| With nearly any material you come across about | | | | and often leads to failure in their attempts to |
| speed reading, you will find some discussion about | | | | master speed reading. |
| the habit of subvocalization. This habit can be | | | | I often get this complaint from beginners during |
| defined as the process of seeing the words in | | | | the early phase of training. It is also one of the |
| print, then saying the words in your mind, hearing | | | | most asked questions I get from people who |
| the words in your mind, and then it finally leads to | | | | have attempted to learn to speed read in the |
| your understanding. Nearly all who write or teach | | | | past. Some "experts" go so far as to suggest |
| about the habit recognize it as limiting your | | | | that these types of readers hold a pencil in their |
| success to speed reading and will instruct you to | | | | mouth, or put their finger over their mouth to |
| stop. Unfortunately, they do not teach you how | | | | stop! I'm not sure if this really has any benefit. |
| to stop. However, there is a part of the process | | | | What about the "good" of the subvocalization |
| that is necessary and actually serves the reader | | | | challenge, you might ask. The steps of |
| to mastering the essential skills of reading fast | | | | subvocalization that you want to include in your |
| and comprehending the material. | | | | development are "seeing the words" and |
| The reason why subvocalization is a limiting habit | | | | "understanding" their meanings. Reduce and/or |
| is that by reading this way you can only achieve | | | | eliminate the middle two steps of "saying" and |
| speeds up to about 400 words per minute. For | | | | "hearing the words." But how do you do that? |
| some people that might be fast, but I wouldn't call | | | | Quite simply, you accomplish that with proper |
| it speed reading. | | | | training and practice. It's simple to understand, but |
| The "ugly" of subvocalization, according to some | | | | difficult to accomplish. That is why almost no one |
| writers, is when the reader actually speaks the | | | | significantly improves their speed reading skills by |
| words with lips moving pronouncing the words | | | | either reading a book, or from a software |
| (and sometimes includes their quiet voice). This | | | | program that merely trains the eyes. Having a |
| type of subvocalization is characteristic of a very | | | | trainer helps move through the natural periods of |
| poor and undeveloped reader in general. This type | | | | frustration until mastery is achieved. |
| of subvocalizer may need remedial reading before | | | | Additionally, notice I said "reduce and/or eliminate" |
| starting on a speed reading program. | | | | the saying and hearing. Remember, in order to |
| The "bad" subvocalizer, which is the bulk of | | | | comprehend well, you do not want your mind to |
| readers who have not been trained in speed | | | | go silent. The key is to transform subvocalization |
| reading, are doing the four step process described | | | | to your mind's response to the print. You want to |
| above inside their minds. It limits the speeds which | | | | activate your mind to respond to the print's |
| you can attain to well below the range of | | | | meaning. That means you mentally interact with |
| 600-2500 word per minute speeds that effective | | | | the author. When you are reading, monitor what |
| speed readers achieve. When these types of | | | | you are thinking about. Your thoughts should be a |
| readers first learn about speed reading a light bulb | | | | response to the print's meaning, regardless of the |
| goes off inside their minds to stop subvocalizing | | | | author's exact words. You interpret the print. |
| and this causes another problem. | | | | That is reading comprehension. |
| The new problem unfolds as the subvocal reader | | | | So if you are an average, or even a good reader |
| starts their journey to speed up their eyes. Their | | | | now and want to master speed reading, worry |
| mind either goes silent as they speedily move | | | | less about your subvocalization, and pay more |
| their eyes, or they continuously tell themselves to | | | | attention to your interactivity with the print. To |
| "Stop subvocalizing!" When this happens, | | | | master speed reading with effective |
| comprehension, or understanding the material also | | | | comprehension learn how to comprehend and |
| stops. The mind is not capable of listening to the | | | | activate your mind. Learning to do this with an |
| "stop" message, and comprehending the material | | | | experienced trainer is your best approach to |
| at the same time. This leads to great frustration | | | | master speed reading at very high rates. |