Ed Caldwell asked:


I just got an email from someone who writes, ” The reason I am writing is that a client of mine is doing a computer speed reading program called (name protected). He mentioned that while his speed has increased dramatically, his comprehension has gone down. Is this normal? “

The short answer is yes. However, it is not normal for all programs on effective speed reading. The writer touches on a very sore spot for me, a researcher, educator, and trainer on accelerated learning for 30 years. The problem is with the word “speed.” Unfortunately the general population is most often mis-guided on this topic because of that word “SPEED” and they forget the second word in the phrase “reading.” So when someone wants to learn the skills of reading more effectively combining speed and comprehension, they get sold on speed. Some programs promise to have read materials at 20,000 words per minute!

“Reading” can be defined as the mind’s response or interpretation of printed material. If your eyes go through material at 100-100,000 words per minute and you have no clue about the material, it’s not reading! Because so many programs in the marketplace focus almost exclusively, if not completely on the eye movements, comprehension takes a back seat, or doesn’t even get a place in the program. That was the problem with the person mentioned above.

This common approach and experience has led to an ever increasing pile of commentary on “speed reading” which has maligned the topic and the few practitioners who focus on both speed and comprehension together. Speed is ****. It sells. But comprehension requires your mind to be engaged. This requires attention and work. That’s not ****. Work is hard. But comprehension can become easier when you know how to do it. Unfortunately, most of the sellers of programs in the marketplace do not have a clue and take it for granted or blame the user’s ineptness.

As I continue to do competitive surveillance of the market, nearly everything from e-books to 16 minute audios promise what they can’t deliver. I recently bought one of the computerized speed programs. It contained less than 300 words dealing with comprehension.

For years I wouldn’t use the word “speed” in naming my programs for the reasons above. Most people think, “Read fast! Forget faster!” But I have seen so many people’s lives and careers change so much for the better after they gain the confidence from learning the skills properly to sit by the sidelines and keep the message quiet that there is a better way to learn.

Do yourself a favor if you’re researching and considering “speed reading.” Be sure to investigate the program’s emphasis on comprehension. Because comprehension is your mind’s response to the print, you need proper instruction and support.



Lucy

Robert Kokoska asked:


Speed reading programs vary greatly in terms of what techniques they teach, what they promise, and the actual outcome. This can be confusing if you have decided to explore speed reading for the first time, and had always thought (like many of us) that speed reading is just one single concept or technique that can be learnt. Actually, there are at least two major approaches to speed reading that differ in fundamental ways. Most speed reading programs are based on one of these two major approaches to speed reading, though there are also a lot of individual variations between the many programs.

Traditional speed reading programs are based on something that we all do naturally – instead of reading a passage in detail, there are times when we just scan it, letting our eyes travel down the page quickly. With simple scanning, most people can read up to 600 or 700 wpm (words per minute), as opposed to 200 – 400 wpm when we are reading carefully, for comprehension and study. The first speed reading programs just improve on scanning speed.

Many studies corroborate the fact that there is no need to read every single word in a passage of text in order to gain comprehension or an understanding of it – the mind naturally fills in the gaps of what we don’t actually read. And to put it simply, the more we ’skip’ while reading, the faster we can read. Though this varies among individuals, it is generally true that a certain amount of material can be skipped without losing very much comprehension. Of course, some experts disagree, saying that speed readers typically comprehend only 50% of what they are reading, as opposed to as much as 75% for regular reading.

Some other speed reading programs teach you how to speed up the rate of your ’scanning’ by leading your eyes across the page using the sweeping motion of a ‘pacer’ (which your eyes naturally follow) or by teaching you to use and increase your peripheral vision while reading. Despite what some experts say about the low comprehension, there is considerable documentation of the efficacy of these speed reading programs and some people have proven that they can comprehend just as much information as someone who read the exact same piece of text at normal reading speed.

Some of the newer speed reading programs work on a different principle. They argue that scanning the page in a linear manner, whether or not you read every word, is completely unnecessary; in fact, they claim that it even wastes time. Rather, they posit that the human mind is capable of mentally ‘photographing’ a complete page of words – taking in everything that is on it in its entirety, in a very short period of time. Some speed reading programs claim incredible success rates based on this principle, though it remains controversial. Mainstream scientists are sceptical about these claims, arguing that the programs just teach people to scan really quickly, and that the overall comprehension is poor.



