SPEED READING
Sadaf Farooq
TYPES OF READING
Reading can be of several types
depending upon the reason you are reading
the specific text. These types are:
Scanning
Skimming
Light reading
Word by word
Reading to study
SCANNING
Scanning is when you search through the
material for a specific purpose or a specific word.
For example reading a telephone diary or a
dictionary.
You are looking for it quickly.
You know what you are searching for (key
words and names).
You 'see' every item on the page, but you don't
necessarily read the pages - you ignore anything
you are not looking for. Thus, when you discover
the key words being searched for, you will be
unable to recall the exact content of the page.
SKIMMING
When you read quickly to gain a general
impression as to whether the text is of use to you.
Skimming provides an 'overview' of the text. it is
useful to look at chapter/section headings,
summaries and opening paragraphs. For example it
helps in:
in selecting a book.
in surveying a chapter before reading or
studying.
in finding appropriate material for use in
research
LIGHT READING
Light reading is something you read
easily, requiring no deep thought or
concentration, and quite likely to be
amusing. For example reading a novel or
story. It is usually:
Read at a pace which feels comfortable.
Read with understand.
Skim the boring, irrelevant passages.
WORD BY WORD TYPE OF READING
This type of reading is time consuming
and demands a high level of concentration.
Some material is not readily understood and
so requires a slow and careful analytical
read. People use this type of reading for
unfamiliar words and concepts, scientific
formulae. It can take up to an hour just to
read a few lines of text.
READING TO STUDY TYPE OF
READING
The aim of this type is to understand the material in some
depth. The method involves five simple steps; Survey,
Question, Read, Recall and Review.
Survey: skim through to gain an overview and note key
points.
Question: devise questions you hope the text will answer.
Read: slowly and carefully.
Recall: from memory, write down the main points made
by the chapter.
Review: revisit your questions - compare these to your
recall and establish how well the text has answered
them; fill in any gaps by further reading and note-taking.
WHAT IS SPEED READING?
Speed reading is the process of rapidly
recognizing and absorbing phrases or
sentences on a page all at once, rather than
identifying individual words.
Most people read at an average rate of 250
words per minute (wpm), though some are
naturally quicker than others.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR SPEED
READING
Knowing the "how" of speed reading is only the
first step to success. Here are some ways to help you
in preparing for speed reading:
Avoid distractions. Create an environment where
there are as few interruptions and distractions as
possible, to allow you to focus fully on the words
in front of you.
Go easy. Read an uncomplicated novel or a simple
online article to get a feel for which technique is
going to work best for you. Gauge how much
you've remembered or understood, and set a timer
to see how much faster you are now reading.
Cover words that you've already read. This helps
you to stop your eyes flitting back to earlier words
and slowing down your reading.
Know what you want from the text. This can be
useful if you are using the skimming method, as it
primes you to pay attention when you see relevant
words, sentences or phrases. You can then slow down
at these points, or circle them for emphasis, but
otherwise move across the page quickly.
Practice, practice, practice. You have to practice
speed reading to get good at it. The more you train
yourself, the more natural it will feel.
BENEFITS OF SPEED READING
Read more in less time. By learning to speed
read, you can double or triple the amount that
you read in the same amount of time. You may
find that you only need to skim material to
understand what is being discussed.
Improve your concentration. By reading
faster, you are able to pay more attention to
what is being discussed and you are able to
better focus on your task at hand.
Better comprehend what you read with greater
depth and accuracy. As you increase your
concentration, you'll gain a better understanding of
what you are reading.
Retain the information that you read better and
longer. If you can remember the information better
because of improved concentration, you will be able
to retain that information more efficiently.
Enjoy reading more because it won't take you as
long to read a book anymore. Your reading
confidence will increase and you'll find reading more
enjoyable.
TOOLS NEEDED FOR SPEED READING
In order to track record of your reading you need some
tools to help you keep your record. These are:
Stopwatch: in order to keep record of what is your
current speed record you need to have a stopwatch. It
will help in keeping the record of in how much do you
read a certain passage and how much you need to
improve more.
Pen/pencil and paper: these tools will help you note
down the time and the obstacles or distractions that you
faced while reading so that next time you try to over
come these distractions.
LETTING GO OFF YOUR BAD HABITS
letting go off the habits that are stopping you from
speed reading is essential. If you want to develop the skill
of speed reading you must recognize these habits and let go
off them. These habits include:
Reading one word at a time is the foremost habit that
you need to let go in order to develop speed reading.
Although this is perfectly normal to have this habit but it
is the one of the main causes to stop you from
developing your skill.
Another habit that we need to let go is vocalizing our
own voices. Although it has helped us a lot in our initial
days to learn reading, it is now a hindrance in
development of our speed reading.
