| Speed readers often face a variety of different | | | | unreasonable to read a gigantic novel out loud to |
| problems when learning how to speed read | | | | yourself. No author expects or even wants that |
| different kinds of texts. Learning to speed read | | | | of you. Novels are written to be read alone, and |
| books, texts and journals all need to have | | | | silently. |
| different approaches. | | | | If you are reading something written by someone |
| The reason is this: different styles of writing | | | | you know, say a note or a letter, it may help |
| demand different styles of reading. A specific | | | | your comprehension to imagine their voice reading |
| adjustment should be made no matter what text | | | | to you. This will help put the sentences into |
| you're reading. If you succeed in choosing the | | | | context, and this will clarify the accidental |
| correct adjustment, you will read the text at | | | | mis-statements or strange opinions. If you don't |
| 100% of the possible speed and comprehension. | | | | do this already automatically, give it a try - you'll |
| When we choose the wrong "mode," or "setting" | | | | find that it gives real life to text, and makes it a |
| for our reading, either our speed or our | | | | very enjoyable read (as long as the content is |
| comprehension will suffer. The goal is to optimize | | | | good news). |
| your specific reading habits so that your reading | | | | If you are reading something in a textbook, you |
| speed and reading comprehension will be at their | | | | do not need to imagine a voice at all. It's in fact |
| appropriate maximum levels. | | | | best if you simply recognize the individual words |
| For the sake of simplicity in this article, all reading | | | | and immediately take in the information directly |
| will be classified into 5 distinct types... In order of | | | | from the definitions of the words. This way, you |
| usual literary density, here are the categories I | | | | don't waste any time with the middle-step of |
| have selected: poems, short stories, novels, | | | | "voicing the words." This concept is explained |
| notes, magazine articles, news articles, and | | | | better at this speed reading site. |
| textbooks. For ease of explanation, I will address | | | | If you are reading something from a newspaper |
| them in a slightly different order for this article. | | | | or a magazine, it is probably written to be |
| Poems, first of all, are often written using a wide | | | | semi-dramatic while also packed with information. |
| range of subtle literary devices. What I mean by | | | | Newspapers try to be a compromise between |
| devices are alliteration, assonance, | | | | being "written by someone you know," and |
| double-entendres, and such. Often, the | | | | "written so that you have the information." |
| effectiveness of these devices depends on | | | | Therefore, reading them calls for a loose |
| whether or not the poem is read aloud. So, to | | | | combination of speed reading and of vocal-reading. |
| ensure that you retrieve the maximum amount | | | | (Vocal reading is where you seem to read silently, |
| of meaning from a poem, you should always read | | | | only you have a voice in your mind that reads the |
| it out loud. | | | | words aloud anyway. This is also called |
| Short stories and novels also use many devices, | | | | sub-vocalizing.) |
| but it is usually to a lesser degree. Short stories | | | | If you use these tricks when reading, both your |
| are pleasant to read aloud or silently - you should | | | | speed and your comprehension will improve. If |
| decide on your own what to do. When you pay | | | | you always identify exactly what you're reading, |
| close attention to style and writing techniques, it | | | | why you're reading it, and who wrote it, you will |
| becomes very easy to see how the writer | | | | be a much more efficient reader. |
| intended the text to be read. It would be | | | | |