| An individual has the capacity to read faster, | | | | A poor reader will become bogged down, |
| depending on how much that individual reads. | | | | spending a lot of time reading small blocks of |
| Whether it is a book, magazine or a paper, an | | | | words. He or she will skip back often, losing the |
| individual can read faster if he is constantly | | | | flow and structure of the text, and confusing his |
| reading and practicing it. The most important trick | | | | or her overall understanding of the subject. This |
| about speed reading is to know what information | | | | irregular eye movement makes reading tiring. |
| you want from a document before you start | | | | Poor readers tend to dislike reading, and they |
| reading it. If you only want an outline of the issue | | | | may find it harder to concentrate, and understand |
| that the document discusses, then you can skim | | | | written information. |
| the document quickly and extract only the | | | | Speed reading aims to improve reading skills by |
| essential facts. If you need to understand the real | | | | increasing the number of words read in each |
| detail of the document, then you need to read it | | | | block, reducing the length of time spent reading |
| slowly enough to gain the full understanding you | | | | each block and reducing the number of times |
| need. | | | | your eyes skip back to a previous sentence. |
| You will get the greatest time savings from | | | | These are explained below: |
| speed reading by learning to skim excessively | | | | * Increasing the number of words in each block: |
| detailed documents, although the techniques you'll | | | | This needs a conscious effort. Try to expand the |
| learn will help you improve the speed of all the | | | | number of words that you read at a time: With |
| reading you do. Even when you know how to | | | | practice, you'll find you read faster. You may also |
| ignore irrelevant detail, there are other technical | | | | find that you can increase the number of words |
| improvements you can make to your reading | | | | in each block by holding the text a little further |
| style which will increase your reading speed. | | | | from your eyes. The more words you can read |
| Most people learn to read the way young children | | | | in each block, the faster you will read! |
| read - either letter-by-letter, or word-by-word. As | | | | * Reducing fixation time: The minimum length of |
| an adult, this is probably not the way you read | | | | time needed to read each block is probably only a |
| now: Just think about how your eye muscles are | | | | quarter of a second. By pushing yourself to |
| moving as you read this. You will probably find | | | | reduce the time you take, you will get better at |
| that you are fixing your eyes on one block of | | | | picking up information quickly. Again, this is a |
| words, and then moving your eyes to the next | | | | matter of practice and confidence. |
| block of words, and so on. You are reading blocks | | | | * Reducing skip-back: To reduce the number of |
| of words at a time, not individual words | | | | times that your eyes skip back to a previous |
| one-by-one. | | | | sentence, run a pointer along the line as you read. |
| You may also notice that you do not always go | | | | This could be a finger, or a pen or pencil. Your |
| from one block to the next: sometimes you may | | | | eyes will follow the tip of your pointer, smoothing |
| move back to a previous block if you are unsure | | | | the flow of your reading. The speed at which you |
| about something. However, skilled readers will | | | | read using this method will largely depend on the |
| read many words in each block. He or she will | | | | speed at which you move the pointer. |
| only dwell on each block for an instant, and will | | | | Through applying the speed reading techniques |
| then move on. Only rarely will the reader's eyes | | | | you will be able to increase your reading speed. |
| skip back to a previous block of words. This | | | | Nevertheless, speed reading is a trait that requires |
| reduces the amount of work that the reader's | | | | practice. If the individual does not practice these |
| eyes have to do. It also increases the volume of | | | | techniques often, then ending result will be a low |
| information that can be assimilated in a given | | | | word per minute rate from the individual. |
| period of time. | | | | |