The Steno School’s unique, external study program is taught by working court reporters and captioners using an Australian real-time machine shorthand theory specially developed for the Australian context.
The Steno School offers a fee-paying program in computer-compatible machine shorthand for realtime court reporting and captioning skill sets. Anyone with some keyboarding skills is welcome to apply!
We currently have students in all Australian states and in recent years we have had successful students in New Zealand.
Our program is designed for individual progression which is dependent on personal motivation and the student’s time available for study. High speeds in machine shorthand are attained only by a considerable personal investment of time in skill-building. As in any skilled performance, from the concert pianist to the Olympic athlete, behind the public acclaim is the hidden discipline of the many hours spent in individual practice.
Students are assisted by regular tutoring and use a loan machine with structured study and dictation materials.
The program is divided into three sequential units of study. Each unit, on average, takes 500 hours of study/keyboard practice to complete, that is, 10 hours per week for 50 weeks. Full time students are able to complete all three units in one year.
- Unit One covers the realtime machine shorthand theory, including writing principles and transcription techniques, and dictation at a minimum speed of 80 words a minute.
- Unit Two enhances a student’s language facility and vocabulary development and extends dictation to a minimum speed of 150 words a minute.
- Unit Three further enhances a student’s language facility, vocabulary development and personal dictionary, while extending dictation to a minimum speed of 200 words a minute.
Students may commence study at any time of the school year.