For most of us, the key to speed reading success is learning how to speed read and comprehend more. If you can read a lot in a short space of time, but your recollection of what you have read is limited, then you will be unlikely to achieve a satisfactory outcome. You need not only to speed up the reading process, but you need to be able to comprehend the information you’ve read and apply it in practical term. This may be speed reading and recollection for exams at school or university; or it may be comprehending information to use in practice at your workplace or job.

How to speed read and comprehend more of what you need to cover

Some commercial programs make claims that you’ll be able to read tens of thousands of words per minute. The issue that this raises is whether or not you’ll comprehend what you have read. Much of the evidence suggests that reading at this pace is likely to lead to much lower comprehension. If you have to recollect and apply the information you’ve read, then you need to aim for improving speed to a level where comprehension is not compromised.

Reading at lightning speed may be an option, but if you’re goal is to take in a greater amount of information, having what you read go in one ear and out the other simply doesn’t cut it. Some of the most straight forward techniques for speed reading can increase your speed from the average 200-250 words per minute, to 400 up to 600 words per minute. At these speeds, your comprehension should hold steady with what you retain at a basic speed, you’ll simply take in 2 or 3 times as much while you are reading.

Increase speed, comprehend and apply what you’ve read

Here are some of the best techniques if you want to know how to speed read and comprehend more.

Reduce sub-vocalisation – The term sub-vocalisation refers to the way that we are speaking the words in our heads. By limiting ourselves from ‘saying’ the words in our head, it becomes much quicker to read longer passages more quickly. By reducing the need to sub-vocalise, the speed at which you read will increase, but you’ll still take in and comprehend the critical information in the text you are reading.

Schematic processing or mind mapping – When we have knowledge of a subject, we retain this information for quick recollection. Mind mapping or schematic processing enables you to quickly skim those things that you already know as you read. This is a useful tool for comprehension, as it helps you to quickly recollect information you already know. Through effective application of this process you’ll quickly cover more information as you read, without compromising your ability to comprehend and apply what you’ve read.

Learning how to speed read and comprehend more is a useful tool in this information age. Knowing how to read quickly and effectively is beneficial whether you’re reading something you need to thoroughly understand for study, or you have to read a lot of different things to expand your knowledge in your work and career. Reading quickly needs to be balanced with being able to comprehend, understand and recollect what you have read to apply the knowledge you gain.