Bill Urell asked:


The best way to feed the mind is by reading a book. Although watching television shows may provide the same information, it is sometimes difficult to grasp what is happening when the show will just continue from one frame to the next in a matter of seconds.

One of the things students will always be doing in school is reading. The teacher may instruct the class to read 2 or 3 chapters overnight with a quiz the following day and the only way to meet with the demand is to speed read.

Is speed-reading effective? This answer will probably depend on the capability of the student. After all, this is a skill that can be improved on and no inherited from ones parents.

Can anyone become a speed reader? The answer to this question is no. This could be caused by the persons upbringing but those who are a bit slow will surely miss a few important details. This is one of the reasons that people have developed audio books that may produce better results in the test scores.

An audio book is basically a recording of everything contained in a textbook. The student can listen in on the entire chapter before moving on to the next. This can be done while lying down in bed instead of sitting on a chair in the late hours of the night leaving the person puffy eyed by morning.

There are times that the individual may fall asleep while listening to the audio book. This is not that bad because studies show that the mind is able to absorb the information while recharging. This scenario may not happen all the time but at least nothing will be missed after pressing the rewind button and playing it again.

Many people think that the audio book can only be bought in the bookstore. This is not true because this can also be downloaded from the computer. There are websites that could give it for free while there are those who will charge on a monthly basis.

It is a fact that not every book or lesson in school may have an audio book. Those who have a hard time listening and jotting down notes at the same time will be able to do better in class by using a tape recorder instead.

One way of looking at it is like catching up on that favorite show on television that was missed during the regular screening. The person can listen in and then just write down the important details.

The audiobook in every respect is much better than speed reading. Although the person can scan through a portion that was missed, this can be done faster by simply pressing on the rewind button and then pressing play switch.

The only thing for the student to do now is find a quiet place to listen to the audiobook. This can be done at home, in the park or in the beach. All the attention must be focused on the sense of hearing especially because all the information will be coming from the machine that is playing it.

Audio books are not only useful for students. Adults can also benefit from this when there is not time to sit down and read a story from a favorite author.



Herman

Jon Kelly asked:


When I first heard about the speed reading machine I could not quite understand how it worked. Speed reading is all about reading faster and not loosing any of the comprehension of the text.

So I thought that perhaps a speed reading machine was a way of guiding your reading with the techniques of spread reading i.e. the line and card technique and encouraging you to read each line at a glance from the middle of the line, by somehow focusing your attention down the middle of the page and then revealing the text line by line Well, dream on. The speed reading machine has nothing to do with speed reading!

What was described to me as a speed reading machine is in fact just a text converter. It takes text and converts it into audio files which can then be played on your computer, or walkman or MP3 player.

This machine is very useful and allows one to be absorbing reading material while on the move, and if you are a slow reader, it is faster than ploughing through the text. Also if children are dyslexic or have been diagnosed with either ADD or ADHD, then it is a good way for the child to get through their studies at a more comparable speed to the other children, and will hopefully stop the child from falling behind in class.

However, it will not speed up their reading. If anything, a child who gets used to absorbing text in this manner will not be practicing reading and will probably therefore get slower at reading!

As with all inventions there is definitely a use for it, but probably as an addition to reading, perhaps it should be targeted at those who travel a lot, but maybe not at children.

When I first heard about the speed reading machine I could not quite understand how it worked. Speed reading is all about reading faster and not loosing any of the comprehension of the text.

So I thought that perhaps a speed reading machine was a way of guiding your reading with the techniques of spread reading i.e. the line and card technique and encouraging you to read each line at a glance from the middle of the line, by somehow focusing your attention down the middle of the page and then revealing the text line by line Well, dream on. The speed reading machine has nothing to do with speed reading!

What was described to me as a speed reading machine is in fact just a text converter. It takes text and converts it into audio files which can then be played on your computer, or walkman or MP3 player.

This machine is very useful and allows one to be absorbing reading material while on the move, and if you are a slow reader, it is faster than ploughing through the text. Also if children are dyslexic or have been diagnosed with either ADD or ADHD, then it is a good way for the child to get through their studies at a more comparable speed to the other children, and will hopefully stop the child from falling behind in class.

