| How well do you read? Notice, I did not ask "How | | | | Purpose: Make sure you know why you are |
| fast do you read?" I asked quite a different | | | | reading the book. Start with a very clear intention. |
| question: "How well do you read?" | | | | What are you looking for? Entertainment? |
| Like me, you may have wished you could read | | | | Information? Inspiration? The more specific your |
| much faster than you do. There may be a | | | | purpose, usually, the easier it is to decide if the |
| growing pile of books on your shelves, gathering | | | | book is meant for you. If your purpose is to find |
| dust; books that you wish you had time to read; | | | | relevant information for an assignment or article |
| books that you wish you could read faster, to fit | | | | that you need to write, effective readers usually |
| in the time you have available. | | | | scan the contents page; the titles and subtitles |
| What is stopping you from reading your collection | | | | until they find what they are looking for. If your |
| of books? Is it really time and are you sure you | | | | purpose is to get a general sense of the book, to |
| are such a slow reader? Perhaps you are | | | | help you decide whether to buy it or not, for |
| mistaken and it is in fact, neither of these two | | | | example, you will naturally skim through the pages |
| reasons. | | | | to see if it interests you. This does not mean that |
| For most of my life, I held the belief that I am a | | | | all books you have bought are meant to be read |
| slow reader. I did not bother to clarify who I was | | | | by you. Your purpose may not have been clear |
| comparing myself with until I met an expert | | | | when you bought the book; or that particular |
| photo reader recently and I realised that I could | | | | purpose may no longer be relevant. There is a |
| read as well as him, if and when I wanted to. In | | | | time and a place for everything and when you |
| fact I realised that without being able to read | | | | decide what your purpose is, you will know |
| effectively and efficiently, I would not have been | | | | whether the book is meant to be read now, or in |
| able to study for and pass all my exams from | | | | fact ever, by you. This strategy may well clear |
| the basic GCSE level to several degrees including | | | | some of your dusty bookshelves and make room |
| an MBA. This was quite a revelation. It freed me | | | | for those special books that really deserve your |
| from the desire to attend quite expensive "speed | | | | attention in the present. |
| reading" or "photo reading" courses. | | | | Strategy 3 |
| Ask yourself: "What is my belief about my | | | | Read the book with your mind rather than your |
| reading skills?" "Who am I comparing myself | | | | eyes: Your mind is full of knowledge and all the |
| with?" | | | | new information it receives latches on to the |
| If you believe that your friends, colleagues and | | | | existing knowledge in order to make sense of it. |
| bosses, read much better than you, what are | | | | Therefore, the more well-read people tend to |
| they doing differently? What is it that you are not | | | | read much faster, being able to recognise and |
| doing? Are you following effective reading | | | | make sense of a lot of material they have not |
| strategies? | | | | previously seen and they use their previous |
| Here are a few that I use: | | | | knowledge to predict what the author will |
| Strategy 1 | | | | express. When you are reading with your mind, |
| Environment: Make sure you are physically | | | | imagine that you are having a conversation with |
| comfortable and that you are able to breathe | | | | the author of the book and this could give you |
| properly. Curling your legs up on the sofa is a | | | | insights that are not apparent in the physical |
| great position for falling asleep but it will not serve | | | | words that you see with your eyes. Our |
| you so well in reading effectively. Your abdomen | | | | favourite books are often those in which the |
| needs to be free of obstructions to take in a full | | | | author speaks to us with underlying messages |
| breath of air, regularly. Also, your back needs to | | | | that are triggered when there is a connection |
| be well supported so that you will not be | | | | between the mind of the author and the mind of |
| interrupted from your reading by continuously | | | | the reader. |
| having to change positions. | | | | If you use these three strategies effectively, you |
| Position the book upright on a reading table so | | | | are no doubt, an effective and efficient reader |
| that you are looking at it in the same way that | | | | and you will continue to improve as your mind |
| you look at a computer screen (not laid flat on | | | | learns to recognise familiar language patterns; |
| the table). If the book is laid flat on the table, | | | | familiar themes; familiar content. The more |
| notice that your eyeballs will not have as much | | | | organised the existing knowledge in your mind, the |
| peripheral vision as when they are focused | | | | greater the likelihood that the new information will |
| straight ahead. When you are driving a car, you | | | | be easily assimilated and integrated to enhance |
| rely on peripheral vision to be aware of what is | | | | your comprehension skills and your ability to |
| happening to your left and right. You would not be | | | | communicate your understanding. So, what is |
| a good driver if you looked down the whole time. | | | | your current belief about your reading skills? |
| Similarly, you will be a much better reader if you | | | | I learnt some of these reading techniques from |
| look ahead than if you look down. | | | | the following: |
| Strategy 2 | | | | Buzan, T. |