How Do I Improve My Speed Reading?
Apply these techniques to improve your speed reading:
Get Ready
- sit up straight; use a high-back chair; perch on the edge of your seat
- stand up
Limit Time
- use a stopwatch, digital watch or a clock with a second-hand
- set a time limit for reading; e.g.: read 3 sections of one chapter in 50 minutes.
Relax
- relax your mind and body; it will improve your concentration
Eye Movements
- As you read your eyes are continuously jumping (saccades) through groups of words and stopping (fixations)
- Decrease your eyes from jumping by using your finger, a pen, pencil or ruler as a guide
- Ask a reading partner to count the number of times your eyes stop while reading a line.
- Determine the average number of fixations
- Determine the average number of words per line
- Divide words per line by number of fixations = reading X number of words at a time
Watch for Bad Habits
- Keep your eyes from rereading words by using a sheet of paper, or a 3×5 card to cover previously- read lines of text
- Dont read the words aloud or in your head; it slows you down
Experiment
- Vary your speed with different materials
Resources
Activity
Take a break from reading with this useful tension releasing exercise:
- Get comfortable; sit down or lie down
- Close your eyes. Place your palms over your eyes. Imagine a completely black space
- Breath deeply, concentrating on the blackness for a further few minutes
- Remove your hands, slowly open your eyes
- Relax for one more minute and continue reading
Last modified: Wednesday, 7 February 2018, 2:58 PM