However, it will not speed up their reading. If anything, a child who gets used to absorbing text in this manner will not be practicing reading and will probably therefore get slower at reading!

As with all inventions there is definitely a use for it, but probably as an addition to reading, perhaps it should be targeted at those who travel a lot, but maybe not at children.

Recent research has suggested that children under the age of 7 should not use a computer as this can delay their reading as they are not training their eyes to focus at the correct distance; also, children learn to read by following their fingers across the page, this teaches the brain the movement of the eyes from left to right.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how much equipment there is to help our children, they all need to learn to read. Hence the reading machine, which converts text to audio, may not be doing children any favours.

As an adult however, if you are forever having to sit and dredge through the latest articles in your chosen field, then the a reading machine may allow you to get through more of these as are you can continue to absorb the information when walking, jogging or even at the gym.

It seems that although all these gadgets can help, there is nothing like actually being able to read, from there learning to speed read, and then if you really want to maximize your time efficiency, then add a reading machine for times when you are on the move.

Unfortunately a reading machine will not teach you to speed read, but it will present information in a readily absorbable format. Perhaps the type of person who is interested in this type of machine is the perfect person to learn to speed read!

; also, children learn to read by following their fingers across the page, this teaches the brain the movement of the eyes from left to right.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how much equipment there is to help our children, they all need to learn to read. Hence the reading machine, which converts text to audio, may not be doing children any favours.

As an adult however, if you are forever having to sit and dredge through the latest articles in your chosen field, then the a reading machine may allow you to get through more of these as are you can continue to absorb the information when walking, jogging or even at the gym.

It seems that although all these gadgets can help, there is nothing like actually being able to read, from there learning to speed read, and then if you really want to maximize your time efficiency, then add a reading machine for times when you are on the move.

Unfortunately a reading machine will not teach you to speed read, but it will present information in a readily absorbable format. Perhaps the type of person who is interested in this type of machine is the perfect person to learn to speed read!



Heather

MIKE SELVON asked:


As adults we have great demands put upon our time. There is work, families and social activities that take out huge portions of our waking hours. It is no surprise that many adults, outside of an academic situation, find that they do not have any time to read.

Many adults would list reading as a frivolous activity in which they have no inclination due to the amount of time it takes them to get through a single book. Even students feel the pressure of time as they are faced with tons of homework and required reading. How can there be enough time to study, work and live? Some people have found the answer through speed reading.

If you are lucky enough to be gifted with this amazing talent, then it is certain other people have commented on how quickly you are able to consume reading material. If you are unfamiliar with this technique, this article is for you. It will answer some of the common questions about speed reading and hopefully set you on the path to picking up a good book to read.

How do people speed read?

There are a few different methods that some speed readers use in order to increase their reading speed. It is important to note that most speed readers use a variety of methods. Some simply skim the words and the information is simple there.

You can think of it in terms of a computer scanner. You lay the book or sheet of paper on the scanner. The image is then sent via a connection to your computer where you process the information.

How is speed reading measured?

Speed reading is measured by timing the reader as he or she reads through a selection of material. After the time is up the reader will be tested on his or her overall comprehension of the material. If they make less than 50% of the questions then that test is considered a failure.

Speed reading is difficult to test because a large part of the comprehension depends on the reader’s interest. A text book may be difficult to quickly read as there is strange terminology or a lack of interest on the participants’ behalf.

Are there any records for speed reading?

The World Championship Speed Reading competition says that its top competitors average around 1000 to 2000 words a minute. The comprehension level must be at least fifty percent in order to qualify. Though a contestant may read through the material at a rate of 5000 words a minute, if they are not able to comprehend the material or recall pertinent facts, the test is considered a failure.

Is there a way to learn how to speed read?

Not everyone can speed read. There are no tried and true methods that work for everyone. The best way to learn how to speed read is to practice and study the different methods that speed readers employ.

You may be able to learn how to skim through the material for key words and phrases. You can also try to learn how to read the material without silently pronouncing each word in your mind.

