Positive Effects of Using a Pacer When Speed Reading

When I first heard about the idea of using aloosing your place while reading, which can be
pacer to help improve my speed reading I was auseful is for example you are reading a passage in
little sceptical, and was unsure if there were anya book which is referring to a diagram or image
real benefits to using one, so I went and lookedon the opposite page and you want to quickly
to see if there were any benefits and if so whatlook at the picture to get a better understating of
effects does using a pacer have on your speedwhat you are reading but not loses your place.
reading ability.And probably the biggest and best benefit for
The first benefit of using a pacer while speedusing a pacer while reading is that it stops you
reading is it increases your speed by forcing youfrom sub-vocalisation, this being to helps to
to focus on more then one word at a time.prevent you from sounding out the words you
Another benefit is it helps to keep you focusedare reading out loud or in your head. This is
and less easily distracted by things going onimportant for speed reading because if you sound
around you or going on around you or on theout each word you are limiting the number of
page you are reading.words you can read a minute to about 250. It is
Another benefit which I personally find very usefulmuch better to run your eyes across the words
is it helps me to move quickly onto the next lineand get the meaning as a result. Reading this way
more smoothly, I say this because when I usedtakes practise but is worth it for the
to read with out the use of a pacer, I wouldimprovements in your reading speed.
often find myself reading the same line byTo uses a pacer while reading is very simple all
mistake and so loosing my flow and becomingyou have to do is choose your pacer (e.g. finger)
bored and losing the motivation to carry on andthen place the pacer on the first word of the line,
also loosing the meaning and flow of what I wasthen move it smoothly across the page to the
reading.end of the line. And repeat as you read down the
Another benefit which is linked in with the last onepage.
is that using a pacer helps to stop you from