Speed reading as a technique was developed by Mrs. Evelyn Wood in 1959. Impressed by her professor who read and graded a term paper of eighty pages in ten minutes she went on to observing reading methods of fast readers and developed the first ever speed reading technique.
Speed reading is a method that aims at improving the speed of reading and comprehension. The need for speed reading is obvious, as the volume of texts to be read on an average has been increasing since the invention of the printing machine.
And, increasing your reading speed can make a significant change in your life.
So, what can you do to accelerate your speed of reading? To get started, you can pick up a non-fiction book. Why? Because the fiction one contains lots of dialogues which means contains many breaks in the text. Those breaks might slow down the speed of reading.
Also, don’t pick a thick book. Three hundred pages would be the most. Get a book that you are interested in. It will help a lot.
Don’t practice speed reading while you feel tired or not in the mood. To get the best out of it, you’d better try it while you are in a good mood. You can try a pleasant morning or mid-day. Get yourself sit in a comfortable couch in a cozy corner. Choose a quiet spot where you can fully concentrate.
Then, what are the techniques?
Here are some techniques you might need to try to increase your speed of reading:
• Try to read down the page rather than left to right
• Read groups of words or complete thoughts rather than one word at a time
• Avoid involuntary rereading of material
You only need 15-minutes-a-day of practice. Doing it everyday will naturally increase your speed of reading.
Since now, the kids read more material than we did back then, it would be a great thing to include your children in the practice.
Make it a fun family activity. Each family member grabs a book and a timer is set. Once the reading begins, each person uses their speed reading skills to read as many of the pages of their book as they can until the timer sounds. The one who read the most will get prizes such as a trip to the library or a new book.
The result of speed reading skill will not only help them now but also in their future.
And remember, this skill is not limited to certain age. No one is ever too old to learn new things. Yet, a strong will is necessary.
Have a nice speedy reading.