Today's Information Overload - Do You Feel the Need for Speed?
Do the stacks and stacks of unread books in your home make it look as if you’re having a garage sale every day? Is your email inbox overflowing? Are reports stacking up on your desk at work? Do you feel like you’re falling behind your competition? Well, stop worrying; help is at hand.
Sixty year ago, Evelyn Wood developed the first speed-reading course. Later it became known as Reading Dynamics- Reading Improvement and Study Skills Course. After years of research, she determined that the average reader reads about 250 words per minute. With her program, that same reader could increase that to 1000 words per minute without loss of comprehension. Furthermore, the reader would retain more of what they read.
Studies show that only 1% of readers read at a rate of 1000 words per minute, with nearly an 85% comprehension rate. The average reader only manages 250 words per minute, with a comprehension rate of 60%. That may surprise you, since you are most likely inundated with newspapers, magazines, books, reports, emails and sales materials. You may even feel like you’re reading as rapidly as you can. However, the truth is you can learn to speed read and thereby increase your ability to wend your way through the massive amounts of reading you find necessary in your life. Research also shows that reading from a computer screen slows you down by 25%. You probably already know from experience that it’s because it’s harder on the eyes.
Slower readers either vocalize the words, that is they actually move their lips as they read; or they sub vocalize, which is just hearing the words in your head as you read silently to yourself. Unfortunately, both will slow down your reading speed.
The secret, of course, is that while reading, you must suppress the instinct to think about the pronunciation of each word as you read. Evelyn Wood’s program taught the reader to focus on the meaning of each word, but not be limited by the laborious task of mentally pronouncing each syllable.
There are three ways to help increase your reading speed. The first is to attend a speed-reading seminar. With good materials and instructor, you can double or even triple your reading speed. The second way to help you increase your speed would be books about speed-reading. These can be found in your local library or online at the many bookseller sites. They should include information about developing your concentration, skimming techniques, and should have comprehension tests included. In addition to books, you may also find audio or video cassettes to help you increase your reading speed. The third way to help you would be computer programs. You’ll find these to be fast paced, even interactive, some with animation. These also contain exercises to help with your reading proficiency.
With so much these days for you to read, you may find that you’re mostly scanning or skimming down each page, but if you catch yourself back-tracking, or re-reading passages, that slows your reading speed. If you’re reading each and every word, that too will slow you down.
Try the Evelyn Wood technique, which is simply placing your right hand on the page and slowly bringing it straight down. This draws your eye down as you read. Go slowly and evenly, letting your eyes rake back and forth across the page as you go. Following your finger will prevent you from so much backtracking and keep you focused.
Another technique is to allow your finger to follow the words, across the page, then down to the next line and across again. This also keeps your eye focused on the page, and helps prevent the re-reading tendency.
When it comes to reading from your computer, use the cursor to focus your attention on the words and avoid re-reading and back tracking. Use it to underline each line of text on the screen as you read.
Increasing your reading speed means moving with lightning speed through all those reports, periodicals, trade journals, memos and emails at work. It increases your efficiency and productivity.
So, find yourself a quiet corner, a good light and remember this is not magic. You must practice, practice, practice.