How do the software programs work?

Some software programs boast that their methodologies can double a person’s rate of reading and comprehension. Most programs utilize different methods of reading such as chunking or skimming the text. It teaches the reader how to identify key words and to skip unimportant words such as “and” in order to increase their reading speed.



Charlene

MIKE SELVON asked:


In the majority of cases, when people start to talk about the possibilities of learning how to read faster, the first thing that springs to mind is the Evelyn Wood Speed Reading program. It is so well known because it has stood the test of time and has consistently created excellent results by helping people to become speed readers. Over the decades, this breakthrough program has taught time-tested methods and has become a standard around the globe.

Perhaps the Evelyn Wood program would never have existed if Evelyn had not watched one of her professors, at the University of Utah, read and grade her 80-page term paper in just ten minutes. Even though her professor was able to read at a remarkable rate of 2,500 words per minute, he had not acquired the skill through any specialized training. In fact, he was unable to explain to her how he was able to read and comprehend so quickly.

But, this was enough to pique her interest in the subject and spurred her on to learn more about how to read faster, wanting to acquire the skill for herself. Later, as a school teacher, she also believed it would be a valuable skill to share with others. Soon she learned that there were many people who knew how to read fast and she discovered that people had been doing so for centuries. And so, the beginning principles of the Evelyn Wood program began to formulate.

Over the next two years, she discovered over 50 people from all age groups and walks of life who could read anywhere from 1,500 to 6,000 words in just a minute. Even more impressive to her was that they demonstrated a high level of comprehension and a startling ability to recall what they read. As she analyzed their techniques, the fundamentals that would become the Evelyn Wood Speed Reading program began to become clear.

She soon learned that each reading genius she was studying had some common traits. They did not read single words, but grouped or chunked words as they read. They saw the words in meaningful patterns as they moved their eyes smoothly, rapidly and easily down the page.

They changed their speed to adjust to the kind of material they read and were able to quickly identify the key phrases in a paragraph and the central idea of a book or article. Soon, these very speed reading techniques became the cornerstone of the Evelyn Wood approach.

Evelyn’s first student was herself. She painstakingly taught herself these reading speed improvement principles and practiced them regularly. Soon, she had developed to the point of being able to read several thousands words per minute. Her next task was to develop a system to teach others how to read fast and in 1959, she opened the first Evelyn Wood Speed Reading Institute in Washington DC.

While there are now many different speed reading programs on the market, Evelyn Wood and her Speed Reading courses are still highly regarded today. She is revered for the pioneering efforts she made and for bringing speed reading and reading comprehension teaching to people around the world.

Today, there are Evelyn Wood Speed Reading methods that can be learned in a number of ways. There are still courses that can be taken in classrooms, as well as her speed reading courses that are available on video or on DVD. If you want to speed your read and get more done in a shorter amount of time, then learning how to read faster is a major help, all thanks to Evelyn Wood for making the techniques widely available.



Melvin

Francis Hesse asked:


Are you frustrated by your reading speed? Do you seem to take longer than everyone else to read something?

The Howard Bergs Maximum Speed Reading program will guarantee to double your reading speed. With more practice, you could be reading even faster. The best thing is that you do not even have to leave home to start the Maximum speed reading program.

You can try out this speed reading course from home. Besides reading faster there are a lot of other advantages that you will gain from this program. All of them are sure to equip you better for the purpose of researching and studying.

Even if you are not a student you will be able to read newspapers, books, and other reading materials better and faster.

Better Study Skills

There are three essential things you need to have when you are studying or revising. The first is the ability to read quickly, the second is to comprehend well, and finally you should have good note taking skills to do well. You can learn all these things when you start the Howard Berg’s Maximum Speed Reading program.

This program will help you to learn better. After finishing an Howard Bergs Maximum Speed Reading program you will not have to deal with repeatedly going over a sentence to try and decipher the meaning. You can also be sure to get through the research stage of writing essays a lot more quickly.

Learn How To Speed Read From Your Home

Another great thing about the Howard Bergs Maximum Speed Reading speed reading program is that you can learn from your home.

