| In the majority of cases, when people start to | | | | clear. |
| talk about the possibilities of learning how to read | | | | She soon learned that each reading genius she |
| faster, the first thing that springs to mind is the | | | | was studying had some common traits. They did |
| Evelyn Wood Speed Reading program. It is so well | | | | not read single words, but grouped or chunked |
| known because it has stood the test of time and | | | | words as they read. They saw the words in |
| has consistently created excellent results by | | | | meaningful patterns as they moved their eyes |
| helping people to become speed readers. Over | | | | smoothly, rapidly and easily down the page. |
| the decades, this breakthrough program has | | | | They changed their speed to adjust to the kind |
| taught time-tested methods and has become a | | | | of material they read and were able to quickly |
| standard around the globe. | | | | identify the key phrases in a paragraph and the |
| Perhaps the Evelyn Wood program would never | | | | central idea of a book or article. Soon, these very |
| have existed if Evelyn had not watched one of | | | | speed reading techniques became the cornerstone |
| her professors, at the University of Utah, read | | | | of the Evelyn Wood approach. |
| and grade her 80-page term paper in just ten | | | | Evelyn's first student was herself. She |
| minutes. Even though her professor was able to | | | | painstakingly taught herself these reading speed |
| read at a remarkable rate of 2,500 words per | | | | improvement principles and practiced them |
| minute, he had not acquired the skill through any | | | | regularly. Soon, she had developed to the point of |
| specialized training. In fact, he was unable to | | | | being able to read several thousands words per |
| explain to her how he was able to read and | | | | minute. Her next task was to develop a system |
| comprehend so quickly. | | | | to teach others how to read fast and in 1959, |
| But, this was enough to pique her interest in the | | | | she opened the first Evelyn Wood Speed Reading |
| subject and spurred her on to learn more about | | | | Institute in Washington DC. |
| how to read faster, wanting to acquire the skill | | | | While there are now many different speed |
| for herself. Later, as a school teacher, she also | | | | reading programs on the market, Evelyn Wood |
| believed it would be a valuable skill to share with | | | | and her Speed Reading courses are still highly |
| others. Soon she learned that there were many | | | | regarded today. She is revered for the pioneering |
| people who knew how to read fast and she | | | | efforts she made and for bringing speed reading |
| discovered that people had been doing so for | | | | and reading comprehension teaching to people |
| centuries. And so, the beginning principles of the | | | | around the world. |
| Evelyn Wood program began to formulate. | | | | Today, there are Evelyn Wood Speed Reading |
| Over the next two years, she discovered over | | | | methods that can be learned in a number of |
| 50 people from all age groups and walks of life | | | | ways. There are still courses that can be taken in |
| who could read anywhere from 1,500 to 6,000 | | | | classrooms, as well as her speed reading courses |
| words in just a minute. Even more impressive to | | | | that are available on video or on DVD. If you |
| her was that they demonstrated a high level of | | | | want to speed your read and get more done in a |
| comprehension and a startling ability to recall what | | | | shorter amount of time, then learning how to |
| they read. As she analyzed their techniques, the | | | | read faster is a major help, all thanks to Evelyn |
| fundamentals that would become the Evelyn | | | | Wood for making the techniques widely available. |
| Wood Speed Reading program began to become | | | | |