It’s essential to use a wide variety of reading materials and not just novels while you are practicing. But, it is helpful if you use the style you read regularly. You can even practice reading off a screen after the first week, especially if you spend a lot of time on a computer for work
or study.
Another tip is to practice with a book you have read previously, but make sure it’s one you are happy to reread it! This will make it easier for many. After all, you don’t have to think about the content as such because you already know it. Instead, you can practice your speed of reading.
By using previously read books, you will soon notice that your eyes are reading in groups of words instead of fixating on each word. Your head will work to process the reading information quicker because it already knows what is ahead in the book. When practiced, it will become easier for your eyes and brain to focus on groups of phrases and words.
An added advantage of practicing with the material you have read before is that it will help you work out what to prioritize when reading.
There are parts of a book or chapter that have higher importance than others, and if you can work this out before you start to read, it will be easier to prioritize and increase your reading speed.
When you are practicing these techniques, set aside approximately 15
minutes each day. While reading, look up every 20 minutes and give your eyes a rest. Look at something that is far away, and then something close, and alternate this for about 20 seconds. Then get back into your reading practice.
How to Scan
Scanning is an essential tool for faster reading, but because it is ingrained from a young age to read every word, it can be difficult for
many adults to switch to scanning. We now know that our cerebrum is incredibly smart and can fill in any missing information.
Scanning involves reading the text quickly to locate specific data. This method is particularly useful with scientific and complex information where you just want the facts and not all the other text that surrounds it. But you need to know what you are looking for, so choose some phrases or keywords to search for.
Tips:
Only search for one keyword at a time.
Scan for each keyword individually.
Read the text around the keyword to get the context.
Read questions before you scan and select the keywords from the question.
Check that the information you found is the answer you were looking for.
How to Skim
Unlike scanning, skimming is used to get a general idea of what the material is about. It gives you generic information in a section and is ideal for previewing the reading material. It’s also useful for reviewing at the end of your reading. With skimming, you don’t read each word, instead of paying attention to characteristics such as different fonts, bold words, bullet points, indenting, lists, and headings.
Tips:
First, read the table of contents then make an overview of the chapter.
Look at the main headings.
Read the introduction.
Then read the first and last sentence of each paragraph.
Focus on those that contain the characteristics mentioned above.
When you find something that could be important, stop reading it.
First and Last
Some people find it useful to only read the first and last sentence in the paragraph. This method is helpful because writers tend to follow a similar formula, where a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph gives clues as to what is likely to develop in the section. You can also focus on the first and last words of the sentences.
Stop Subvocalizing and Vocalizing
Similar to vocalizing, subvocalizing is just as difficult to stop yourself from doing but is essential for increasing your reading speed. So what exactly is subvocalization? Consider if you have ever quietly read a sentence, but you mouthed the words as though you were speaking out loud - this is subvocalization. And it really slows down your reading speed.
To overcome this problem, you need to be able to look and think about words without the need to hear how they sound. Sounds simple, right?
Well, for most people, it’s incredibly difficult, but the more you practice it, the easier it will become. Take a section of text and pick out a word, then look at it without making a sound. It will take a bit to create a new habit, but it will happen. Just persevere, and it will
significantly speed up your reading.
As touched on previously, vocalizing also slows you down as you are paying attention to what the words sound like, as well as what they are. If you are saying each word out loud, or even hearing it in your mind, you are reading at the same speed you talk in when you should be reading at the rate your brain thinks.
To help with both subvocalizing and vocalizing, you need to do something else with your mouth. Try chewing gum, or if that doesn’t work, chew on a pen or pencil. Try thinking about the perception of the work rather than how it looks.
Understanding Topic Sentences
In a paragraph, the topic sentence portrays the main idea of the paragraph. If you develop the ability to spot topic sentences, you can cut down a lot of your reading time without losing comprehension.
You will usually find the topic sentence at the very beginning of a paragraph, with the rest of the sentences expanding on the topic.
However, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, and sometimes the topic sentence is hidden further into the paragraph. It could even be the last sentence in a paragraph. So how do you find it then? Well, always read the very first sentence very carefully. Think about what the base characteristic the paragraph is describing, and the sentence that demonstrates the main idea is your topic sentence.
