The Beginners Guide to Speed Reading

At the dawn of a midsummer eve,

Halt! Who is that reading in your head? And, what is with the dreamy voice? I know, I know you’re all too familiar with this chatty Cathy for long. But honey this is just you. Well! Your 12-year-old reading out loud, or stand in the corner of the class James self.

Did you notice the pace with which you were reading it in your head or subvocalizing it? This is your reading speed. We are not here to talk about the benefits of reading books but speed reading.

Wait! Before dive deep, it’s vital to know what reading actually is.

What is reading skills?

Reading is an art to discover insights from a set of words. The authors of the books have messages to deliver to their audiences. This comes with the pride for recognition from one mind to another. While a reader’s conquest is to find nuance. They are curious to find novelty in any form, be it from fiction tales or an instruction manual. All in all, thorough reading expects a perception to evolve. 

A curious little branch of the same process is skimming. It is a pre-arranged goal to treasure hunt an intricate piece of information. You do this by active eye movements scanning through big data. Word per minute rate in skimming is outrageous two to fourfold faster than that in reading. However, reading wins the bet at any given moment.

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The Reading technique

An adult who is a general good reader reads around 200 to 400 wpm (words per minute). Schotter et al. in 2016 noted that reading relies upon the language between the reader and the reading material. Generally, man has mastered the art of verbal communication. As a child, you started practicing the words you heard by expressing it imitating sounds. Although, reading and writing usually do manifest in a much-learned age. 

Kids in the world are born in unique environments. Human species has evolved very peculiarly since the first Homosapien. Scientists agree that a child around the age of six starts expressing the art of reading and writing for the first time. To become a fluent reader, however, are a lot of years invested in attentive focus on this lifelong journey. Kids might start reading at an early age, but they ease in to express. Adolescents improve their reading at a bit slower pace over the years. 

Elite and respectable societies are known to appreciate learned, wise men and women. Even then, very few individuals become fluent readers in their lives. Why, then, one must not penetrate this little-explored realm?

6 Speed Reading Exercises That Will Motivate You

1-Subvocalization

Loud reading was necessary to help us improve our pronunciation, vocabulary and grammatical expertise. Jordan Harry, a fluent speaker at TED in 2019 recommended sticking the tip of your tongue to the top of your mouth. This makes you hyper-aware and stops you to repeat in the head whatever you read.

2-Relaxation

He likewise advised trying to be mindful of soft classical music while settling down to start reading. This will calm the distractions in your brain. It will relax you to let go of your inner voice. It will help you to read with an attentive focus.

3-Interest development

A good trick is to spark excitement before reading. A tired mind may end in winding down by getting confused in the repetitive jumble of words. Rather, heighten your curiosity! Harry advised to peek within your inner child and get inquisitive. Different inquiries proposed by Harry are:

What am I seeking?

And in every few minutes:

What have I adjusted in this manner far? 

4-Gliding

I don’t know about you but, I am all about how to make diy. Gliding is another style to stay focused while reading. For this, take a card or an envelope and cover it on sentences as soon as you read them. Then, you may move the shield down the page (or device) as you progress. I love how this technique helps me to concentrate on the next line.

5-Personal Environment

He advises picking spaces which will engage to focus after one looks at the reading material. For several individuals, this may mean spots with library-like calm. In any case, if that doesn’t work, Harry prescribes reading at an eatery. Various bistros, he said, have made sense of how to shape a friendly setting that is perfect for reading away. These are not visually excessive. This means your mind can only wander to so many places.

6-Visual Aid

Harry guides using a pacer. It will usually be your finger, a pen, even a pointer. A contraption to trace at sentences as you read them. It may set up your eyes to keep moving forward. This has 2 significant focal points, said Harry. One, it keeps up the reading speed. You might tend not to grasp how urgently or moderately you are reading until it’s past the final turning point. Number two, it will rise and incline your eyes to read quicker. This happens because you, my dear friend are compelled to read quickly.

Do we have free will to choose what to enjoy in reading? No doubt it is a high vibration experience. There is no substitute in finding an interesting piece to read. It demonstrates your exquisite taste. This enhances wisdom by perception to remarkable levels. However, according to Timothy Bell in 2001, it has little to do with improving the reading speed. 

Chung and Nation in 2015, advised to enroll in a speed reading course. They believed that it is a much compatible support system for improving your fluency. A decent perception of the written word while speed reading is a good bargain.

P.S. If you are an avid reader, drop down your favorite piece in the comments section. 

Wait a minute, what if you are an author? Share your magic with us and let us all grow together!

Syedah Arva is a personal growth storyteller. She believes in exploring exotic lands and food. They call her fierce and loyal in her friendships.