Improving Reading SpeedWhy bother at working on improving reading speed? Well, obviously reading is great fun and a passionate pastime for many people. But is can be a time-consuming activity for those whose speed reading is slow. Most people average 250 to 300 words a minute when reading, but these figures are variable as the actual rate depends of the person's reading ability and the material being read. It would be beneficial in many ways, not least in the time spent reading a single text, if a person could learn to read quicker but, if you do try your at improving reading speed, do not do it at the expense of understanding what is being read. Improving Reading Speed In order to improve your own reading speed, you should follow this process. Take a look at all the main headings in the reading material, then look at the table of contents to get an idea of the material's structure. As you continue to read the material you can speed up the reading level if the difficulty and understanding levels permit you to do so. If you are reading a familiar article, you can attempt to read it at speed. In order to achieve that, you should not vocalise the words, or concentrate on each and every letter. Try and take in several word at a time. There are computer programs, such as Rapid Reader and Speed Reader which will help at improving reading speed by flashing letters and words on your computer screen. You can also improve your own reading speed by focussing on the key words in every sentence being read. Most time is wasted in reading prepositions and conjunctions as well as articles.
You can also increase your reading speed by using your finger or pen to act as a focal point as your eyes move across the page. To best improve your reading speed you should pick a time of the day when you are at your freshest and best able to absorb and learn information. It will also help to improve your own reading speed, as well as comprehension, by finding a place to read that is free of distractions and interruption. As much practice as possible is the best way to improve your own reading speed. If you struggle to see the text wear your spectacles or visit an optician for an eye test. It is important that if you want to improve your reading speed, you do not miss any information that is essential. Also, do not read the text aloud as this only reduces the speed of your reading. If you are keen on improving reading speed, there are many software programs available to help you. Included in the list of programs are those specially designed to teach people with poor reading abilities. These specialised programs have features such as looking at the middle of the screen while white lines expand around it. Other programs take you through text at speed. It helps people pick out the important words by highlighting text, which the reader can decide whether to read or ignore. Related Articles |