I agree with Alan and will add to ignore the advice I have seen in some manuals that tell you not to start sending until you can receive at such and such speed. In my experience, it's better to start sending straight away with a tutor to correct the sending right from the start - you must not get into bad habits. This helps reinforce the code in your mind.
I've heard that the Koch method works, but I have no direct experience of it. I know the Farnsworth method of sending/receiving characters about twice as fast as the average, with longer gaps is very helpful. It gives the receiving student a longer space to recall the character and is thus less frustrating. Avoid frustration. I learnt character formation by sending at the same time as receiving a repeating group over and over. David G3UNA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alan Bloom" <n...@cds1.net> To: "TF3KX" <kristi...@gmail.com> Cc: <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 6:58 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [OT] Suggested techniques for teaching CW? > On Fri, 2009-05-08 at 10:38 -0700, TF3KX wrote: > >> ... I am interested in establishing CW courses for those new amateurs who >> may want to learn CW, and I am seeking advice from those of you who have >> experience. For example... >> >> - General suggestions for methods (Koch, etc.) > > The most important advice is that the student must study every day, even > if only for a few minutes. 10 minutes per day, every day, is much > better than 70 minutes once per week. > >> - Software and other tools for class teaching and individual practice >> between classes >> - Teaching methodologies and approaches (frequency of classes, length, >> character groups,...) > > Most classes I have been involved with meet once or twice a week. But > that is not sufficient to learn the code - the students must practice at > home every day. (See above comment.) > > More than 20-30 minutes of time spent receiving in a single session is > not very useful. The mind tires too quickly. > > It is helpful to have the students spend some time sending to each > other, one-on-one. It makes the class more interesting as well as > giving practice sending. > >> - Other activities to support and encourage (kit building, on-air >> sessions,..) > > On-the-air practice is fun and motivating, but wait until the students > have a firm grasp of all the required code characters. Otherwise it is > too frustrating for them. > >> 73 - Kristinn, TF3KX > > Al N1AL > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
