establish your current reading speed. Knowing your starting
point will allow you to measure your improvement,
to keep you motivated. It is also helpful to set a target which
you would like to meet, make sure that this is a sensible
target, if you feel daunted by the large leap from your current
reading speed to the desired reading speed you can always set
smaller weekly targets.
The first speed reading technique we will discuss is the line
technique. Most people were taught to read by growing letters
into syllables, syllables into words and words into sentences.
When we read as adults we are continuing the same learnt
pattern, starting with the left most word of a line and working
across the page or column until we reach the right hand side.
This speed reading technique replaces this habit with the
concept of reading a phrase, sentence or line at one glance. The
idea is to look at the middle of the line and the grasp the
whole line at one time, then move onto the next line. By using
this speed reading technique you are effectively reading down
the page rather than across the page as traditionally taught.
Some people believe that the line speed reading technique can
improve your reading speed by as much as fifty percent. The
second speed reading technique which we would like to introduce
is called the card technique. Since we read one word at a time,
there is a tendency for our eyes to be drawn back across text
which we have already covered. Research shows us that this very
high in primary school children who are just learning to read
significantly less in students in tertiary education, implying
that the more we read the less we do this. However, even
university students have been recorded to regress read by as
much as fifteen or twenty times per hundred words. This means
that when we complete a passage, there may have been twenty
percent of the text read twice. The card speed reading technique
aims to reduce this wasted word absorption. This speed reading
technique is simple; take a piece of card and place it above the
first line you are going to read. As you read each line move the
card down so that there is effectively not text to regress read
to. As you are hopefully trying to apply the line speed reading
technique as well you should draw a line vertically down the
middle of the card, this will act as a guide to your eyes to
help you apply the line speed reading technique simultaneously
with the card speed reading technique.
As will all new skills it is important to practice as much as
possible. When learning or practicing a new speed reading
technique you must ensure that your are working in a calm and
uninterrupted environment, this will help you to achieve the
best results.
Good luck in you new speed reading technique.
About The Author: Jon Kelly is a published author who writes
articles on a variety of diverse subjects. This includes ideas
about speed reading and studying techniques. If you would like
to get more ideas about speed reading. Please visit
http://www.speedrea