Although there are courses you can attend if you do not have the time or there is no course in your area a book and various media materials provided can help you to learn how to read past your normal speed.

The program will give you different drills that you will need to practice to develop different reading skills. The drills are given to you in a certain order so that you can build up your reading speed one step at a time.

Although the course is structured into seven days you might want to take more time to learn this skill.

You will also learn how to measure your reading speed as it is at present. This is a good thing to know as you can monitor your progress as your training continues.

Even when you have completed your initial lessons in speed reading it is a good idea to keep practicing the Howard Bergs Maximum Speed Reading program techniques.



Rodney

Jon Kelly asked:


Many courses claim to teach people how to speed read. However, instead of spending the money, try using a few helpful tips to improve your own pace. With some practice, anyone can improve their reading speed without losing comprehension. There are plenty of speed reading methods and information available.

Erase Old Ideas

You may have heard from a parent or grade school teacher that it is important to read each word carefully. If these ideas are ingrained in you, it will be more difficult to learn any speed reading methods. While it is important to not lose your reading comprehension to speed, it is not necessary to focus on every syllable on the page. Taking time to be thorough will reduce your overall reading speed.

Gathering The Main Ideas Of A Passage

Depending on what you are reading, there may not even be a need to read every paragraph in its entirety. Many speed reading methods focus on gathering the main ideas of a passage instead of every detail. This may not be ideal in every situation, but in the end comprehension is the most important factor in any speed reading methods.

Understanding Themes

Reading the book jacket and table of contents is a great way to familiarize yourself with the themes of a book. By knowing what to expect and what kind of text you are about to read, you can improve your speed. Some speed reading methods suggest that if you know that the next chapter of a textbook will cover a subject in detail, you can skim any information in the present chapter. However, if a topic will only be covered in one particular section, you will want to pay more attention and absorb the details.

Never Re-Read The Information

When learning any speed reading methods, it is important to never have to re-read information. This will naturally slow you down. If you are missing things and having to go back, it defeats the purpose of learning speed reading methods. It is essential to absorb all the important concepts of the book the first time around and to be able to identify which details you will need in the future and which are fine to skim.

For example, if you are reading something to find new techniques you may not need to know specifics about the philosophy and background of the subject. Know what you want to focus on before you sit down, and your speed reading methods will be more effective.

President Kennedy Was A fast Speed Reader

While the average person reads at a pace of 250 words per minute, with the right speed reading techniques you may be able to up your pace to ore than 600 words per minute. This may sound difficult but it is an achievable goal. It is said that President Kennedy could read at a pace of 1200 words per minute. If you put your mind to it, you too can read more quickly and efficiently.



Lorraine

Carlo Cabrera asked:


Readers are leaders and in this article you will learn several simple to implement Speed Reading Secrets that will assist you in efficiently absorbing all that information out there.

First Speed Reading Secret!

Before we begin, here’s a concept that you MUST understand about speed reading: shaving just a fraction-of-a-second off every page that your read will create a HUGE difference in your reading rate.

Even if you were able to shave just 1 second off the time it takes you to read a page that would still be FIVE minutes off a normal 300-page book!

So, it’s not always necessary to aim for the spectacular – just a little growth here and there will make a world of difference.

Even when it comes to something as basic as paging and pacing techniques…

When it comes to speed reading, learning to use your hands correctly and efficiently will require that you train yourself to accomplish the following 3 tasks:

1. Use your hands to guide and pace your eye movements through the text

2. Use your hands to force your eye to constantly scan through new information

3. Use your hands to prevent your eyes from repeatedly reading the same words

The Speed Reading Hand Motion:

Although it may seem uncomfortable at first, the ideal use of the hands of a right-handed person would be to use your left hand to pace your reading and your right hand to turn the pages.

To begin reading, place your hand at the start of a line. Move your hand towards the right hand margin. Make sure to focus your eyes upon the text that your hand is pointing towards.

When you reach the end of the current line, move your hand to the start of the next line. Repeat this method to the end of the page. To make paging faster, make sure that your right hand is always positioned at the top right hand corner of the book.