Megan

Dan asked:


I see developing your speed reading skills as being very similar to weight training for building bigger muscles. You wouldn’t expect some one who has never lifted very heavy weights before to start off lifting massive amounts of weight to start off with.

Instead what normally happens is you would start of with light weights and gradually increase the weights you lift over time as your muscles and strength increase.

Well speed reading is the same way, a person who is new to speed reading can not be expected to be able to read thousands of words a minute, but instead what happens is you start of with setting yourself small  manageable amounts and over time push yourself to reading more and more in the same amount of time.

When I first started to do speed reading I would find that I would be reading fast and think I was making progress and felt real proud about how fast I was reading, but I was actually not able to comprehend very much if any of what I read because I was going so fast and not use to that speed and so unable to comprehend what I was reading.

Well after I discovered this problem I went to look for a solution and found a neat exercise for stretching your speed reading comprehension. Below are the basic steps you can use yourself to help improve your speed reading comprehension.

Stretching speed reading and comprehension

1)     Using a pacer read one page of a book as fast as you possibly can.

2)     Next stop and write down everything you can remember from the page.

3)     Read five pages like this everyday, while gradually increasing the number of pages you read before you stop and recall what you’ve read.

When I started out doing this I started off with reading matter I was familiar with, and as I got better started doing it with more complicated reading matter as my confidence grew. I would suggest you do the same.

Another big piece that is important to work on in order to become a fast speed reader, is to boost your speed reading stamina, your speed reading stamina is the amount of time you are able to read at speed for with good comprehension and recall. Boosting your speed reading stamina will help you to train and recondition your brain to reading at faster speeds and so will allow you to get all of the benefits of speed reading faster.

I have collected together all of the important things that you will have to do in order to boost your speed reading stamina, all of this information has been arranged into a 7 part e-course that you can take. To receive this valuable resource for boosting your speed reading stamina which will help you to increase your reading speed faster, simply visit my reading stamina web page and enter you name and a email address so that I can email it to you right away.

Thanks DAN!



Daniel

Dan asked:


When I first heard about the idea of using a pacer to help improve my speed reading I was a little sceptical, and was unsure if there were any real benefits to using one, so I went and looked to see if there were any benefits and if so what effects does using a pacer have on your speed reading ability.

The first benefit of using a pacer while speed reading is it increases your speed by forcing you to focus on more then one word at a time.

Another benefit is it helps to keep you focused and less easily distracted by things going on around you or going on around you or on the page you are reading.

Another benefit which I personally find very useful is it helps me to move quickly onto the next line more smoothly, I say this because when I used to read with out the use of a pacer, I would often find myself reading the same line by mistake and so loosing my flow and becoming bored and losing the motivation to carry on and also loosing the meaning and flow of what I was reading.

Another benefit which is linked in with the last one is that using a pacer helps to stop you from loosing your place while reading, which can be useful is for example you are reading a passage in a book which is referring to a diagram or image on the opposite page and you want to quickly look at the picture to get a better understating of what you are reading but not loses your place.

And probably the biggest and best benefit for using a pacer while reading is that it stops you from sub-vocalisation, this being to helps to prevent you from sounding out the words you are reading out loud or in your head. This is important for speed reading because if you sound out each word you are limiting the number of words you can read a minute to about 250.  It is much better to run your eyes across the words and get the meaning as a result. Reading this way takes practise but is worth it for the improvements in your reading speed.

To uses a pacer while reading is very simple all you have to do is choose your pacer (e.g. finger) then place the pacer on the first word of the line, then move it smoothly across the page to the end of the line. And repeat as you read down the page.

Another big piece that is important to work on in order to become a fast speed reader, is to boost your speed reading stamina, your speed reading stamina is the amount of time you are able to read at speed for with good comprehension and recall. Boosting your speed reading stamina will help you to train and recondition your brain to reading at faster speeds and so will allow you to get all of the benefits of speed reading faster.

