One big concern with speed-reading is that it might compromise the person’s ability to retain information. Retaining information means that the individual remembers what they read. There are several things an individual can do to read faster and still remember the text that was read.
Pointing with a pencil as you read enhances reading speed as it allows you to pace yourself and focus at the text at hand. Another similar tip is to cover the lines before and after the one you are reading with a paper or cue card. Our brains are constantly working, and many times we read the sentence before or after the one we’re reading while trying to read the one we are currently at. This happens several times in each paragraph and of course, it slows down the reader’s speed. Covering up the lines before and after the current line allows you to focus on one sentence at a time and thus, read it faster.
Another tip is to read the first and last sentence of a paragraph while skimming through the rest. The first and last sentence are the ones that tell you what the paragraph is really about, and thus require more focus. The remaining sentences do not require as much focus since they are an explanation, or an elaboration of the first and last sentences.
It is also vital that the reader be an active participant with the text. This means that you should hold a pen or highlighter while reading. Every time you find something interesting, you should highlight it, underline it or write quick notes in the margin. If the reader is interactive with the text, then the information will be retained because you gave your brain a reason to further process this information, and thus store it into memory and remember it. Likewise, if you discuss the text with someone, this will also allow you to retain everything you read.
Words should also be read in chunks, instead of reading one word at a time. Instead of reading “and this is why,” train yourself to skip over “and this is” and just understand that the text is explaining something. Likewise, skipping over small words or connecting words will improve speed while still allowing you to retain this information.
A good speed reading software can help you learn all these techniques and more. Make sure that the software you choose isn’t focused on simply improving speed, but also on maintaining or enhancing comprehension. The software should also ensure that the reader is retaining the text while improving reading speed.
Finally, the most important thing is practice. The more you train yourself to read using these tricks, the better you will get at using these techniques. Also, just reading a lot increases reading speed, without compromising retention. Even if it is as simple as 7 minutes a day, practice is vital, to keep your brain and eyes in good health.
Speed Reading is a skill that can be acquired by anyone, as long as certain techniques are utilized and practiced on a regular basis.
