Here is a list of top 10 ways to become a master in speed reading and comprehension. Keep in mind that these are all tried and tested methods.
* Skim before starting to read – it helps you to grasp the main idea of the content. If it’s a book, then skim the content page first. After that, you can start reading the lines.
* Prioritize your reading matter – which content requires urgent attention? Classify your reading matter as “very important” and “less important” and then start speed reading the matter accordingly. This way you can work on the important matter with a fresh mind.
* Choose an appropriate reading place – never read difficult or important matter in bed. Select a solemn place for speed reading. You do not want to be disturbed in between.
* Early morning is the best time to read – a fresh and active mind gives better results. Early morning is the time when your mind is least stressed, so grab a book at his time? Spare the evenings for other things.
* See headings as questions – one of the best ways to find out the relevant information from the text is to see the heading as a question. Your brain will look for answers once you start speed reading. It improves your comprehension, as you are focused on finding the answer.
* Do not use a highlighter while speed reading – most of the people use a highlighter thinking it will help them to understand better. However, it reduces your speed of reading and comprehension. You end up reading the matter twice, which is bad for speed reading.
* Preview first and then read – do not jump into speed reading the matter. Preview the entire content to get the essence of it. You will also be able to sort out the relevant matter.
* Be flexible with speed – materials containing legal content, mathematics, and other such subjects require a slow pace to understand them better. Books, novel, magazines, newspapers, and other such stuff can be read at a faster speed. So adjust your reading speed according to the nature of content.
* Read and act on it then and there – once you read content, decide what to do of it then and there. Do not keep it aside for later. You will have to read it again, which is a sheer waster of time.
* Practice regularly.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Speed Spelling Is an Important Skill for Children to Learn
You might have heard of speed reading, but speed spelling, well, what’s that? It's a pioneering technique of teaching children certain subjects. However, this is not a new technique. It has been practiced for more than 30 years.
So if you want your child to gain mastery over his or her spelling, try speed spelling along with speed reading and watch them pass school with flying colors.
The following are the steps to carry out speed spelling with your child.
* Firstly, teach your kid speed reading.
* Then take a page and jot down about 20 words on it. Write the words in large letters. One important thing to remember here is that the word should be written in a haphazard way, tilted at an angle with each other. Moreover, each word should be written in different colors. This will not only make it enjoyable for your child, but also make it easier for him or her to learn.
* Sit with your child for about 15 minutes daily and let him or her to scan the pages containing the words. Let your child take about 5-10 seconds to look at each page.
* After they have scanned each and every page, let them go through the pages again for a deeper understanding. Ask them to visualize the words. This makes it easier for them to learn.
* Do not let them to reduce their speed of reading.
* After the scanning is completed, let your child recall the words from his or her memory.
* Even if they fail to recall, encourage them. Never scold or discourage them. The best thing is that your child showed interest and tried speed reading and speed spelling.
* Reward them with something for their attempt, even if they fail. This will keep them motivated for the next time.
* Let them repeat the process many times. Once they fare better in this. Encourage them to spell the words backwards. Usually it takes a week to get results. However, for some children, it may take a little longer. It depends on the ability of the child to grasp.
* The next week, collect a new set of words on another page. Carry out speed reading and speed spelling process in the same manner.
You can also refer a book to teach your child new words. Every day, sit with your child for 15-20 minutes and let him or her read out from the book. So, make your child skillful in speed reading as well as speed spelling.
So if you want your child to gain mastery over his or her spelling, try speed spelling along with speed reading and watch them pass school with flying colors.
The following are the steps to carry out speed spelling with your child.
* Firstly, teach your kid speed reading.
* Then take a page and jot down about 20 words on it. Write the words in large letters. One important thing to remember here is that the word should be written in a haphazard way, tilted at an angle with each other. Moreover, each word should be written in different colors. This will not only make it enjoyable for your child, but also make it easier for him or her to learn.
* Sit with your child for about 15 minutes daily and let him or her to scan the pages containing the words. Let your child take about 5-10 seconds to look at each page.
* After they have scanned each and every page, let them go through the pages again for a deeper understanding. Ask them to visualize the words. This makes it easier for them to learn.
* Do not let them to reduce their speed of reading.
* After the scanning is completed, let your child recall the words from his or her memory.
* Even if they fail to recall, encourage them. Never scold or discourage them. The best thing is that your child showed interest and tried speed reading and speed spelling.
* Reward them with something for their attempt, even if they fail. This will keep them motivated for the next time.
* Let them repeat the process many times. Once they fare better in this. Encourage them to spell the words backwards. Usually it takes a week to get results. However, for some children, it may take a little longer. It depends on the ability of the child to grasp.
* The next week, collect a new set of words on another page. Carry out speed reading and speed spelling process in the same manner.