I have collected together all of the important things that you will have to do in order to boost your speed reading stamina, all of this information has been arranged into a 7 part e-course that you can take. To receive this valuable resource for boosting your speed reading stamina which will help you to increase your reading speed faster, simply visit my reading stamina web page and enter you name and a email address so that I can email it to you right away.

Thanks DAN!



Annie

Robert Kokoska asked:


If you’re interested in learning to speed read, you’re in luck – there are a variety of courses available online that can help you to increase your natural current reading speed. According to all of the claims, these increases can go from moderate to quite dramatic. A moderate increase might be from 700 words per minute (the maximum speed at which most of us can read without any special training) to 1000 wpm or so.

To put this into perspective an average printed page might have roughly about 300 words. Reading more than three pages per minute with good comprehension is certainly fast, though not stellar – it means that you would be able to read a 300 page book in about an hour and a half. For many of us, this is good enough – reading at this rate will give you an edge in your studies and in business.

There are, however, other speed reading courses which have much more spectacular claims. Some courses claim that they can teach people to read at speeds of 10, 000 to 25,000 wpm which is at least ten times faster than with traditional and conventional speed reading techniques. The methods that these courses are teaching are completely different from those of conventional speed reading programs. For example, one speed reading course method, known as photo reading, claims that your subconscious mind can be taught to mentally ‘photograph’ whole or partial pages of text at an astonishing rate with almost 100 percent comprehension afterwards.

One teacher claims that children aged between 8 to 12 years old have the potential to learn to read at speeds much faster than those of adults because a child can much easier take on a new way of learning. While it is quite rare for adults to reach as reading speed of 20,000 wpm, he claims that almost every child who takes his speed reading course attains this speed within just a few sessions. If this is true, it implies that speed reading might be a skill for which there is an age-related ‘window’, like language aquisition.

Experts are sceptical, though, and claim that reports of reading at speeds greater than 100 wpm are exaggerated or evenfraudulent. They also claim that overall comprehension is poor – only about 50% – even at 100 wpm, making this method unsuitable for studying or work-related reading. But nobody, expert or otherwise, can adequately explain how Kim Peek – a man whose abilities have been tested extensively, and who has the remarkable ability to read two pages simultaneously, one with each eye.

He reads at amazing speeds with an astonishing 98% comprehension, a claim which no one disputes. The catch is this – Kim Peek was born without part of his brain, the corpus collosum (which co-ordinates the right and left brains). Nevertheless, his accomplishments do seem to prove what many speed reading courses claim is true – that the human mind is capable or attaining and retaining information at amazing speeds.



Hazel

Kaizer Kaizen asked:


The main idea of speed reading is to start reading faster. Speed reading is an essential skill when you need to read large information quickly.

Speed of reading refers to how many words you read in a minute. For most people it is around 125 to 250 words per minute (wpm). This varies with education level, with more highly educated readers often reading faster than others. Speed reading is definitely a skill that needs to be practiced or you lose some of your ability.

Speed reading is the process of reading everything, whereas skimming is only a portion of reading at the upper limits of your reading rate. The techniques of speed reading are an attempt to slowly push your reading rate upwards so you can understand and retain information at high speeds.

Speed reading is really the act of quickly absorbing written information. The goal is to read quickly but still retain comprehension of the material, although during exercises to build reading speed comprehension may be allowed to lag temporarily.

Speed reading is an extremely important skill that you really do need to possess. Almost every form of education involves reading. Speed reading is a useful concept for higher level, often dense, collegiate material.

Speed reading is characterized by an analysis of trade-offs between measures of speed and comprehension, recognizing that different types of reading call for different speed and comprehension rates, and that those rates may be improved with practice.

Improving information retention provides us many benefits. One is the ability to remember daily lessons better. Improving reading skills is without a doubt necessary for increasing reading speed, and improving reading comprehension. The easiest and most effective way of improving your reading skills is by approaching reading material differently.

Practice reading without a great concern for your comprehension. This sounds odd, but it works to loosen up your eyes. Comprehension lags for a while but when it catches up it makes a stunning difference. Practice will help you read faster.

