Introducing LLTT+
You understand the theory. You know the basic outlines. You practise diligently. But you’re still stuck — hitting the same plateau, stumbling over the same words, wondering why the speed isn’t coming.
LLTT+ was built for exactly this moment. More than two years in the making, it’s an interconnected system of prepared dictations, databases and learning tools that work together in ways never before possible — designed around how learning actually works, not how publishing constraints have traditionally shaped it.
LLTT+ gives you the comprehensive resources that were once only accessible to UK journalism students. No formal courses required. No geographic limitations. Just you, the system, and the pathway to genuine mastery.
An hour here, two hours there. But how much of that time do you spend learning new outlines or groupings versus just repeating what you already know?
And when you encounter an unfamiliar outline at 11pm on a Tuesday, there's no one to ask. The textbook's index doesn't seem to help. Your course notes don't cover it.
So you're left guessing, moving on, hoping you'll figure it out eventually.
Meanwhile, that NCTJ speed test deadline approaches. Or an interview is looming and you feel the 100wpm certificate would make all the difference — setting you apart from everyone else in the room. Or you're watching colleagues who mastered Teeline become indispensable in ways you can't quite articulate.
This isn't about being bad at Teeline. It's about hitting the limits of how Teeline has traditionally been taught.
There's a reason for that. The NCTJ's 2022 industry study surveyed 60 major journalism employers. A regional newspaper editor put it plainly:
"Shorthand demonstrates discipline and commitment which we always look for in new staff. It will always tip the balance on two similar candidates applying for a job on my team."
Which makes being stuck not just frustrating, but costly .
The Hidden Problem: You Might Be Practising Backwards
The way most people practise doesn't actually teach you anything.
Think about how you typically practise. You press play on a recording, hear words at 80wpm, and try to keep up. When an unfamiliar word appears, what happens?
You either skip it, guess at an outline that probably isn't optimal, or fall behind and miss the next three words.
You're not learning in that moment. You're surviving.
This is called unprepared dictation — where you encounter content for the first time at speed, with no chance to study it beforehand.
Make no mistake. While it's essential for developing real-time processing and testing what you've already mastered, unprepared dictation only reveals what you don't know.
It doesn't teach you what you need to learn — before the exam or anywhere else.
"Dictation practice is not about getting the hand to write faster, but to train the brain to react with greater speed."
But if you don't know the outline for a word, your brain has nothing to react with. And no amount of unprepared practice will fix that.
What You Need Instead: Prepared Dictation
Prepared dictation means you study the dictation ahead of time—before you attempt to write it at speed.
You identify which outlines you don't know. You have an opportunity to practise those specific trouble spots. You learn the word groupings and you revise the theory behind challenging formations.
Then—and only then—do you attempt to write it at speed.
It's like a musician studying sheet music before a performance. No professional musician just sight-reads a piece repeatedly hoping to improve. They identify the difficult passages, practise those specific measures, master them, and then perform the complete piece.
The same principle applies to shorthand. You need to know your outlines before you can write them at speed.
By using prepared dictations as a primary learning tool and unprepared dictations as your testing ground , you create a more complete system for continuous improvement—turning challenging outlines into familiar friends and building the confidence to tackle future unprepared dictations with greater ease.
The 70/30 Rule Most People Get Backwards
Effective shorthand development should be:
70% prepared dictation - where you're actively learning new outlines and word groupings
30% unprepared dictation - where you're testing and applying what you've learned
Most people do the opposite. They spend 70% of their practice time on unprepared dictation—testing themselves on material they haven't studied, hoping repetition will somehow teach them what they need to know.
Sound familiar? Unfortunately, real learning doesn't work that way.
Your overall speed is always going to be limited by how slowly you try to write the outlines you don't know. Those words you keep avoiding in unprepared practice? They're bottlenecks. And unprepared dictation lets you dodge them indefinitely, stuck in a loop of testing yourself on what you already know while never expanding your actual vocabulary.
Why do people do this then? Simple: because repeating what you already know feels productive.
It feels like mastery when you breeze through familiar outlines.
