| Whether you're a student with a lot of | | | | Eliminating Subvocalization |
| homework, in a job that requires reading reams | | | | When children learn how to read, they often |
| of documentation, or you simply don't have time | | | | practice by reading out loud, carefully formulating |
| to enjoy a good novel, you may benefit from | | | | each word slowly so as to digest meaning. This, |
| learning how to read faster and more efficiently. | | | | of course, is beneficial when just starting out, but |
| Speed reading is an umbrella term for the many | | | | if you continue to read this way into adulthood, |
| techniques available to increase the rate of | | | | your reading will be extremely slow, without |
| reading without losing retention of information. | | | | necessarily increasing your comprehension. |
| Most people continue to read the way they were | | | | Reading each word "aloud" in the mind is another |
| taught as children: letter by letter or word by | | | | form. Eliminating subvocalization by practicing |
| word, and some even continue to read out loud | | | | chunking, skimming and meta guiding, therefore, is |
| or by mouthing the words. Reading this way is | | | | key to speed reading. |
| extremely time-consuming and does not | | | | Chunking |
| guarantee retention of the information. Some | | | | Rather than read each and every word, the |
| people have a natural talent for speed reading, | | | | chunking technique allows you to take in blocks of |
| but for those who don't, this skill can be learned. | | | | words at a time. You train your eyes to focus on |
| The average person reads about 200-300 words | | | | short paragraphs or word groupings with key |
| per minute, while a speed reader can get through | | | | meaning, avoiding filler words such as "and" and |
| 500-700 words per minute, or even more. | | | | "the". Hitting the first and last sentence of a |
| The first thing to do when learning speed reading | | | | paragraph will often give you the majority of |
| is to familiarize yourself with the material before | | | | necessary information. Sometimes, however, this |
| you dive in and read it, and the easiest way to do | | | | method decreases reading comprehension and |
| this is to scan the back cover and the table of | | | | absorption of information. |
| contexts. This way your brain has already | | | | Other speed reading techniques include: |
| absorbed key terminology, ideas and the order of | | | | Skimming |
| information. Further, you should sit upright, have | | | | Meta Guiding |
| proper lighting, the right text size, no distractions | | | | Keep in mind, however, that different materials |
| around you and get your eyes checked out to | | | | will require different speeds; a paperback novel will |
| make sure your vision is good. | | | | be easier to absorb than a chemistry text book. |
| Most speed readers automatically use a variety of | | | | Speed reading is not magic; on the contrary, like |
| methods in their endeavors, such as chunking | | | | any other skill, the only way to get better is to |
| (taking in blocks of text), skimming, meta guiding | | | | practice constantly. Normally it takes about three |
| (reading with the aid of your hand, a pointer or a | | | | to four attempts to get used to it, and from |
| card) or eliminating subvocalization (reading aloud | | | | there you can continue to increase your pace. If |
| or mouthing). Those who practice speed reading | | | | you have difficulty learning on your own, there |
| do not focus on each word nor read "aloud" in | | | | are many software programs that can help you |
| their minds, but rather scan the text with their | | | | practice these methods by highlighting key text to |
| eyes and allow the brain to absorb and | | | | train your eyes to focus on the important stuff. |
| comprehend the material. | | | | |