Scientists continue to study the problem of dyslexia (a learning disability that affects a person’s ability to read) and how it relates to overall brain function, genetic factors, and biological and environmental influences. One theory currently being discussed is whether or not people with dyslexia actually have brains that work more slowly in general, processing all information at a reduced speed, and not just those functions related to reading.
The main factor in dyslexia is phonological processing, the breaking down of words into sounds, and then relating those sounds to letters. People with dyslexia frequently confuse similar word sounds like ta and da, and some researchers believe this is because their brains are not moving quickly enough to recognize one sound before being presented with the next one. In other words, it takes so much time for the first sound to be processed that it’s forgotten before the next one is processed. Of course, since we’re talking about neural connections and signals, the concept of “so much time” is a matter of milliseconds, not minutes, but in the hyper-fast world of the brain’s nerve impulses and signals, that can be a very long time indeed.
This raises an interesting question with regard to speed reading. As we’ve mentioned before, slow reading speed actually reduces comprehension. This would seem to correspond with the reduced comprehension experienced by people with dyslexia. Of course, not all slow readers have dyslexia, but the practice of speed reading techniques that help slow readers improve their reading rates may also help dyslexics. Because the brain can be trained to function in a certain way, it’s important to start this process early. Children who seem to have slower reading speeds, whether or not they’ve been diagnosed with dyslexia, will be able to train their eyes and their minds to process information more quickly, especially using the speed reading technique called “chunking.”
Studies continue, sponsored by organizations like the National Dyslexia Research Foundation and Haskins Laboratories – and here at 7 Speed Reading we’ll continue to keep you up to date on the latest news and discoveries related to speed reading.