It feels like progress when you successfully write a passage—even if it only contains words you could already write last month.
But feeling productive and actually improving are not the same thing.
Real improvement requires focusing on what's difficult. The outlines that make you hesitate. The groupings you're uncertain about. The words you hope won't appear in the next dictation. That's where growth happens—and it doesn't feel nearly as satisfying in the moment.
And yet, it is the only way to get better. To build your speed. Not by spending time on endless drills merely reinforcing what you've already mastered, but by systematically eliminating your weaknesses.
By turning your slowest outlines into automatic responses. By transforming bottlenecks into strengths.
It's harder work. It's less immediately gratifying. But it's the difference between staying stuck and actually progressing.
The Classroom Dilemma
Group teaching has inherent constraints—and this isn't a criticism of instructors, it's simply mathematics.
The course paces for the middle — and you must be available and ready to learn on its schedule, not yours. Twenty weeks to cover beginners through 100wpm means some topics get an hour when you need three, and others get three when you only need one. There’s also the dependency problem. When you don’t know an outline, you ask the instructor. When you’re confused about a grouping, you ask the instructor.
But courses end. Terms finish. And that question you have at 11pm on a Tuesday — the one blocking you right now — stays unanswered until you either guess, move on, or give up for the night.
What's missing isn't quality instruction. It's the infrastructure for independent, more targeted learning.
The Textbook Gap: What Traditional Materials Can't Give You
Traditional Teeline textbooks teach essential theory and provide practice material—but they can't answer the questions that actually matter when you're trying to build real competency:
"I keep hesitating on the same outlines. Where can I see THIS specific form used in different contexts so it finally sticks?"
"I understand the theory, but how do I actually apply it? Where are the authentic examples that show me what professional shorthand looks like?"
"Where can I find Teeline to read so I can build the pattern recognition that makes transcription possible?"
"How do I practise strategically instead of just repeating everything equally, hoping speed will somehow appear?"
"I need to see how THIS grouping works across multiple texts—not just in one isolated example."
"Where's the material that rewards curiosity? That lets me explore and make unexpected connections instead of marching through chapters linearly?"
The Reading Problem Nobody Talks About
For decades, one of the most effective ways to develop shorthand speed has been largely unavailable to Teeline learners: reading it.
Pitman shorthand had printed magazines and books. Gregg had extensive reading materials. Teeline, despite becoming the dominant system in British journalism, never quite developed that tradition. The result is that generations of learners have developed their writing without ever developing the reading fluency that underpins genuine speed.
LLTT+ addresses this directly. Every mock breakdown presents the complete passage in parallel text — longhand alongside Teeline, sentence by sentence. Cover the longhand. Read the Teeline. That's reading practice at professional speed, in authentic journalistic contexts, on real subjects.
As of today, across 70+ mocks, LLTT+ already contains more than 1,500 Teeline sentences — the equivalent of more than 50 full articles. There is simply nowhere else this exists.
Reading fluency and writing speed are not separate skills. They develop together. The learner who can read Teeline fluently thinks in Teeline — and the learner who thinks in Teeline writes faster, more accurately, and with greater confidence under pressure.
Textbooks are constrained by pages. Courses by hours. Static materials can't adapt to your specific weaknesses, can't show you the same outline in ten different professional contexts, can't reward your curiosity with serendipitous discoveries that accelerate learning.
LLTT+ removes those constraints entirely.
Instead of hoping repetition will unlock what strategic, context-rich practice can achieve, you get:
Cross-referenced databases where outlines connect to authentic examples
Searchable collections that let you target your weak points
Dual-format materials (Longhand + Teeline) so you can build reading fluency alongside writing speed
Complete dictations that show you professional patterns in action, not isolation
Multiple entry points that accommodate your learning style and let you discover connections naturally
A living platform that grows with you—not static pages you outgrow
This isn't just more material. It's material that works the way your brain actually learns: through context, connection, and strategic practice that targets what you need most.
