| Before starting to learn a speed reading technique | | | | our eyes to be drawn back across text which we |
| you should establish your current reading speed. | | | | have already covered. |
| Knowing your starting point will allow you to | | | | Research shows us that this very high in primary |
| measure your improvement, this will help to keep | | | | school children who are just learning to read |
| you motivated. | | | | significantly less in students in tertiary education, |
| It is also helpful to set a target which you would | | | | implying that the more we read the less we do |
| like to meet, make sure that this is a sensible | | | | this. |
| target, if you feel daunted by the large leap from | | | | However, even university students have been |
| your current speed to the desired speed you can | | | | recorded to regress read by as much as fifteen |
| always set smaller weekly targets. | | | | or twenty times per hundred words. This means |
| The first technique we will discuss is the line | | | | that when we complete a passage, there may |
| technique. Most people were taught to read by | | | | have been twenty percent of the text read |
| growing letters into syllables, syllables into words | | | | twice. The card reading technique aims to reduce |
| and words into sentences. When we read as | | | | this wasted word absorption. |
| adults we are continuing the same learnt pattern, | | | | This technique is simple; take a piece of card and |
| starting with the left most word of a line and | | | | place it above the first line you are going to read. |
| working across the page or column until we reach | | | | As you read each line move the card down so |
| the right hand side. | | | | that there is effectively not text to regress read |
| This technique replaces this habit with the concept | | | | to. |
| of reading a phrase, sentence or line at one | | | | As you are hopefully trying to apply the line |
| glance. The idea is to look at the middle of the line | | | | speed reading technique as well you should draw |
| and the grasp the whole line at one time, then | | | | a line vertically down the middle of the card, this |
| move onto the next line. | | | | will act as a guide to your eyes to help you apply |
| By using this reading technique you are effectively | | | | the line technique simultaneously with the card |
| reading down the page rather than across the | | | | technique. |
| page as traditionally taught. | | | | As will all new skills it is important to practice as |
| Some people believe that the line technique can | | | | much as possible. When learning or practicing a |
| improve your reading speed by as much as fifty | | | | new speed reading technique you must ensure |
| percent. | | | | that your are working in a calm and uninterrupted |
| The second technique which we would like to | | | | environment, this will help you to achieve the best |
| introduce is called the card technique. Since we | | | | results. |
| read one word at a time, there is a tendency for | | | | Good luck in you new speed reading technique. |