Go ahead and practice this movement. You don’t need to worry about reading any of the text, just practice the hand motion and paging techniques for now. Make sure that you are able to rapidly move through the pages of your book.

Believe it or not, you can reach the place where your reading speed explodes to the point that your paging and pacing hands will have a hard time just trying to keep up!

In the next part of this article, I will show you how you can begin improving your comprehension of text so that when you begin reading at the higher speed you will actually have a BETTER understanding of the text that you did at your lower reading speeds!

Your Second Speed Reading Secret!

Here’s something that you don’t hear everyday…

You CAN comprehend details better at higher speeds!

This is not a prank. In fact, if you will spend the next few moments reading through this email I’ll teach you some valuable insights into how you can begin improving your comprehension by leaps and bounds within just minutes.

The key to instantly increasing your comprehension of any book and any topic is to get familiar with the following universal publication tips. (Yes, these tips apply to almost every publication and can be applied immediately)

1. The first and last chapters of a book introduce and summarize its contents.

2. The first and last paragraph in a chapter introduce and summarize the contents of that particular chapter

3. Some books (such as text books and even most translations of the Bible) contain topic and summary sentences within their structure with introduce and summarize its contents

4. The VERBS and NOUNS of a sentence offer the *most important* information.

5. Be aware and ’sensitize’ yourself (through practice) to the use of negative words. Negative words (such as ‘not’, ‘no’, ‘can’t'…etc) can reverse the meanings of large groups of words – so keep a lookout for them.

6. By the same token, you also need to keep an eye out for the conditional tense. Conditional tense words (such as ‘could’, ‘if’, ’should’…etc) can also affect or change the meanings of a large body of words.

If you’ve been following with me then you’ll have already learned some valuable reading techniques that you can use to trim your reading time down AND improve your comprehension.

I’m going to give you just a few more tips on how you can use a book’s format to further increase your comprehension.

1. Don’t skip over reading the front and rear jackets of a book. These can really give anyone valuable insights into why the book was written and thus give you some insight into what you can expect.

2. By the same token, always check out the book’s forward and introduction. Oftentimes these overlooked segments can remove a lot of the confusion that arises when you have no idea about the authors intended direction BEFORE you begin reading

3. ALWAYS read the table of contents. It’s the author’s outline and will ‘prime your brain’ to his writing style and thus improve your understanding of his book’s structure.

4. Don’t just let the words ramble on in your mind. Make an effort to *actively read” the book. This means that you should continuously be asking yourself questions about what you’ve just read. Attempt to summarize the information you’ve just read at frequent intervals. By doing this you will soon discover your current level of comprehension and recall.

5. Devour charts and diagrams. If your book contains these features make sure that you stop and take time to actually understand the drawings and diagrams. Spending a few extra moments contemplating these features will ultimately increase your overall reading speed because you will have a clear visual representation of the information you’ve just read.

6. Make use of the glossary and index usually found at the end of most books.

Your Fourth Speed Reading Secret!

Now I’m going to show you an *exciting* part of any speed reading program.

It’s called skimming. Although it doesn’t actually involve ‘reading’ in the traditional sense of the word, it DOES allow you to experience some of the thrill of rapidly devouring vast amounts of information at blistering speeds.

If you are able to, it is always best to ’skim’ any book before you read it. (Whether you will be reading it at high speed or normal speed)

When you are skimming, what you are really looking for is the format of the book you will be reading.

It helps to give you visual clues to what you can expect and it allows you to compensate for some of those challenges.

At this point, let me take a moment to define what my definition is of skimming.

The process of skimming is nothing but the exercise of going through the ENTIRE book you plan to read (or speed read) at a rate of about TWO to THREE SECOND PER PAGE – MAXIMUM!

When you skim, here are some of the details that you are looking for…

Font and type sizes used

The presence or absence of chapters

The presence or absence of columns

The presence or absence of headings/sub-headings

Parts of the book

Diagrams and pictures

Any unusual or helpful features

Armed with the information that you acquire from skimming, you will be amazed at how DRAMATICALLY it influences your reading speed – even without using some of the other speed reading technology out there.