You may also find that you can increase the number of words read, by holding the text a little further from your eyes. Practice like a madman or madwoman! The techniques must be understood and perfected.

Practicing time reading is also good, set up a timer and see how much you read in one minute, and in five minutes. Try and honestly estimate how much did you get from the text (make sure this is something you read for the first time), and try to beat yourself at this over and over again, until you start to feel that you have improved. Practice, practice and practice more. The general rule is that the more you read, the faster you will read.

Speed-reading is about reading–and being able to recall–more written information in less time. Speed-reading can be done by almost anyone willing to take the time to learn some simple techniques and tricks.

One technique you can use is scanning. This involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when you first find a resource to determine whether it will answer your questions. Scan the text to find the answers to your questions. Your reading speed improves by doing this, and you stay focused on the material. Scan the table of contents and first and last sentences of each paragraph. You’ll improve your reading speed and comprehension if you understand a book’s structure first.

In summary, speed reading is an essential tool for the modern man or woman. Take the time to learn it and you’ll be forever happy you did!



Jackie

Dan asked:


An effective technique for speed reading improvement is to use a pacer as you are reading.

Using a pacer while reading will help you to eliminate one of the main course of slow reading, that being that when we are taught to read we are told to read with our ears not our eyes. Meaning we are asked to sound out each word, so that the teacher can hear that we can read the word correctly and pronounces the word correctly.

Well what happens with a lot of people is they grow up and stop reading out loud but still feel they have to sound out all the words in there head to get an understanding of what  they are reading. This really slows down how fast you can read because you can only read at about 250 words a minute when sounding out the words individually.

So to get over this you will have to learn to read with your eyes. And learn to stop sounding out the words to get the meaning. This is where using a pacer can be helpful.

A second factor that can slow down your speed reading are all of the distractions going on around you and on the page you are reading. Again a good solution to these issues is to use a pacer.

You can use almost anything far a pacer; here are a few examples of suitable pacers to help give you an idea of what can be used. You could simply use your finger. You could use a chopstick, pencil, pen, anything that is suitable for placing under the word and point can be used.

Using a pacer while speed reading as well as helping to stop theses two issues from slowing you down, will also help you remember more of what you read. This is because using a pacer is actual adding a kinesthetic (physical) element into your reading. Doing this will help you remember what you read more easily because of how the brain links senses with memories, which helps make it easier for you to recall them  later.

The more senses you can use when reading will help to increase your memory of what you read and also what you can recall.

To use a pacer while reading is very simple all you have to do is choose your pacer then place the pacer on the first word of the line, then move it smoothly across the page to the end of the line,  and repeat as you read down the page.

Another big piece that is important to work on in order to become a fast speed reader, is to boost your speed reading stamina, your speed reading stamina is the amount of time you are able to read at speed for with good comprehension and recall. Boosting your speed reading stamina will help you to train and recondition your brain to reading at faster speeds and so will allow you to get all of the benefits of speed reading faster.

I have collected together all of the important things that you will have to do in order to boost your speed reading stamina, all of this information has been arranged into a 7 part e-course that you can take. To receive this valuable resource for boosting your speed reading stamina which will help you to increase your reading speed faster, simply visit my reading stamina web page and enter you name and a email address so that I can email it to you right away.

Thanks DAN!



Gene

Dan asked:


Like with a lot of things in life, speed reading can be greatly improved if you spend some time examining your thinking around the subject of reading and getting your thinking right so that you are able to get better results.

One of the important things to get sorted out in your thinking is your attitude towards reading and speed reading.

I have personally heard people saying in person and in books that you need to have a positive attitude, but they never really talked about what an attitude is and how to get a good one.

Well recently I found out what an attitude is made up of and so now I know how to make them more positive. An attitude can be described with the following equation:

Attitude = Belief x Value

So if an attitude is a beliefs multiplied by your values all you need to do is find out what beliefs you have about reading and speed reading and then find out what values you have about reading and speed reading and then if when you do this you discover you have negative beliefs or values simply change them to more positive beliefs and values and you will see a real change in your speed reading ability.

