eReflect founder and 7 Speed Reading software inventor Marc Slater was recently interviewed by William Dembski at TheBestSchools.org, a leading higher education and career counseling site that helps people find and apply for the right colleges and universities, and provides career guidance that leads people to find success in their chosen field. Because the skill of speed reading is valuable for students and professionals alike, no matter where they are in their educational or professional goals, TheBestSchools.org asked Slater about the 7 Speed Reading system, and how it can help users achieve those goals.
In the interview, Marc Slater explained how his lifelong interest in continuing education and self-improvement led him to develop 7 Speed Reading and eReflect’s other popular educational software systems, Ultimate Typing, Ultimate Spelling, and Ultimate Vocabulary. Slater’s main goal is to help as many people as possible develop and hone their literacy skills so that they are fully able to participate in the expanding global economy, especially those aspects related to technology and online business that have defined the 21st-century marketplace.
When asked about the connection between technology and speed reading instruction, Slater pointed out the many advantages that using a software program to learn speed reading gives to the user. Dembski noted that he himself followed the well-known Evelyn Wood speed reading program, but did not get the results that he had expected and wanted. By using cutting-edge technology in the 7 Speed Reading system, Slater explained, many of the same techniques can be presented in a way that actually does help people achieve their speed reading goals, increasing their reading speed without losing comprehension.
Dembski also questioned some of the hype about speed reading, where some programs claim to teach people to read 10 times faster than they do now, or speed reading “experts” who say they have the ability to read at over 20,000 words per minute. Slater clarified the difference between this hype and the reality of the results that people have enjoyed by using the 7 Speed Reading system, which takes a rational and balanced approach to this skill. “You can triple your reading speed by using the 7SpeedReading system if you are currently reading at an average or below-average speed,” Slater confirmed. “On the other hand, if you already read with good speed, you might not see a three-fold increase in your current reading rate—but you will see an improvement in your comprehension skills.”
Good reading skills contribute to a love of reading, and Marc Slater, along with the rest of the team at eReflect, are devoted to helping children learn to read as early and as often as possible. Slater remarked on the importance of making books and reading materials available to children in the home as well as at school, and encourages parents and teachers to read out loud to children in order to promote good reading habits. Because 7 Speed Reading is designed to be used by children as young as 8 or 9 years old, the program is also suitable for ESL students of any age. Users can incorporate almost any text into the system database for use in the activities and courses, which means that older students and adults will not have to practice using texts at the primary school level. One of the main strengths of the 7 Speed Reading system is its flexibility and adaptability, and the tools for customization that let each person get the most out of their speed reading training.
When asked about the future for eReflect, Slater revealed the company’s plans to make 7 Speed Reading available in schools, so that as many students as possible get the literacy skills they need to take them up to and through their choices for university education.
