| Speed reading has become an essential business | | | | camera takes in "more." |
| and academic success tool in the knowledge | | | | Similarly speed reading software trains the eyes |
| economy. With the onset of PCs, and the | | | | to see more for each fixation, or stopping |
| internet, live classes have diminished as a result of | | | | (snapshot) of the eyes. Software can help with |
| "instant access." One of the seemingly easiest | | | | this. But it is only one piece of the speed reading |
| choices someone might take to learn the skills is | | | | puzzle, and some software training programs |
| to buy a software program. But does software | | | | teach you to expand this visual focal area wider |
| training work? | | | | than what the eyes can naturally see during these |
| Although I can't state that I have reviewed all | | | | fixations. This can cause terrible eye muscle strain. |
| software programs, I have reviewed the most | | | | With software training you can learn to "see" |
| popular ones on the market. The benefit of | | | | thousands and tens of thousands of words per |
| learning speed reading with software in general, is | | | | minute. For that aspect of speed reading training, |
| that the software does allow for interesting eye | | | | software can be beneficial as well as harmful. |
| pattern simulation training. By that I mean, | | | | Different software programs teach different |
| software addresses one of the components of | | | | approaches to the fixation issue. But what good is |
| speed reading somewhat well - the mechanics, or | | | | it to merely see thousands of words per minute |
| getting the eyes to move more efficiently. | | | | if you don't understand the material? |
| When you read, the eyes must first "see" the | | | | Understanding the meaning, or comprehension, is |
| words. The eyes stop for a very brief moment | | | | other component of the speed reading puzzle that |
| to "fixate" on the words. Untrained readers see | | | | none of the programs I have seen do not cover, |
| only a single or a few words per fixation. This is | | | | or barely touch. Without addressing the cognitive |
| inefficient. You can picture this by imagining a | | | | aspect, or comprehension, the training is |
| photograph taken with a zoom lens focused in. If | | | | ineffective. Both aspects of learning to speed |
| you zoom out with the lens, you see more of the | | | | read must be covered. |
| foreground and background of the picture. Your | | | | |