Learning shorthand can take up to a year if you are practicing for about an hour a day. For the most part, shorthand classes are no longer taught in the United States, so a better bet is finding a book or website and teaching yourself.
Pitman shorthand is a form of shorthand that uses various lines at different angles to represent sounds in the English language. It is difficult to learn to write and interpret, according to “The Not-Complete Idiot’s Guide to Alternative Writing and Shorthand Systems,” an article on alysion.com. Pitmanshorthand.homestead.com/ is a good resource for those interested in learning the shorthand. This website offers diagrams, tutorials and book recommendations.
Gregg shorthand is a more popular form of English shorthand. It also represents words through quick symbols signifying phonetic sounds or spelling. However, it is difficult to go back and read later. Books and tutorials on Gregg shorthand can still be found at many public libraries, according to the alysion.com article.
Teeline shorthand is taught in some U.K. journalism schools, and is one of the simpler shorthands to learn. Quickly written symbols represent letters in the alphabet. To learn Teeline shorthand, all you need is a key demonstrating the symbols. Then, with practice, you can begin to use it to represent words.
Alphabetic shorthand is the easiest to learn but slowest to write, according to shorthandshorthandshorthand.com. Books on alphabetic shorthand can be purchased online. Examples of alphabetic shorthand systems include Speedwriting, Stenoscript, Forkner and AlphaHand.