You can also refer a book to teach your child new words. Every day, sit with your child for 15-20 minutes and let him or her read out from the book. So, make your child skillful in speed reading as well as speed spelling.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Have Fun When You Practice Speed Reading
Speed reading is a methodology that aims to increase the speed of both reading and comprehending written materials. It was Mrs. Evelyn Wood who came up with the idea of speed reading back in 1959. She had noted the amazing reading speed of one of her professors and set out to develop techniques that would help the average person read more quickly.
In today’s modern society, where there is a huge amount of information to be read, both printed and electronic materials, it's essential that you learn to increase your reading speed. When you learn to speed read it will help you finish your work more quickly and leave you more time for relaxation. Or if reading is your relaxation, you can get more of it done in the same amount of time and broaden your mind further.
Start by choosing a small book, around 300 pages. It should be on an interesting topic. This will help you to achieve better results. Keep in mind that you shouldn't practice speed reading if you're not focused on the task. Don’t force yourself to do it or it won't be useful. The most effective time to practice your speed reading is when you are in a relaxed, pleasant mood, when there are not pressing concerns you need to deal with.
Find a quiet, comfortable area of your home. Pick up the book, open it, and start to read. You want to focus on reading down the lines of each page, not side to side as you have learned to do in the past. Read blocks of words or take in a single phrase. Don't pick out each word individually. And resist the temptation to go back to re-read anything. This is particularly difficult when you start out, but you will get better at it.
You don’t have to spend a lot of time in order to practice your speed reading. Fifteen or twenty minutes each day is sufficient. When you practice regularly, you will discover that your rate of reading has doubled or even tripled.
Consider making your speed reading practice a family event. Get your kids and spouse involved. Make it into a contest. Set a timer, and each of you read a section of a book. The goal is to read as many words or pages as you can within the time limit. Award a prize to whoever reads the most words or pages. Obviously you will want to adjust the rate of words or pages for younger children.
Keep in mind that improving your reading skills and learning to speed read can be done at any age. Get the grandparents involved as well. Enjoy a family gathering and while honing your skills. But you can't force anyone to learn sped reading. It's a matter of individual desire. But the more willing you are, the more quickly you will achieve your objectives.
In today’s modern society, where there is a huge amount of information to be read, both printed and electronic materials, it's essential that you learn to increase your reading speed. When you learn to speed read it will help you finish your work more quickly and leave you more time for relaxation. Or if reading is your relaxation, you can get more of it done in the same amount of time and broaden your mind further.
Start by choosing a small book, around 300 pages. It should be on an interesting topic. This will help you to achieve better results. Keep in mind that you shouldn't practice speed reading if you're not focused on the task. Don’t force yourself to do it or it won't be useful. The most effective time to practice your speed reading is when you are in a relaxed, pleasant mood, when there are not pressing concerns you need to deal with.
Find a quiet, comfortable area of your home. Pick up the book, open it, and start to read. You want to focus on reading down the lines of each page, not side to side as you have learned to do in the past. Read blocks of words or take in a single phrase. Don't pick out each word individually. And resist the temptation to go back to re-read anything. This is particularly difficult when you start out, but you will get better at it.
You don’t have to spend a lot of time in order to practice your speed reading. Fifteen or twenty minutes each day is sufficient. When you practice regularly, you will discover that your rate of reading has doubled or even tripled.
Consider making your speed reading practice a family event. Get your kids and spouse involved. Make it into a contest. Set a timer, and each of you read a section of a book. The goal is to read as many words or pages as you can within the time limit. Award a prize to whoever reads the most words or pages. Obviously you will want to adjust the rate of words or pages for younger children.
Keep in mind that improving your reading skills and learning to speed read can be done at any age. Get the grandparents involved as well. Enjoy a family gathering and while honing your skills. But you can't force anyone to learn sped reading. It's a matter of individual desire. But the more willing you are, the more quickly you will achieve your objectives.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Comprehend More of What You Read Through Speed Reading
Learning to speed read doesn’t mean that you just read without taking in the meaning of the content. You need to be able to comprehend what the content is all about, at the same time as you read more quickly. Here are a few techniques to help you comprehend the content better at the same time as you read it more quickly.
* Before starting to read, find out what the central idea of the book or document is.
* Become clear in your mind the purpose of your reading, whether it's to gain information or for pure enjoyment.
* A quick way to discover whether the book will suit your purpose is to examine the table of contents and the introduction. The chapter headings will reflect what's inside.
* If the book doesn't appear to suit your purpose, there's no use in speed reading it. Find another book.
* Look for the main thought of each paragraph.
* Distinguish the important points that you come across.
* The fastest way to read is scan the page and try to discover the central theme. You don’t need to read each line. Once you find out the main idea, you will discover what the page is all about.
* Focus on the idea, not the words. A lot of words are there just to make the book more impressive. For example, while reading the sentence, “The global economy is in crisis”, you only have to take in the key words “global economy” and “crisis.” The other words are merely connectors.