Your Fifth Speed Reading Secret!

How would you like to know the secret techniques to master different types of reading?

Well, that’s EXACTLY what I’m here to show you right now!

Are you just reading for pleasure? Do you need to study? Are you reading to develop a new skill?

Here is a quick reference guide to how YOU can get the most out of your reading experience by using a few simple guidelines.

PLEASURE READING

Do not skim or review the materials. Simply read at a comfortable rate.

HOBBY AND SPECIAL INTEREST

Perform a short skim, and review. Spend the majority of the time reading.

STUDYING

Spend about half the time reading and half the time skimming and reviewing materials Do NOT over-read. Read once though a chapter at your best comprehension speed, (highlight areas of confusion by placing a light pencil mark next to them – but do NOT stop at this point) then skim and review the materials. Lastly, return to the areas that require a more in depth analysis and work through them.

MAXIMUM POTENTIAL READING

Spend 70% of your time reviewing materials, and 10% skimming. Only read 20% of the time. Use the reading skills that you’ve learnt during this email course to locate key information. Place your emphasis on taking notes and studying.

Your Final Speed Reading Secret!

CONGRATULATIONS!

You’ve made it through the Speed Reading Simplified Article.

Now, I’m just going to recap on what we have already covered, and the best way to benefit from what you’ve learned!

Thus far, I’ve shown you:

* How to using your hands to correctly and efficiently shave a second or more off each page that you read.

* How to use your hands to guide and pace your eye movements through the text

* How to use your hands to force your eye to constantly scan through new information

* How to use your hands to prevent your eyes from repeatedly reading the same words

* That you CAN comprehend details better at higher speeds

* Keys to how you can begin improving your comprehension by leaps and bounds within just minutes.

* The secrets to instantly increasing your comprehension by making effective use of a book’s, first and last chapters, its topic and summary sentences, its negative words and its conditional tense.

* How you can use a books format to further increase your comprehension

* How to experience some of the thrill of rapidly devouring vast amounts of information at blistering speeds by using skimming..

* How to use skimming to receive visual clues to what you can expect when speed reading

* What my definition of skimming is.

* What the details are that you must look for when you are skimming

* The secret techniques to master different types of reading.

* How to make the most of PLEASURE READING, HOBBY & SPECIAL INTEREST READING, STUDYING and MAXIMUM POTENTIAL READING



Cory

Brandon C. Hall asked:


How many of us wish we had known how to speed read back in grade school when the teacher assigned a book report over the winter holiday break? Although reading is fundamental in the learning process, for many children it is a tedious task. They become overwhelmed because they are looking at a book of well over two or three-hundred pages and they see that as hours that could be spent outside playing in the snow or doing an activity with their family.

For children who have the ability to speed read, they don’t see the book report project as such a burden. The main reason is that instead of spending days reading the book and researching the material, they will spend considerably less time with those tasks; so much less time that it could translate to hours or even in some cases minutes.

One of the greatest lessons that any parent can give to their child or any teacher can give to their students is the ability to speed read. Once learned, the child would be able to speed read for the remainder of their lives. This would result in significant changes not only in their school experiences, but also in their college and professional experiences as well.

Both parents and teachers can do things that encourage the child to learn to speed read. One is the parent or teacher can introduce exercises that aid the child in reading. A child first needs to be a strong reader before they can implement the techniques needed to speed read. A good barometer of where your child is on the reading scale is to inquire with their teacher. Each year teachers do reading tests on the children to determine at what grade level the child is reading at. For a child reading at a sixth grade level while in the third grade, they can easily be introduced to the idea of speed reading. However if a child is in the sixth grade and reading at a third grade level, their regular reading needs to be improved significantly before they can even consider the possibility of speed reading.

Parents can aid in their children’s basic reading ability by having the child read to them each night. Children become accustomed to having their parent read bedtime stories to them, but if the child becomes the storyteller, their reading skills can be monitored much more efficiently.

