A PATTERN RECOGNITION METHOD OF LEARNING MORSE CODE
Matthew Allan · British Journal of Psychology · 1958
This study is concerned with a comparison between the traditional ‘analytic’ method of learning the morse code, and a ‘Gestalt’ approach called the Pattern Recognition method. The Pattern Recognition technique consists of transmitting characters right from the start at a speed corresponding to 20 words per minute. There is no preliminary memorizing of the alphabet. All the pupils have to do is to listen to the whole character (i.e. a letter or a number) transmitted at 20 words per minute and, when the instructor has written its meaning on the blackboard, to copy it down. This sort of drill is continued until all the 36 characters (26 letters and 10. numerals) are instantly recognized by their distinctive sound patterns. The pilot experiment showed that pupils trained by the Pattern Recognition method had a significantly better knowledge of the alphabet, after the same amount of training, than pupils trained analytically. As an applied technique in a short intensive course, the Pattern Recognition method produced significantly fewer unsatisfactory pupils during the training period. In a long course, where pupils practised at whatever speed they were capable, pupils trained by the Pattern Recognition method arrived at high speeds earlier than those trained analytically.