules, requisitions and other items of similar complexity from rough drafts and notes using word processing applications.
Compose and type general correspondence, which requires knowledge of departmental operations and/or policies and procedures to prepare.
Gather, input, tabulate and sort data using spreadsheet and/or database applications.
Make appointments for managers, directors and/or officers and update calendar systems.
Attend meetings as required and record, transcribe and distribute minutes of the proceedings.
Organize non-routine administrative and/or clerical work for temporary or other clerical staff.
May receive and screen telephone calls.
Perform related work and special projects as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Knowledge of:
- Business English, spelling, punctuation, arithmetic, and a broad vocabulary.
- Shorthand, speedwriting and/or dictation.
- Modern office practices and procedures and machines.
- Regulations, procedures, and services of the area of assignment.
- Organization and functions of a municipal government.
- Municipal and state code and the ability to locate information contained in it.
- Excellent transcription, proofreading and editing skills.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent telephone and calendaring skills.
- Proficient in MS Word, Excel and other MS Office applications.
- Strong interpersonal skills required including a positive customer service orientation, with both internal and external contacts.
- Maintain confidential information and records.
- Take and transcribe dictation utilizing shorthand or electronic dictation equipment.
- Utilize multiple computer software programs, printers and other related office machines and equipment.
- Organize, assign and review the work of other clerical staff if necessary.
- Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, other city staff, and the public.
- Relate to others in a professional, courteous and respectful manner.
- Maintain a work environment free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
- Support diversity and multi-cultural understanding in the workplace.