| As you begin to research and select an approach | | | | am focusing on how many words my eyes see |
| to developing your speed reading skills, you will | | | | for each stop, I can not focus on the meaning of |
| inevitably find continuous references to the fact | | | | the print and thus I lose comprehension. |
| that untrained readers need to expand the | | | | Knowing that the mind's response to the print is |
| number of words that the eyes take in with each | | | | the goal of all reading, the mechanical approaches, |
| eye stop. These stops are called fixations. In | | | | especially software applications that keep a |
| theory, the more words your eyes take in per | | | | constant pace for speed reading are misguided |
| fixation, the faster your reading becomes. | | | | and ineffective. |
| Programs that focus on primarily training to | | | | Speed reading learners do need to go beyond |
| increase the number of words per fixation are | | | | focusing on individual words and see more for |
| misguided in understanding the nature of | | | | each eye stop. However, the reason for |
| comprehension. This approach will inevitably lead | | | | expanding the size of the stop is not merely in |
| to failure in developing lasting speed reading | | | | counting the number of words for the fixation, |
| results. Here's the truth. | | | | but to increase the meaning of the overall printed |
| As you read the marketing materials and even | | | | material. For example, I can read the word "car," |
| engage in the training of these misguided | | | | but I understand more if I also see "the red |
| programs, you will see and hear references to | | | | speeding car." The additional words expands the |
| expanding eye span (the actual distance and | | | | meaning of the whole idea. My mind gets a better |
| number of words per fixation). You will be | | | | picture and faster. Reading in this fashion is |
| encouraged to expand the number of words in | | | | referred to as expanding "Word Meaning Groups." |
| these "word groups," "word clusters," or "word | | | | Rather than focus on the physical expansion of |
| clumps" as though the number of words is what | | | | eye span, word clusters, word clumps and artificial |
| the real goal should be. But that is not what | | | | pacing, the speed reader needs to learn to |
| reading comprehension achieves. | | | | expand their search to "Word Meanings." Word |
| The approach to expanding eye span is most | | | | meanings give rise to comprehension. Remember, |
| often achieved through mechanical pacing, | | | | you can only read as fast as your mind can |
| especially if the learner uses a software program. | | | | comprehend the material. It is not just about |
| This mechanical approach most always uses | | | | speedily moving your eyes from point A to point |
| flashing words over the screen sometimes four | | | | B as fast as you can. You want to move from |
| to six inches across. The size of the "clump" does | | | | point A to point B and understand what you have |
| matter. Your natural span of clear focus at normal | | | | seen. |
| reading distance is between one to three inches in | | | | As mentioned earlier, these word meaning groups |
| diameter. Expanding beyond 3 inches can be | | | | can appear over areas spanning 1-3 inches in |
| damaging because it changes how the muscles | | | | diameter. Learning to move the eyes more |
| work. | | | | efficiently is necessary in all speed reading training, |
| Your natural sight experience is dimensional which | | | | but it is not the only goal. If you look at some |
| means it has vertical and horizontal measures. | | | | printed material and test the above mentioned |
| What this means is your eyes naturally see | | | | "dimensional" statement, you will also notice that |
| words above and below the particular line that | | | | you'll be seeing the print using your dimensional |
| you focus on. Eye training programs that expand | | | | sight displaying the words seemingly out of |
| the visual span too far horizontally are an | | | | grammatical order. |
| unnatural approach and miss the important aspect | | | | Can your mind interpret the print with this "out of |
| of reading comprehension. | | | | order" appearance? Yes it can. However, that |
| To master speed reading, you also need to | | | | requires some training, practice, and learning more |
| understand the meaning of the print, or | | | | about comprehension. |
| comprehend it. Focusing on the number of words | | | | So if you really want to master speed reading, |
| for each of your eye stops, does not allow your | | | | you now know the myth of expanding eye span |
| mind to respond to the print. Your mind will | | | | is really about enlarging mind stops for |
| respond faster to some things and slower to | | | | comprehension. Be wary of programs that focus |
| other things. It all depends on your familiarity with | | | | mostly on eye movement, and find programs |
| the content being read. As a learning specialist I | | | | that focus on training your mind to respond and |
| naturally read faster in materials dealing with | | | | comprehend at faster speeds. In fact with the |
| reading, and most psychology. Because I am not | | | | proper training, you will comprehend better at |
| a physicist, I will be slower when reading books | | | | faster rates with the right approach to learning |
| and articles on quantum theory. Additionally, if I | | | | speed reading. |