LLTT+ Is A System Built Around How Learning Actually Works: A Living Resource, Not a Static Product
LLTT+ is substantial and complete in its own right—with 70+ prepared dictations, thousands of individual outlines, extensive word groupings, and comprehensive theory modules. You can start using it effectively from day one.
But we've also designed it to grow. While no resource can contain every word in the English language, the LLTT+ framework allows us to expand as needed, adding more specialised content, and developing more ways to help you target your specific challenges. New dictations, individual outlines and word groupings are planned and user feedback will help shape the future.
Most resources become finite the moment they're published. LLTT+ is different in a way that's worth understanding. The platform we've built allows us to act on a good idea immediately — not in the next edition, not in the next course cycle, but now.
A new way of presenting theory, a better way of connecting outlines to context, a grouping that deserves its own dedicated resource — these can exist within days of the thought occurring.
No one else in the Teeline world is working this way. No one else is even close. And it doesn't matter where you are in the world — the moment something is added, you have it.
Why Prepared Dictation Changes Everything
When you invest in LLTT+, you're not just getting access to what exists today—you're investing in everything it will become. This is a benefit, not a limitation. Your learning doesn't have to stop, and neither does the resource supporting it.
You need to know your outlines to write shorthand effectively. But you don't pick up new words during unprepared dictations — that's about performance, not learning.
Prepared dictations expose you to a rich vocabulary of new words and groupings, showing you exactly what's coming so you can practise deliberately. This targeted approach builds your vocabulary systematically instead of hoping you'll encounter the right words in unprepared recordings.
For the first time, LLTT+ makes this approach actually possible.
What Employers Value The NCTJ's 2022 study of 60 major journalism employers made something else clear too.
"The hard graft needed to achieve 100 words per minute results in transferable skills relevant to many roles. It sets them apart and shows commitment to be successful." — Broadcaster
They're not talking about transcription speed. They're talking about cognitive capabilities : sustained focus, pattern recognition, processing speed under pressure.
Recording apps are everywhere. AI transcription improves monthly. But the discipline required to reach 100wpm, the instinctive fluency developed through deliberate practice, the cognitive processing speed gained—these create professional advantages that technology can't replicate.
This is why the gap between basic competency and genuine mastery matters more than ever.
The Pattern We Keep Repeating
We've seen this before. Over the past fifty years, we've repeatedly abandoned skills deemed 'obsolete' by technology, only to rediscover their deeper value later.
We stopped teaching cursive writing, then research revealed handwriting activates different brain regions and improves memory retention. We abandoned mental arithmetic for calculators, until we realized that countries maintaining mathematics emphasis consistently outperform others.
The pattern is consistent: when we abandon skills requiring sustained cognitive effort, we often lose much more than just the skill itself. We lose the additional mental capabilities those skills developed.
Shorthand follows the same pattern. Yes, apps can transcribe. But the capabilities developed through genuine Teeline mastery—pattern recognition, processing speed, sustained focus—separate competent practitioners from accomplished professionals.
You're not just learning a transcription method. You're developing professional capabilities that last throughout your career.
How LLTT+ Works: The Three-Level Practice System Three-level practice structure:
Work with complete dictations for flow and stamina
Focus on individual outlines and groupings
Drill on specific challenging sentences or sections
This is where the breakthrough happens. By targeting these bottlenecks through deliberate practice, you increase your overall speed and accuracy. No more avoiding the words that slow you down. You identify them, practise them, master them.
At the Core: 70+ Prepared Dictations (and growing)
Every Dictation Works at Every Level Traditionally, dictation resources are locked to specific skill levels. A 100wpm dictation is only useful if you're already writing at 80-100wpm. Attempt something too far above your current speed and you're simply overwhelmed - unable to keep up, reinforcing frustration rather than building skill. The conventional teaching wisdom reflects this reality: practise no more than 20wpm above your current level, because beyond that threshold, you're no longer learning effectively.
This limitation has always constrained shorthand education. A beginner with access to advanced dictations couldn't use them. An intermediate student plateauing at 70wpm couldn't benefit from 100wpm materials. The speed rating effectively determined whether a resource was relevant to you or useless.