Doing this kind of inner game work is one of those things that you really need to do on a regular basis to get the full benefits from, but it is well worth investing the time into this exercise.

Another big piece that is important to work on in order to become a fast speed reader, is to boost your speed reading stamina, your speed reading stamina is the amount of time you are able to read at speed for with good comprehension and recall. Boosting your speed reading stamina will help you to train and recondition your brain to reading at faster speeds and so will allow you to get all of the benefits of speed reading faster.

I have collected together all of the important things that you will have to do in order to boost your speed reading stamina, all of this information has been arranged into a 7 part e-course that you can take. To receive this valuable resource for boosting your speed reading stamina which will help you to increase your reading speed faster, simply visit my reading stamina web page and enter you name and a email address so that I can email it to you right away.

Thanks DAN!



Ellen

Ed Caldwel asked:


Speed Reading Myths Debunked

There is so much misinformation about speed reading that as a user for over 30 years, and as an instructor of tens of thousands of learners from all walks of life and all levels of education, I feel compelled to debunk some of the most prevalent and popular myths. However, before we begin, it is essential to define what is reading.

Reading Defined

Although definitions may vary somewhat, reading can be defined as the act of interpreting visual symbols and deriving meaning from those symbols (letters, words, etc.). If you accept this definition, then it follows that reading is a cognitive thinking skill. Therefore, one can read, as fast as one can think (or interpret) the visual symbols.

So when someone wants to learn to “speed read,” there is a two-fold problem. One is seeing the symbols more quickly (that’s the easy part), and secondly is getting the mind to respond more quickly. Said simply, there are 2 components to speed reading – developing the mechanical skills of getting the eyes to move more efficiently, and learning to push the mind to think and respond more quickly (comprehension).

Myth # 1 – “It doesn’t really work.”

This is both true and false. One of my biggest challenges with learners is the notion that if they enroll in a program, then magic will happen. Because of the nature of learning a new system of skills and habits is difficult, the learner must immerse themselves completely in the experience and let go of preconceived notions of what they believe about themselves as learners and loosen their attachment to the “see-say-hear-understand” habit they grew up with. What I tell learners is, “it doesn’t work, you work it.” In other words, Dynamic Speed Reading is a system, a methodology to be applied to the act of reading, but the reader has to bring themselves and their mind to the process. One technique outside of the process will not work for all reading situations.

Myth #2 – “Speed Reading Is Merely About Moving Your Eyes Fast”

False. Although historically this is true, and most programs today focus almost exclusively on the speed of eye movements, this statement contradicts the definition of reading as stated earlier. In fact, this is the primary cause of cynicism and skepticism towards the concept of speed reading. It is not reading if you merely move your eyes and see all the print. Learning the mechanics without learning the comprehension process is only part of the solution. If someone is serious about wanting to develop their efficient reading skills, a strong emphasis on how to build comprehension is critical for success. I do not recommend software programs, or any other type of mechanical devices because of this. By definition, you can only read as fast as you can think or respond to the symbols on the page. Comprehension, or the cognitive skills, must be developed as well.

Myth # 3 – “When Speed Reading You Lose Comprehension”

Again, false. Although the answer to this is included in myth 2, this needs additional explanation. As I explain this, keep in mind the premise that you are not reading if you are not comprehending. Comprehension means understanding. This myth has developed not only because most programs focus on merely speed, but also because of the nature of the adult learner trying to change a lifetime of habits around.

Typically the adult learner has formed the belief/habit that in order to comprehend well, you need to start at the beginning and read word by word to the end in a linear fashion. This belief/habit was formed as a result of early reading training from school days. However, research has proven that comprehension is a process. In other words, we need to build comprehension like we build our learning of any other skill. A useful analogy would be to take a trip to a new state, province, or country. You would start by looking at a map to get a general sense of direction of where you are to where you want to be. Next, you might look at the major highways that lead you there. Finally, you would focus on the specific streets that would get you to the point of your destination. Reading comprehension experts agree, comprehension must be built. Stated differently, you need to “prepare the mind to read.”

