Stenography Course

Lesson 1 • The Steno Keyboard Layout

Maps all keys on the steno keyboard and explains their phonetic roles. Students gain spatial awareness needed before practicing any stroke combinations.

Lesson 2 • History and Purpose of Stenography

Traces stenography from ancient shorthand to modern machine systems. Establishes professional context and motivates skill acquisition throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Posture and Hand Positioning

Establishes correct body mechanics and finger placement for injury-free operation. Proper form prevents repetitive strain and supports speed development.

Lesson 4 • Phonetic Principles of Steno

Explains how steno encodes sounds rather than letters. This phonetic foundation underpins every stroke pattern introduced in subsequent chapters.

Lesson 1 • Initial Consonant Strokes

Covers all left-hand consonant combinations that begin syllables. Mastery here is required before combining initials with vowels and finals.

Lesson 2 • Final Consonant Strokes

Introduces right-hand consonant keys that close syllables and words. Combined with initials and vowels, finals complete the full stroke unit.

Lesson 3 • Vowel Strokes and Combinations

Teaches all vowel key presses and diphthong combinations. Accurate vowel strokes are essential for distinguishing homophones and similar words.

Lesson 4 • Brief Forms and Abbreviations

Introduces standardized brief forms that compress frequent words into fewer strokes. Briefs are the primary speed-building tool in professional steno.

Lesson 1 • Phrasing Fundamentals

Introduces phrasing theory, combining multiple words into one stroke. Phrasing is a critical speed lever used by professional reporters.

Lesson 2 • Proper Nouns and Capitalization

Teaches capitalization strokes and strategies for writing proper nouns. Consistent capitalization is required for professional-grade transcripts.

Lesson 3 • Numbers and Punctuation Strokes

Covers number bar usage and dedicated punctuation strokes. Accurate number and punctuation output is essential for verbatim transcription.

Lesson 4 • Prefix and Suffix Strokes

Assigns dedicated strokes to common prefixes and suffixes. Standardized affixes accelerate writing of derived and inflected word forms.

Lesson 1 • Speed Testing and Benchmarking

Administers timed tests to measure words-per-minute and accuracy rates. Benchmarking provides objective data to guide further practice priorities.

Lesson 2 • Structured Drill Methodology

Presents drill types—word lists, sentences, and passages—and their sequencing. Structured drills are the primary mechanism for controlled speed gains.

Lesson 3 • Conflict Resolution and Fingering

Addresses stroke conflicts and inefficient fingering patterns that cap speed. Resolving conflicts directly removes barriers to higher stroke rates.

Lesson 4 • Dictation Practice at Varied Rates

Uses audio dictation at incrementally increasing speeds to push skill boundaries. Varied-rate practice simulates real-world speaker unpredictability.

Lesson 1 • Dictionary Management

Teaches how to build, edit, and maintain the personal steno dictionary. A well-maintained dictionary is the foundation of accurate real-time output.

Lesson 2 • Transcript Editing and Proofing

Covers post-session editing tools, global replace, and proofing workflows. Efficient editing reduces turnaround time for delivered transcripts.

Lesson 3 • Real-Time Translation Settings

Configures real-time translation for accurate on-screen output during live writing. Correct settings reduce untranslates and improve transcript quality.

Lesson 4 • CAT Software Interface Navigation

Orients students to the CAT software workspace, menus, and views. Interface fluency is prerequisite to all editing and dictionary work.

Lesson 1 • Legal Vocabulary and Terminology

Builds a steno dictionary of high-frequency legal terms and Latin phrases. Specialized vocabulary reduces untranslates in legal proceedings.

Lesson 2 • Deposition Procedures and Format

Covers deposition structure, speaker identification, and exhibit handling. Proper deposition format is a core deliverable in freelance reporting.

Lesson 3 • Court Reporting Roles and Responsibilities

Defines the official reporter's duties, oath, and professional obligations. Understanding the role frames all technical practice in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • Read-Back and Certification

Trains the reporter to read back testimony accurately and certify the record. Read-back and certification are legally required reporter competencies.

Lesson 1 • Captioning Software and Encoding

Covers captioning-specific software, encoder connections, and broadcast workflows. Technical setup competence is required before any live captioning assignment.

Lesson 2 • Real-Time Accuracy Standards

Establishes accuracy benchmarks required for captioning services. Meeting these standards is a professional and regulatory obligation for captioners.

Lesson 3 • Introduction to Real-Time Captioning

Distinguishes broadcast captioning from CART and explains each service model. Context shapes the technical and ethical demands covered in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • Specialized Vocabulary for Captioning

Builds dictionaries for news, sports, entertainment, and academic captioning. Domain-specific vocabulary reduces untranslates in specialized broadcasts.

Lesson 1 • Ethics and Professional Conduct

Defines ethical obligations including impartiality, confidentiality, and accuracy. Ethical conduct is the foundation of professional credibility and legal compliance.

Lesson 2 • Building a Professional Portfolio

Guides creation of sample transcripts, certifications, and reference materials. A strong portfolio differentiates candidates in competitive job markets.

Lesson 3 • Continuing Education and Skill Maintenance

Identifies resources for ongoing speed improvement and professional development. Continuous learning sustains competitiveness throughout a reporting career.

Lesson 4 • Freelance Business Fundamentals

Covers rate setting, invoicing, contracts, and client acquisition for freelancers. Business literacy enables reporters to operate independently and profitably.