| If you are just beginning to search for help in | | | | skilled speed reader who mastered the skills by |
| learning to speed read, you may easily become | | | | reading a book. |
| overwhelmed. With such a variety of approaches, | | | | 4. Listen to an audio program. Similarly to reading |
| mediums of learning, and contradictory | | | | a book, these can be informative, but not |
| information, it would be easy to give up learning | | | | effective for changing your behavior. Another |
| this valuable life-long learning set of skills. Please | | | | problem with the audio training is that most |
| don't give up! Mastering speed reading can change | | | | learners also need to "see," and "do" when learning |
| your life for the better. Here are some important | | | | a skill. It is not what educators refer to as a |
| things for you to consider before you start. | | | | multi-sensory approach which has been proven to |
| To succeed at mastering speed reading, you need | | | | engage much more of the brain when learning. A |
| to understand that it is about training your brain, | | | | multi-sensory approach is best. |
| not just getting your eyes to move rapidly | | | | 5. Buy a DVD training video. Of all the mediums |
| through the print. All speed reading programs will | | | | explored to this point, this is the best, but still |
| teach the eye movement part (and some do this | | | | lacks the personal help you will probably need at |
| with a mistaken outdated approach). Few | | | | points along the way of developing your speed |
| approaches teach the comprehension process | | | | reading skills. Again, where is the expert if you |
| that requires the engagement of your brain/mind. | | | | have a question or need help? |
| Because of the complexity of how your brain | | | | 6. Enroll in a class at a local college. This is a better |
| processes information, you want an approach that | | | | choice, but you are limited by the time constraints |
| can help you understand better how to engage | | | | of the class schedule and have to organize your |
| the brain/mind at rapid rates, if you are going to | | | | busy life around it. For example, most of these |
| use the skills as a life-long approach and not fizzle | | | | classes occur over a weekend or two. Cognitive |
| out after a short period with some success. | | | | psychologists will say it takes a minimum of 30 - |
| So are you ready to learn more about your brain | | | | 45 days to master a complex skill before it |
| and how to process (comprehend) at high | | | | becomes habit. Another critical question for this |
| speeds? | | | | option is what are the qualifications of the |
| If so, you have these options: | | | | instructor? Many of these instructors have not |
| 1. Scrounge the web for free stuff. This will only | | | | gone through a rigorous training process |
| get you confused because there is so much | | | | themselves. In fact, I've known many "speed |
| misinformation on the web with contradictory | | | | reading" instructors that teach as a result of |
| statements. Most of the "free stuff" is really | | | | merely reading a book, which means they are not |
| often a come-on for some other thing the | | | | an expert, and probably haven't mastered the |
| website owner is selling. Or, the "author" is not | | | | skills themselves. |
| really a qualified expert. Additionally, this approach | | | | 7. Enroll in a class lead by an experienced and |
| leaves it up to you to read and develop the skills | | | | qualified expert. Don't waste your time or money |
| yourself on your own. | | | | on any approach that can not verify the |
| 2. Buy a software program. The primary focus of | | | | qualifications of the expert and allow you access |
| every software program I have seen is getting | | | | to the experts' advice. If I want to learn how to |
| the eyes to move more efficiently. These can be | | | | a build house, I wouldn't want to learn from a |
| helpful to some extent, but they don't address | | | | software engineer. Because everyone has a |
| the comprehension side of mastering speed | | | | unique style of learning and a complex brain, you |
| reading with real depth. Also, many of the | | | | want to learn from someone who understands |
| software programs approach the "eye-span" (the | | | | those differences. Paying for expertise is |
| number of words focused upon with a single | | | | significant when considering your lifelong mastery |
| eye-stop) from an outdated and proven incorrect | | | | of the skills. |
| manner of using the eyes during the reading | | | | In considering how you can best master speed |
| process. Is there a "help-line" if you have | | | | reading, the last approach is probably the more |
| questions on the content of the program, or is | | | | expensive, but the investment has a far better |
| the support merely technical support for the | | | | chance of paying you huge dividends in the long |
| software? How will you get help if you get | | | | run. If you invest in a proven program that gives |
| frustrated, or confused? | | | | access to an expert and that leaves you with a |
| 3. Read a book. Reading better is the end goal. | | | | life-long set of accelerated learning skills, you will |
| Good books on speed reading can be informative, | | | | be better off and more competitive in today's |
| but they do not change your behavior. You are | | | | marketplace. This is merely one of the |
| trying to change very complex behaviors that | | | | "life-changing" benefits I mentioned in the |
| don't lend themselves to merely reading a book. | | | | beginning. With proper training, you can literally |
| Ask other speed readers you may know if they | | | | speed read yourself to the top. |
| learned from a book. I have yet to find a highly | | | | |