LLTT+ fundamentally changes the relationship between dictation speed and learning value. Because each dictation breaks down into multiple interconnected components - individual outlines, word groupings, sentence-by-sentence parallel text, theory connections - the learning value extends far beyond the audio tempo. The speed rating now tells you the dictation pace, but it no longer determines whether you can benefit from the material.
What this means in practice:
A beginner working at 40wpm can study a 120wpm dictation and extract substantial value without ever attempting to write it at full speed:
Read the complete parallel text to see how professional-speed Teeline flows and connects
Study the vocabulary and word groupings used in advanced contexts
Examine individual outlines for words you're currently learning, seeing them in professional application
Analyse how experienced writers handle challenging passages and transitions
Build pattern recognition by reading Teeline at speeds you'll eventually write
A 60wpm writer studying a 100wpm dictation's breakdown learns from professional-level material - the vocabulary choices, the efficient word groupings, the way complex sentences are structured - without the frustration and potential discouragement of attempting it at a speed beyond their current capability.
Conversely, an advanced writer working at 100wpm can drop down to study longer, more complex 60wpm pieces:
Focus on challenging vocabulary without speed pressure
Work on technical accuracy with difficult outline combinations
Build stamina with extended passages
Explore specialised terminology in contexts where pace doesn't overwhelm comprehension
The speed rating tells you the audio tempo, but the learning value now extends across all levels.
This doesn't negate the importance of taking dictation at appropriate speeds - that remains essential for developing writing fluency and building speed. But it opens up the entire collection for exploration, study, and learning regardless of your current ability.
A beginner isn't limited to beginner materials. An advanced student isn't confined to advanced content. Every dictation in the collection becomes a learning resource. This is something that's never been possible with traditional dictation resources, where the audio speed was the only way to interact with the material.
Each LLTT+ Premium Mock transforms ordinary dictation into a comprehensive learning system with complete analytical support:
📝 Full Longhand – The complete passage for verification and transcription practice. It's only when you make a full transcription and check it against the longhand that you become acquainted with your own shortcomings and learn the real danger that comes from choosing incorrect outlines.
💎 Individual Sentences – Parallel text format presenting longhand and Teeline side by side for immediate pattern recognition and reading fluency development.
🔍 Word Groupings – All word groupings are identified, showing you which multi-word outlines an experienced writer would use to maintain rhythm and speed.
💯 NGSL 1k Table – The most frequent 1,000 English words in the passage, ensuring you master the vocabulary that matters most.
⚠️ Less Common Words – Dedicated attention to vocabulary beyond the core 1k (including NGSL 2k, 3k, and specialised terminology).
🎵 Audio Dictation – Professional-quality recordings for authentic practice at your target speed.
📓 Notes – Contextual guidance and strategic insights where applicable, offering professional perspective on handling specific challenges.
🎯 Individual Outlines Worth Mentioning – Every outline in the mock that is not already in the NGSL 1k is identified, eliminating guesswork for challenging vocabulary.
🎁 Special Outlines – Time-tested abbreviations and professional shortcuts that dramatically increase speed without sacrificing clarity.
Throughout LLTT+, we've linked to relevant theory lessons when you encounter challenges or need refreshers. This aids in greater understanding. You must understand not only the HOW, but the WHY.
The Interconnected Knowledge System Beyond prepared dictations, LLTT+ transforms how you access Teeline knowledge:
Individual Outlines Collection
Searchable library of thousands of outlines with formation principles and usage examples. Built around vocabulary from our dictations—typically covering 80% of the Top 1,000 most common English words. These are words you encounter every single day.
Word Groupings Library
Master the phrase combinations that actually appear in professional writing, not random practice sentences.
Complete Theory Modules
We've taken the core Teeline theory and organised it into ten comprehensive modules connecting principles to practical application. Understand the reasoning behind outline choices, not just arbitrary memorisation. It's structured like a skill tree where sequence matters: understanding before memorising, joining before blending, principles before specialised techniques.
