| Whether you have just started to look into speed | | | | sub-vocalization as one of the biggest problems |
| reading, or whether you are a frustrated learner | | | | that holds people back from reading faster. |
| who has tried and not mastered the skills yet, | | | | Sub-vocalization is defined as a 4 step process of |
| there are 6 essential concepts you must | | | | seeing the words, saying the words in your mind, |
| understand if you hope to master the skills as a | | | | hearing the words in your mind, and then |
| lifelong habit, or skill set. | | | | understanding them. True, sub-vocalization will hold |
| Notice I mentioned "frustrated learners" in the | | | | reading speeds under 400-600 words per minute. |
| first paragraph. I have observed that many of | | | | However, a speed reader's mind is anything but |
| my learners come to me as a matter of having | | | | quiet! A highly efficient speed reader's mind is |
| not succeeded in learning the skills from trying | | | | active and engaged with author - summarizing, |
| some program in the past. Without judging the | | | | questioning the material, commenting on the |
| effectiveness of other programs, and just | | | | material in contrast to previous knowledge and |
| listening to the frustrated learners' complaints, I | | | | learnings, and much more. To master speed |
| have discovered that these 6 ideas must be | | | | reading, you do not want to quiet the mind. You |
| understood if the learner is to be successful. Even | | | | want to awaken it! Sub-vocalization needs to be |
| learners who engage in a well designed program | | | | transitioned to this higher mental interaction. Again, |
| and who do not understand these essential ideas, | | | | this requires a re-training of the mind. |
| will either come to understand them during the | | | | 5. Dealing with the Myth of the Threshold of |
| training, or they may fail an even well designed | | | | Speed, Comprehension, and Recall. A common |
| program. | | | | question that is asked is, "How fast is possible," or |
| These 6 essential ideas are: | | | | "Can I learn to read 25,000 words per minute?" In |
| 1. Speed Reading Requires Training the Brain, Not | | | | answer to the first question, neuro-science has |
| Just the Eyes. All speed reading programs will | | | | not been able to answer yet. As for the second |
| teach you how to move your eyes more | | | | question, 25,000 words per minute is an |
| efficiently through print. Many of these actually do | | | | interesting number, but I'm not sure what hat |
| this rather improperly. These include many of the | | | | that particular number was pulled from. It is a |
| best selling programs. But training the eyes is | | | | very fast rate of speed. Technically and |
| essential. | | | | theoretically it is possible. However, few people |
| However, to master speed reading, you must | | | | ever achieve it primarily because there is no single |
| know that your brain must process the visual | | | | speed at which someone reads. You will be faster |
| inputs. If your mind is not processing the input, | | | | in some materials and slower in others. Speed |
| you will not read. You must learn how to process | | | | ultimately is determined by the response rate in |
| (comprehend) the material. At very high speeds, | | | | your mind. If your mind does not understand the |
| initially this causes the brain to become | | | | material, or if you can not immediately recall the |
| overloaded. This leads to frustration. Frustration | | | | material, then it must be questioned as to |
| often leads to giving up. | | | | whether it is really reading at that rate. |
| 2. Comprehension at High Speeds Needs to be | | | | Also, from a practical perspective, to read at |
| Taught Directly. True speed reading is not merely | | | | 25,000 words per minute requires the reader to |
| speeding up how you already read. This requires a | | | | put him/herself into a brain state that is not our |
| perceptual shift in the mind as to what we | | | | ordinary conscious and awake state. Most people |
| normally perceive comprehension to be. This | | | | won't do the work required to make that happen. |
| process can be learned, but because of our | | | | 6. Mastering Speed Reading Requires Personal |
| ingrained habits of comprehending, it does not | | | | Coaching. Earlier we used the analogy of physical |
| happen magically or immediately. The good news | | | | training. Would you engage in learning any physical |
| is that the brain is an incredible learning machine if | | | | skill without a coach? Probably not, especially for |
| we take control of learning how to train and | | | | fear of injuring yourself. Have you ever mastered |
| redirect it. | | | | any complex new skill without someone's |
| 3. Speed Reading Training Is Similar to Muscle | | | | guidance? Did you learn to drive a car by |
| Training. It requires continuous conditioning | | | | yourself? As Richard Bandler said, you have |
| exercises over time. As neuro-science has shown | | | | probably spent more time learning to drive a car |
| us over the past ten years, the brain is very | | | | than learning to drive your brain. You're not going |
| elastic and pliable. It does and will improve with | | | | to master these skills by reading a book. The |
| continuous exercise over time. Many brain trainers | | | | coach helps guides you through your own set of |
| have documented amazing results when the | | | | perceptual limitations. The coach provides the |
| participant diligently works with the brain "muscle" | | | | direction back to the map of learning when the |
| reconditioning. Any physical sport provides a useful | | | | learner gets lost. |
| analogy to training your brain to master speed | | | | In closing, it is possible for most people to |
| reading. Are you willing to do the training for | | | | comfortably read, comprehend, and recall in the |
| lasting results? Just like if you start exercising for | | | | thousands of words per minute range with proper |
| a month, and then take some time off, your | | | | training, proper and consistent practicing, learning |
| muscles quickly lose the efficiency they had | | | | how to re-train the brain, and replacing |
| before the long break. You must do continuous | | | | sub-vocalization with a highly interactive mind. If |
| exercise. | | | | the learner commits to these concepts, and does |
| 4. Speed Reading Requires Overcoming the Myth | | | | the conditioning, a whole new life of learning |
| of Sub-vocalization. Almost all beginning information | | | | awaits them. |
| about speed reading lists the habit of | | | | |