This drill was originally designed to teach phrases. Each sentence has three strokes if you use the simple phrases. Not only that, there is a definite rhythm to the sentences. Phrase, word, word. Phrase, word, word.
Since this drill is so easy, it is also the perfect drill to teach "speed." I prefer to tell the students that I am teaching them not to hesitate. They are more likely to end up with the "speed" that they want if they concentrate on the hesitation.
But back to learning how to drop.
This drill is excellent to teach students how to drop. The drill is so easy that they can concentrate entirely on the new technique.
All right, we are almost ready. But first, I want to go over the reasons that I want you to learn to drop.
People who fall behind the speaker tend to drop disastrously large amounts of words at one time. In our school, a 200 student needs to have 20 errors or less on a test. One drop can use up 1/3 or more of the total errors that a student can have on a test.
People who fall behind the speaker believe that they would pass their tests if they were just a little bit faster. When they fall behind, they are able to catch up in most cases. They feel that if they had a little more speed they would be able to catch up all of the time and that would remove their drops.
Sadly, that strategy usually does not work. First of all, if you can catch up most of the time when you fall behind, then you are consistently demonstrating the ability to write above the speed that you need. Simply put, you can't catch up unless you write faster than the speed of the test. So if you can catch up, then you have enough speed to pass. It ain't the speed.
What you need to do is to learn how to stay up. Here's the whole Magilla in one neat little package.
Think about how many words you can fall behind the dictation before your brain goes into overload and you drop. Everyone has a different number. For my example, I will pick 10 words.
That is many more words than I ever want anybody to carry. That is a ton of words. But just for the example, if you fall ten words behind, you will drop a lot of words.
If you normally carry six words, then you are only four words away from dropping. If you are carrying six words and a hard section comes up, you are in big trouble.
What would happen if you reduced the number of words that you carry? If you carry three words, then you won't necessarily drop on a hard section. You can fall seven more words behind before you reach your breaking point.
So if you can learn to stay up a little bit more, then you will pass more tests because you won't have big drops. You don't have to write faster. You just have to learn to stay up.
I don't recommend that you wait until you reach your breaking point before you drop. Just like the relief valve on a pressure cooker, I want you to drop now and then so that you do not overload. I am not teaching you to drop more words. I am teaching you to drop fewer words. When you learn how to drop before you reach total meltdown, then you will avoid the huge drops. You drop the occasional word instead of dropping a whole sentence.
It's cool. It works. And it makes steno fun.
Here is the Magic Drill. It isn't long since I only use it in Theory. I have a longer version that I will give you when it is ready. The Magic Drill is marked in ten-word increments. When I finally get the book done, I will have a series of Magic Drills on CD that I will include with the book. There may be additional drills written and recorded separately by somebody else at Court Reporting Help. For now, you can take this drill to your teacher and have her run through it a couple of times at different speeds. Record the drill. Then use it at home.
The Magic Drill
That would be fine. Who can be sure? So far, / so good. They have a car. What is the time? / That is the end. They should make it. No sir, / not us. We could do it. No, ma’am, you win. / Park it out there. She was a nurse. This would / go well. You are the best. They could take two. / Yes, sir, he won. She would work hard. I can / do it. They were on top.
This is the one. / I want to win. He is bad news. Will the / snow come? I have the note. She is the girl. / We can wash it. There are a lot. Who could / tell me? We had it last. He should walk up. / It was put there. Who can make room? They would / look there. Where is it at? There would be more. / I want to act. When is the song? Where is / your home? I have to paint. There is much more. /
They were the worst. Will the class start? They were / near home. He is too slow. I have a pet. / I should take it. So much for that. That is / the row. He said to go. I have a chance. / Is the horse gone? That was my cake. Too much / was said. Which are the same? Yes, ma’am, drive up. / She was the best. They had a stall. No, sir, / wait here. That is the fruit. We can make it. /This week is the start of a new semester for us. I have a new class of students. They are on the final leg of Theory. They will be testing soon. I am using this drill to teach them. So far, they have done two things with the drill. The first thing is that they have practiced it just like any other drill. I did this so that they would be very familiar with the drill.
The second thing is more interesting. It is their first step toward learning to stay up with the speaker and to drop when necessary.
What I do is I announce that I want them to drop the last word of every sentence. Each sentence is four words long. That means that they are only writing three out of every four words.
I tell them that the drill is at 60 wpm. In other words, I will dictate at 60. They are not to write at 60 wpm. They are supposed to drop the last word in each sentence; therefore, they are really writing at 45 wpm.
It is hard for them to do at first. But after a few times through, they have little trouble. We have already moved the speed up to 80 wpm. I dictate at 80. They drop the last word in each sentence; so they are writing at 60. In a week, I should be able to dictate at 100 for short bursts.
The students are learning to drop without hesitation. That is a good thing. But it is not enough. They must learn to choose which words to drop. When they are comfortable with this drill, I will modify to help them learn to choose.
Since I have a new class, I will show you the type of drills that I use from the first week to the last week. Along the way, I will show you how to modify the Magic Drill to create more advanced drills. It's not hard.
I have one other goal for this quarter. After graduating from Theory, many students are shocked at the pace of a normal speed class. It can be overwhelming. This quarter, I will take selected class hours and drill the Theory students just like the speed classes. I have always done that at the end of the quarter, but now I will be doing it each and every week for an hour here and there. I'll write about that soon.