Another part of this myth’s development is due to the fact of the nature of the learning process in developing speed reading skills. As the learner works on breaking the habit of focusing on individual words both visually and cognitively, a dynamic flow of eyes over stimuli (words) needs to be achieved in order to create meaning faster. Here we are talking about the mechanical skills. As the speed reading student first enters this phase of development, comprehension will decrease initially as he/she struggles to learn fluency of the mechanics. This can be compared to first learning to drive a car. Remember? You had to focus on managing all various pedals, buttons, and mirrors while simultaneously navigating this ton of steel down the road safely. If you’ve been driving for years, you might not even be able to remember how clumsy you felt. Another good comparison would be learning how to do a new dance. The learner needs ample time to build fluency.

Myth #4 – “Speed Reading is Merely About Skimming, Scanning, Key-wording”

False. Skimming is sample reading portions of text – a sentence or two here and there, or some other approach. Skimming is a good “pre-reading” technique, but is not “dynamic speed reading” in itself.

Scanning, by definition, is to glance from point to point often hastily, casually, or in search of a particular item. We may scan the telephone book for a particular person’s number, scan the newspaper ads for a job, but we do not scan a new book, report, manual, etc. if we want to master it. Scanning may be used as an after reading technique, but is not speed reading.

Key-wording is an old speed reading technique where the learner was told “don’t focus on the unimportant words,” such as, “a,” “the,” “of.” This cannot be done. Try this yourself: sit opposite someone who is about your height and look at their face. While you do this try to not see their nose. Sight, the mechanical part of reading, is impartial. Or in other words, you cannot not see something within your field of vision. Your mind may not register or respond to something your eyes see, but that is another issue. In fact, that again is the issue of comprehension which we have discussed.

Myth # 5 – “You May Get Some Results At The End Of The Program, But They Don’t Last.”

This is both true and false. Reading is a skill like other skills, when you don’t do it for awhile, you will slow down. If you spent 5-10 years learning to play piano and then hadn’t touched the piano for 10-20 years, you would get rusty. All it takes once you have mastered it is occasional practice. When buying a program, look for long term support and follow-up.

Myth # 6– “If You Look At the Naturally Fast Readers, Only Really Smart People Can Speed Read”

The truth is one of the things that made these folks smart was the fact that they were voracious readers. They loved to read. When you develop more ease with reading, you’ll read more and enjoy it more, and learn more. When you read more, you’ll naturally get smart!

Now that these 6 major falsehoods of speed reading have been explained, what will you commit to do to deal with your information overload? In today’s knowledge economy there is no other option but to learn a new approach in getting through the piles.



Elsie

Rin Otori asked:


I’m sure everybody would like to know how to start speed reading. Who doesn’t want to be able to scan through a whole book in ten or twenty minutes? You probably recognize the potential of speed reading, and are choosing to learn it so you can be more efficient in absorbing larger amounts of information in a much shorter period of time.

In this article, I am going to share with you a couple tips that helped me learn to start speed reading. So without further delay lets get started!

The first most important thing is to stop reading to yourself. This could be slowing your reading speed down tremendously. Many people when they read, tend to sub vocalize and pronounce the words to themselves. Most people either say the words under their breath or say each word in their heads. If you do this, this is a habit that you will need to work on breaking.

The real core of speed reading also lies in your ability to read larger blocks of words at a time. We all started to learn how to read word-by-word but once you know the language this is no longer an efficient form of reading. You probably don’t read each word one by one anymore, but the average reader only reads about 3 or 4 words at a time. If you want to become a speed reader, the key is to learn how to increase this to being able to read whole sentences or even paragraphs at a time.

There you have it, two essential techniques that are required for learning how to master speed reading.

Whether your hitting the textbooks trying to cram for an exam in history class, trying to read through long boring e-mails from co workers, or maybe just reading through the newspaper, at one time or another we all often wish we could read faster. The good news is we all can! How would you like to be able to read eight,nine, or even ten times faster than you already do? It’s not that hard, and if you have at least ten minutes a day you can start speed reading in no time at all. I did it, and before I found this website I wasn’t exactly the most gifted reader. But in only nine days, I was able to start going through pages from books in literally seconds. Find out how I did it, at UltimateBrainPower.Net



Darryl