Speed Reading Tactics - Why Comprehension at Super Fast Speed is Challenging and How to Overcome It

You want to learn to speed read and you're doingMany people use reading to fall asleep. But
a web search on the topic. Unless this is the firsteffective reading comprehension requires our
thing you have read, you have probably comemind to be actively thinking about the print,
across much negative talk about the possibility ofquestioning the author, relating to previous
ever really reading super fast and achieving goodknowledge, etc. Effective readers in fact show
comprehension with speed. (Usually that comeslots of brain wave activity in many areas of the
from people who have either not engaged in thebrain. By not questioning, comparing, associating,
right type of training, or didn't train in the properfeeling, seeing, etc. your reading is passive,
manner, but that's not the point here.) Manyregardless of whether you are reading fast or
people have tried and failed to masternot. Ineffective readers display far less activity
comprehension at super fast speeds. Here is whythroughout the brain. Wake up your mind's
that happens, and what you can do to overcomeresponse to the print!
it.4. The habit of reading words versus reading for
Effective reading comprehension means yourmeaning - you expect that only after reading
mind has the ability to interpret and respond toeach word in a sentence or paragraph, then the
the visual stimuli of the print. It does not meanauthor's meaning comes to your understanding.
vocalizing aloud, or saying to yourself the wordsBuilding word upon word to construct the ideas
as they are written. That may be how you haveand concepts is how you now build your
been trained in the past and how you read now,comprehension. This habit is a result from the
but it is not effective reading and has speed limitsprevious two mentioned. On the other hand, brain
of about 500-600 words per minute.science has shown that the brain makes
What this means is that we are creatures ofconnections in non-linear pathways. You are
habit. To master comprehension at fast speedsactually reading and comprehending in a far less
means we must build new efficient habits of ourefficient manner when your understanding comes
mind's response to print. All speed readingfrom linear grammatical expectation.
programs will teach you to move your eyesThis point on words versus whole meanings can
efficiently, but very few teach you how tobe demonstrated by looking at a chair. When you
mentally process what you see at these"see" the chair, you don't first see a leg, then
increased rates.another leg, then another, then the seat, then the
The problem of comprehension at high speeds isback support. You see the whole chair. Without
limited by these habits:this "whole," the brain struggles to make sense.
1. Your Own Brain Speed Comfort Zone - YourThis is true for reading. Learn to see the "wholes."
brain is habituated to work at certain speeds.This requires a perceptual shift on how to
More than likely, you are operating at a fractioncomprehend. This shift in comprehension needs
of its capability. Almost anything can be learned atclear direction, practice, and repetition in order to
2-10 times faster by merely thinking of your brainretrain yourself to comprehending better at high
as a mental muscle. The more you exercise it,speeds.
the more it grows and performs. By "playing with"My experience teaching these skills has revealed
(experiment, have fun, etc.) whatever you wanttwo different challenges when it comes to
to speed up in double, triple, quadruple speed,learners.
your brain will stretch its comfort zone to newer1. If a learner is very good with comprehension
levels.when starting the program, they tend to hold
2. Old Programmed Expectations. Expecting tothemselves back on speed because they resist
"read" and understand only comes from seeingthe change in how to comprehend. If you already
the input (words) in grammatical order. This is acomprehend well, know that there is another
habit formed long ago. Using speed reading lingo,more efficient approach. Let yourself go when
the term is sub-vocalization. Effective reading ispracticing at high speeds and learn the difference
not "talking in our head" the author's words in thein comprehension.
order written. The brain can understand meaning2. If the learner is weak or merely satisfactory
without grammatical order. In fact, rarely do youwith comprehension, they tend to resist reading in
think in grammatical structures. Me understandthe first place and often will not do the necessary
you do? How's that for an example! At first theskill building. In fact, one of the best ways to
sentence threw you off because of theimprove reading skills is to read more in a wider
grammatical sequence. But after a briefvariety of subjects than you normally choose.
consideration, you understood the meaning of theThis gives the brain more paths to making the
sentence. Remember, since reading is thinkingassociations mentioned earlier.
(responding to print in a meaningful way) we thinkYou can overcome the above challenges then, by
in ideas, concepts, feelings, and images, notgetting proper effective training, proper practice,
grammatical structures.and a willingness to sit through some
3. Reading Passively, not Actively. Most peopleuncomfortableness while you perceptually
think of reading as a passive activity. Observingtransition your skills and build better approaches to
from outside the reader, it appears very quiet.comprehension so you can read really fast!