| Most people learn to read at an early age and | | | | comprehension because you read out of order |
| level off in their abilities sometime around the 3rd | | | | and in a disjointed fashion missing the author's |
| through 6th grade. That is not to say that their | | | | sequential presentation of the points. This |
| vocabulary doesn't increase, because it does, but | | | | quenches the passion for any reading assignment |
| no one looks at methods for effective reading | | | | in a hurry because you never really "get it" in the |
| read much past that point. However, the volume | | | | first place. |
| of reading continually increases as we grow, so | | | | Effective reading is like shining a light on the text |
| learning to read more efficiently without sacrificing | | | | or pointing your camera lens towards a specific |
| comprehension is a time-saving essential skill to | | | | object. You have to keep your focus clear. So in |
| develop, no matter how old the student. One | | | | order to combat visual regression, deceleration, |
| particular area to target is visual obstacles. | | | | and scattering, you must employ some strategies. |
| Assuming you have had your vision checked | | | | Doing this is fairly simple, but most people fail to |
| recently, there are still other "eye patterns" that | | | | realize how quickly these reading obstacles can be |
| can affect your ability to understand what you | | | | overcome. The easiest trick to avoid these pitfalls |
| read and do so efficiently. These include visual | | | | is to use your hands while reading. Remember |
| regression, deceleration, and scattering to name a | | | | when you were learning to read? You probably |
| few. Simple tricks will take care of these issues | | | | used your finger to point out each letter or sound |
| and help your reading time to become more | | | | and to keep yourself focused on it. What I am |
| productive, profitable, and enjoyable. | | | | advocating is to bring back your finger or hand |
| Visual regression is reading the same words over | | | | and use it to focus the "camera lens" of your eye |
| and over again in the sentence or paragraph. How | | | | on the text that you are reading. You may have |
| many times have you had to read something | | | | to get used to that feeling again, but using your |
| again? In part, this is because you were not | | | | hands to point the eye will keep your vision |
| paying attention while you read, and you were | | | | targeting the right text as you read. |
| not aware of the purpose for your reading. But | | | | Along those same lines, you must think of your |
| another reason for this is that your "camera lens" | | | | hands as the metronome for your reading. They |
| was not pointed and focused. The end result is | | | | set the pace. Move your hands at a constant |
| like a blurred image - you may vaguely remember | | | | speed but train the eyes to follow, not the |
| the subject, but not the content of what you just | | | | reverse. The eyes do not decide when they are |
| read. Your eyes were too busy backing up and | | | | ready for the next word; the hands set the pace |
| redoing what you already did while reading, and | | | | and move forward at a constant speed to keep |
| clearly this wastes your reading time. | | | | the reading going. If you are a speed reader, then |
| Visual deceleration is similar. It occurs when you | | | | you will also know about double and triple speed |
| slow down to read something again because it | | | | exercises, and engaging your brain with visual |
| was more interesting or entertaining, and then | | | | images to make the learning more effective, but |
| you lose your focus on where you were going | | | | remember that the hands "drive" the reading, not |
| with the assignment in the first place. Often with | | | | the eyes. They set the pace and should be held |
| visual deceleration, we find something enjoyable, | | | | to a consistent, forward direction of your reading. |
| so we stop to read it again, but then our minds | | | | If you use these two strategies consistently - |
| wander off into unrelated thoughts. Before we | | | | pointing and pacing - you will find that your |
| know it, we've lost time getting sidetracked and | | | | tendencies to be visually distracted all but eliminate |
| not reading. Getting anything done this way is | | | | from your reading. Doing this will allow your brain |
| very difficult. | | | | to stay focused on the content of what you are |
| The final eye pattern worth mentioning is visual | | | | reading, and your comprehension can increase as |
| scattering. Visual scattering is when your eyes | | | | well as your speed! Simple but effective - and by |
| jump all over the page while reading, as if looking | | | | the way, if you are reading on a computer, use |
| for a "fun" place to land. Clearly, this hinders | | | | your mouse as your hand! |