Specialised Professional Content
We have built dedicated resources for general reporting , court reporting and sports journalism where specific terminology often matters.
Reading Practice Materials
You want to improve your shorthand skill? Read more Teeline. Our mocks supply all the Teeline for reading purposes. This alone is virtually impossible to find anywhere, yet essential for developing the reading fluency that enables real speed.
The Connected Advantage: How It All Works Together This is where LLTT+ becomes more than just a collection of resources. It becomes a learning environment.
Search for an outline and/or grouping and discover:
Its theoretical foundation
Usage across multiple contexts
Related word groupings you hadn't considered
Appearances in different prepared dictations
Explore theory concepts and find:
Relevant practice exercises
Real-world applications
Connected principles
This is where serendipitous learning happens. You look up one word and discover a family of related groupings. You explore one theory principle and six different outlines suddenly make sense.
This interconnected approach builds familiarity and strategic thinking—at your pace, following your curiosity, whenever you need it.
No waiting for class. No asking permission. No wondering if there's a better way. There is a difference between consuming information and genuinely learning. Most shorthand resources ask you to be passive — to sit with a recording, to read a theory chapter, to absorb and hope it sticks. LLTT+ was built on a different belief entirely: that real learning happens when you are active, curious, and in control of what you explore next.
When you look up an outline and find yourself drawn into the theory behind it, then into the other mocks where it appears, then into the word groupings that connect to it — that is not passive consumption. That is learning the way the brain actually works. Following curiosity. Making connections. Building understanding that lasts.
This is what we set out to create. Not another resource to sit with. An experience to engage with.
Who LLTT+ Is For Students And Independent Learners
Whether you’re on a course or teaching yourself, the goal is the same: pass your speed tests and build real, lasting speed. If you’re already taking a class, LLTT+ gives you unlimited ways to practise what your coursework covers — work at your own pace rather than the class average, race ahead when you’re ready, spend extra time on your specific challenges. That question blocking you at 11pm on a Tuesday? Look it up yourself instead of waiting to ask the instructor. And if you’re self-teaching, the combination of LLTT+ and the LLTT Beginner Series on YouTube gives you everything you need — the depth and structure that self-study typically lacks, without needing a classroom at all.
Working Professionals
You learned Teeline once. Maybe you passed your speed test, worked with it for a while, then life intervened — a different role, a career break, circumstances that simply got in the way. The speed you built slipped, or stopped altogether. That’s more common than you’d think, and less permanent than it feels. The good news is that regaining a skill is genuinely easier than learning it from scratch. The foundations are still there. LLTT+ gives you the structured, targeted resources to bring them back to the surface — at your own pace, without having to start from the beginning.
Pricing Individual Licence
Six Month Licence: £350
For learners with a specific goal or timeline in mind.
Annual Licence: £599
The best value for those committed to building lasting speed. Save £101 against two six-month periods.
Consider what another year of the same practice, the same plateaus, and the same gaps in your knowledge actually cost you. And then consider this gives you access to the best possible set of Teeline tools to do something about it. What you build with those tools is up to you.
IMPORTANT: As with all digital products, purchases are non-refundable once access has been granted. We're confident in what LLTT+ offers — which is why everything on this page exists. Take your time before you commit. Feel free to reach out to admin@letsloveteelinetogether.com
A note on access
LLTT+ accounts are set up personally by our team — not by an automated system. Once your payment is confirmed, we need to connect everything by hand so that your access is ready to go from the moment you first log in.
This means there's a short wait between purchase and receiving your Coda.io invitation email (Coda is the platform through which LLTT+ is delivered). We aim to have everyone set up within 24 hours, but if you're based in the UK or Europe, please bear in mind that our technical team is in the United States — typically 4 to 5 hours behind UK time — and working hours are 8am to 6pm Eastern. Purchases made in the UK evening or overnight will usually be processed the following morning our time.
If you haven't heard from us within 24 hours, just drop us a line at admin@letsloveteelinetogether.com .
University Licences:
Contact us to discuss institutional access for journalism programmes at admin@letsloveteelinetogether.com.