* And finally, use common sense to figure out the central idea of the content.
Many readers make the mistake of become trapped by the words they are reading. This slows down their reading speed considerably. But with regular speed reading practice, you will become skilled at recognizing the central theme of whatever you are reading, where they are typically located in the reading material, and what parts not to even bother reading. Unless you are doing critical reading, you don't need to dig deeply into the words. Just get the meaning and speed read your way through the material.
* Before starting to read, find out what the central idea of the book or document is.
* Become clear in your mind the purpose of your reading, whether it's to gain information or for pure enjoyment.
* A quick way to discover whether the book will suit your purpose is to examine the table of contents and the introduction. The chapter headings will reflect what's inside.
* If the book doesn't appear to suit your purpose, there's no use in speed reading it. Find another book.
* Look for the main thought of each paragraph.
* Distinguish the important points that you come across.
* The fastest way to read is scan the page and try to discover the central theme. You don’t need to read each line. Once you find out the main idea, you will discover what the page is all about.
* Focus on the idea, not the words. A lot of words are there just to make the book more impressive. For example, while reading the sentence, “The global economy is in crisis”, you only have to take in the key words “global economy” and “crisis.” The other words are merely connectors.
* And finally, use common sense to figure out the central idea of the content.
Many readers make the mistake of become trapped by the words they are reading. This slows down their reading speed considerably. But with regular speed reading practice, you will become skilled at recognizing the central theme of whatever you are reading, where they are typically located in the reading material, and what parts not to even bother reading. Unless you are doing critical reading, you don't need to dig deeply into the words. Just get the meaning and speed read your way through the material.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Bad Habits That Get in the Way of Speed Reading
Do you have bad reading habits? You may not even realize that you do. When it comes to speed reading, however, there are certain reading styles that can slow down your speed and delay your brain from comprehending the materials. What are they? Take a look at some of these bad habits so that you can read faster and comprehend more.
* Reading word by word. There are people who want to catch hold of each and every word on the page. But not all words are meant to be read individually. Some of them are there just to dress up the language, add continuity to the sentences and keep the phrases and clauses together. It's better to scan your eyes across the page if you want to develop your speed reading skills instead of taking in each word and analyzing it.
* Re-reading lines. This is done by people who are worried that they might have missed a word and go back to re-read the sentence. Learn to develop confidence in your reading skills. Work at eliminating this bad habit by consciously stopping yourself from going back. Your speed reading will improve dramatically.
* Moving your eyes from left to right. This is quite typical among most readers. Even though it might make you believe that you are speed reading, you will notice your error after you have read several paragraphs. Allowing your eyeballs to move from left to right will slow down your speed. The most efficient way to maintain speed is to concentrate your eyes on the middle of the line and then shift downwards. This is especially useful when reading columns. You will be amazed at the speed with which you can read using this technique.
* Sub-vocalization. Perhaps you've noticed children say words out loud while they are learning to read. This is known as sub-vocalization. However, you need to lose this habit if you want to read faster. It hinders the ability of your brain to quickly grasp and process information that it is reading. Keep in mind that your brain can pick up words faster than your lips can read. Therefore, you need to allow your brain to do the work if you want to learn speed reading.
It might take some time to eliminate these bad habits, since they are so deeply ingrained in most people. And until now, you probably didn't even realize that they were bad habits. So make a conscious effort to not make any of the above mistakes. Eventually, speed reading will become your new habit.
* Reading word by word. There are people who want to catch hold of each and every word on the page. But not all words are meant to be read individually. Some of them are there just to dress up the language, add continuity to the sentences and keep the phrases and clauses together. It's better to scan your eyes across the page if you want to develop your speed reading skills instead of taking in each word and analyzing it.
* Re-reading lines. This is done by people who are worried that they might have missed a word and go back to re-read the sentence. Learn to develop confidence in your reading skills. Work at eliminating this bad habit by consciously stopping yourself from going back. Your speed reading will improve dramatically.
* Moving your eyes from left to right. This is quite typical among most readers. Even though it might make you believe that you are speed reading, you will notice your error after you have read several paragraphs. Allowing your eyeballs to move from left to right will slow down your speed. The most efficient way to maintain speed is to concentrate your eyes on the middle of the line and then shift downwards. This is especially useful when reading columns. You will be amazed at the speed with which you can read using this technique.
* Sub-vocalization. Perhaps you've noticed children say words out loud while they are learning to read. This is known as sub-vocalization. However, you need to lose this habit if you want to read faster. It hinders the ability of your brain to quickly grasp and process information that it is reading. Keep in mind that your brain can pick up words faster than your lips can read. Therefore, you need to allow your brain to do the work if you want to learn speed reading.
It might take some time to eliminate these bad habits, since they are so deeply ingrained in most people. And until now, you probably didn't even realize that they were bad habits. So make a conscious effort to not make any of the above mistakes. Eventually, speed reading will become your new habit.
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