Fast Reading Techniques For All Situations

By Deborah Miller


The speed of reading can be improved just like any other skill. Fast reading allows you to cover more over a short period of time, enhances your career and offers better experiences to a reader. It is not only about the speed. You need to easily understand what you read and make it easier for your listeners to comprehend whatever you are delivering.

Use the pointer method. It involves sliding the index finger or a pointer below the line. This method is common with children at the early developmental stages, but they usually abandon it over time. It enables you to remain focused on the sentence and thus concentrate better. Hand pacing has been proven to increase the speed at which you read.

Preview and scan method. This is a method used to extract the main idea or central point from a paragraph or passage. The reader is interested in trigger words, numbers and names, among other conspicuous ideas. It is also used in identifying key phrases, words and sentences in a passage. Through practice, skimming enables you to understand an entire paragraph in seconds. It works perfectly when the general context is clear.

Use the word grouping method. It takes sometime to master this technique but it is a rewarding one. Your focus is on a group of words instead of a single word, phrase or line. Your eyes will thus make very few stops. The chunk of words is taken each at a time allowing you to complete a paragraph or passage within a relatively short time.

There are apps used to train on reading speed. They also help you monitor and thus improve performance on different platforms. Training is offered in a variety of ways including speed tests, exercises and techniques on how to drop the unproductive behaviors. This variety enables you to learn more and thus perform better in different circumstances. By monitoring your performance, areas of weakness can be identified and corrections made.

Practice reading more often and take as many tests as possible. Identify the materials that suit your style and area of operation. Read in different circumstances e. G. Outdoors, under artificial light, in the morning, evening, etc. Monitor your performance on these occasions. Seek to improve on the speed as often as possible. Quantify your performance in order to improve. Do not be in a rush since this will affect your comprehension. Try to be as natural as possible.

Work on wrong reading habits. There are habits that are likely to affect the speed at which you cover a passage. The most common habits are regression or stepping back into the text and sub-vocalization which involves saying the words in your head. The bad habits slow you down and affect the ability to process words. Your comprehension will also be affected.

There are other factors that influence comprehension and speed whether you are a pro or an amateur. They include quality of lighting, fatigue, font type and size as well as surround environment. Your concentration will also be affected by the presence of distraction, lighting and noise. Brain and eye muscle strength require training, just like athletes do. Adopting the right habits and monitoring your performance will improve your ability.




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