How to learn speed reading
The art of speed reading is quite easy to learn. Most of us don’t read much faster “in our head” than out loud. Here are some ways for you to learn speed reading and continue to understand at least as much as when he read at his old speed.
Start by timing how fast it takes you to read. This is not an exact science. Reading this on a computer screen will probably take longer than if you were reading it on a piece of paper. Newspapers will give you a different reading speed than books. So don’t obsess over your precise reading speed. But write down roughly how long it takes you to read a thousand words right now so you know when the system works.
1. Cut out distractions
Despite what your local teen will tell you, loud music usually doesn’t help the speed at which you read. Background noises may or may not interrupt you; television is almost always a problem. Even with the sound off, you’re distracted by brilliant moving images.
2. Don’t reread everything
Chances are you go back to check things when you don’t have to. It’s a rare book that doesn’t repeat itself, so there’s no need to go back over something you just read. If you missed it the first time, chances are it’ll be back soon.
3. Stop moving your lips
Depending on how long you’ve been doing this, it could take a while. If you move your lips as you read, you will read at about the same rate as you read aloud. Which is pretty slow compared to how fast you can read without moving your lips.
4. Use your fingers to hold the place
I know, it looks like you’re starting to read. But following the words with your fingers helps you stay in your place and prevents you from repeating things as often. You can also subtly adjust the speed at which your finger moves to speed up reading.
5. All words are not the same
A dry textbook full of long, complicated words will slow down your reading speed compared to the latest novel by your favorite author. So don’t panic if your reading speed varies depending on what you’re reading. this is natural
6. Only read important things
Well, this includes novels if you want. But don’t read an entire chapter on the origins of quantum physics if all you really wanted was a brief background on a specific element. Nothing says you have to read an entire book (well, okay, your English teacher wouldn’t agree on this point) unless you really want to. Skim through the table of contents and only read the parts of the book that are relevant. And check that the book is still within its expiration date unless you want outdated information. The copyright date is a good clue about this.
7. Over time, read groups of words
As your speed reading improves, do your best to catch more than one word at a time. And start skipping all the “filler” words that make up so much of the text.