A child can become a speed reader with a little assistance from their parents. This will help them thrive in school; it will also give them a significant boost in confidence. The material they are reading will be absorbed quicker and their assignments will be completed without worry of them falling behind because they couldn’t get through the reading material. Helping your child develop their speed reading skills is a great gift you can give to them; it’s a gift that will last a lifetime.



Alan

Gerri Stone asked:


If you have made up your mind to master the skill of speed reading, the next step is to decide how to acquire the skill. One effective way is to attend a speed reading seminar. Seminars can introduce you to speed reading, help you improve your skills, or assist you in improving your speed, if you already have the skills.

Attending a speed reading seminar will help you build skills that help you become more efficient in various types of information processing. As you develop an understanding of the philosophy behind speed reading, you will see how these skills apply to other areas of your life as well. Being able to process information at a faster rate is one of many benefits of attending a seminar of this type.

Increasing your reading speed and comprehension will help you find more free time to spend on activities you enjoy. You will cut thru your email in half the time it takes now, and you will spend less time on web research. You will easily find the time to complete your professional reading, which can help you advance in your career.

Many speed reading seminars begin by giving you a reading test, so you will know what your baseline speed is. Next, you will discover your own bad habits, and learn how to eliminate them. Understanding how to manage and group information helps you become more efficient will help you in all areas of time management.

Most speed reading seminars are hands-on, rather than theory oriented. You will learn the skill and apply it immediately. When you leave the seminar, you will have improved your reading speed and comprehension. You may also be given exercises that you can use to continue improving your reading speed.

Many seminars combine time management and speed reading skills. This is a natural combination, as managing information overload improves our ability to manage time.

Once these skills are mastered, you will be able to regain control of your life, and find the time to spend on activities you truly enjoy. You will spend less time at work, and less time feeling pressured by all the information that builds up on a daily basis.



Carol

Jon Kelly asked:


Almost everyone has seen someone speed read, they appear to skim the text and still have read and absorbed the content. It is normal for everyone to read at different speeds, even before some people have mastered the skills of speed reading. The people who have studied speed reading techniques will still read at different speeds; however they will undoubtedly beat those without speed reading experience. The point of speed reading is to understand and absorb the material using specifically learned strategies. Skimming a page and then rapidly turning onto the next page is not really of use if the brain is not absorbing the information at an equivalent speed. The best and most efficient way to learn to speed read is to enrol in speed reading classes, where speed reading skills will be explained clearly.

The advantage of speed reading courses is that students will be shown several different strategies for speed reading allowing them to choose the ones they find easiest to understand the material they are reading. Students should try to learn all the strategies presented during speed reading courses as, once these are mastered, they will see a dramatic improvement in their reading rate, after which they can hone and choose their preferred style. Students will see the benefits of speed reading as soon as the techniques are applied to their main field of study. The time taken for reading assignments and research for written assignments will be greatly reduced. (Allowing more time for sports and other lessons of life also learnt through college living). Equally, once in the world of business and industry, speed reading will reduce the length of time needed for reports, research papers and newspapers.

Speed Reading Strategies Encourage Comprehension

Speed reading does not take the lessons applied when learning to read at primary school and speed them up – this would not work and would not increase the speed of absorption of the information. Speed reading is about learning whole new strategies of reading, ensuring that material content is not missed or misunderstood. Primary school teaches reading in a linear form, building each word through the letters which form the syllables, the syllables forming the words and the words forming the sentences. Speed reading courses teach students to read looking for different patterns and not to read each word individually.

A traditional education builds habits in reading which a good speed reading course will push aside, replacing with new techniques. A comprehensive course will also advise students how to become more efficient readers; hopefully this will also encourage the desire for self improvement as well as the desire to read. Students often work with distractions (usually noise) around them; lecturers in speed reading will normally discourage this as research shows that by reducing the distractions the level of comprehension are increased. Lecturers in speed reading will usually take the time to teach students the importance of preparing the environment they work in before they read a single work – remember speed reading is all about increasing the speed of comprehension not just the speed of reading!

The satisfaction of reading faster and with better comprehension skills cannot be underestimated; the techniques of speed reading increase the enjoyment of reading. Speed reading is a skill to be encouraged in each and every generation of new readers.



Stephanie