Speed Reading Articles
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Course
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Which Is More Important,
Reading Faster Or Comprehension?
~ by
Melvin Ng
It is an almost instinctive reaction to
think that reading faster equates with comprehending
less. Empirical evidence, however, seems to indicate
otherwise - individuals who read at slower rates are just as
likely not to fully comprehend what they have read as
those who read too fast.
Consequently, trying to find an optimum
between the speed you read at and the overall comprehension
you have of the material is the key to good reading skills.
What follows is a brief look at how you can try to optimize
your speed reading and comprehension at the same time.
Speed and comprehension
It should be the goal of every individual
who wishes to read efficiently to understand what they are
reading, learn from it, and then move on. Reading should not
be an activity which we linger over. In this regard, it is
generally accepted that someone who can read between 250 and
300 words per minute is an average reader. Those who read
less than 250 words per minute are slow readers. And those
who read more than 500 words per minute are speed readers.
However, there comes a point when reading too fast would make
you lose your reading comprehension.
If that’s the case, what should be the
optimum speed? Only you can tell because you’ll need to test
it out yourself and try to stretch it as much as possible.
Different people will have varying levels.
If we accept that these reading rates are
fairly standard, it should be the aim of every reader to be
reading more than 500 words per minute but at the same time,
not to lose comprehension.
Why is reading faster important
anyhow?
The reason why it is generally considered
important to read with at least some modicum of speed is
because it is clear that, as is the case with a reader who
reads too fast, a person who is reading slowly most
probably does not understanding what it is that they have
read. Here, it is generally accepted that a slow reader is
unable to retain the information that /he has just read in
his/her memory. In other words, by the time they have
completed the sentence they have read, they’ve forgotten what
the beginning of the sentence was about!
Improving your speed: Improve your
comprehension
Having read the above, if you believe
that you need to increase the rate you read at, with the aim
of furthering both your speed reading and comprehension
skills, the following are 5 brief tips to help you further
your reading skills:
1. Check your eye:
One of the most commonly cited (no pun
intended) reasons why people have problems reading at high
speed is because they either cannot see clearly what it is
they are reading, or that they suffer from headaches if they
read too much, for too long. If you feel these symptoms may
be affecting your reading abilities, it may well be worth
having your eyes checked, as there is a chance you may be
suffering from some form of eye defect.
2. Read in comfort:
Reading should be a pleasure, not a
chore. If you make reading a chore, you will have problems
comprehending what it is you are reading. On the other
hand, don’t make your reading environment too laid back – you
may find then that you just want to go to sleep! Adapt your
environment (for example, chair, lighting, etc.) to maximize
your reading pleasure.
3. Reading material:
It is very important that you keep in
mind what the material is that you are reading. If you are
reading the latest blockbuster novel, there’s every chance you
can read faster, and comprehend more, than would
be the case if you are reading the text book for your next
exam. As such, it is always useful if you keep the old adage
“horses for courses” in mind.
4. Try to avoid talking (vocalization):
Many of us enjoy [lip] talking
(vocalizing) out the words of our reading material as we read
it. This actually causes an obvious problem: we can read
faster than we can talk! So, if you find that you have
the habit of talking when you read, try to cure this habit and
you may well find that you increase the speed at which you
read.
5. Block-reading and re-reading:
As we grow older, we should be able to
develop the skill of “block-reading”. Essentially
“block-reading” means that you have the ability to read more
than one word at a time; for example, you can read whole
paragraphs in one go. This skill is enhanced by training your
eye to broaden its span so as to take in more. Likewise,
re-reading, or regressed reading as it is also known, is a
habit you should try to eliminate.
Generally, studies indicate that readers
who read 250 words per minute (the ‘average’ reader)
regress/reread material on a page up to 20 times. Essentially
this regress/rereading has two major faults:
(i) it means you are not comprehending
what you have read the first time; and
(ii) it is utilizing valuable time you
could be using to read more.
As such, eliminating both of these habits
is considered good practice.
Conclusion
Developing speed reading skills at
the expense of comprehension is counter-productive.
Ultimately, the comprehension of what you are reading
is achieved not by reading fast, nor by reading
slowly, but by reading at your optimum speed.
About the author:
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Melvin Ng teaches speed reading
through his
16-Minute Speed Reading Audio Program.
This breakthrough technique
Guarantees to
Double your reading speed in just
16 minutes!
http://www.bestspeedreadingcourse.com
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