Speed Reading Programs

By Trevor John

Speed reading claims that it is possible for you to increase your reading speed from the sedate speed that it's probably at now, up to scarcely believable speeds of 1,000 words a minute and upwards.

Academic research doesn't confirm the results claimed by some of the speed reading programs that are on the market. But then academic tests don't always reflect real world conditions. There are certainly plenty of people in the world who claim that speed reading works for them.

Part of the trouble with our normal reading pattern is that we will actually "read out loud" inside our head. Reading out loud slows us down dramatically. If the speed reading course that you choose stops the amount of reading out loud that you do inside your head, then your reading speed will increase. Whether it gets as high as 1,000 words a minute will depend on how much you practice, but even if you only increase your reading speed by 50% then you'll be able to take in a lot more information than you do at the moment. Which, with today's information rich society, can only be a good thing.

The various speed reading courses on the market vary from a simple, cheap book right the way through to a full seminar. There are also self-teach courses that form a kind of half way house between these two extremes.

If you're considering speed reading for the first time, it may be best to start with a simple book and then, when you experience the results for yourself, progress to a full course to take your reading speed even higher.

Take your reading speed to it's highest possible level with photoreading. You can read at the speed you can turn the pages of a book and comprehend the majority of what you photoread.

Preparing for Success by Learning Speed Reading

By Adam Sullivan

There are a lot of things to learn about and do in life. Way too much to possibly learn about in the amount of time we're given. In fact, in many cases time is the constraining factor that fairly decides what we are going to do and how successful we will be.

In general, the more time you spend on something the better prepared you will be for success. This varies, however, in that different people take in information at different rates and can be more or less effective at retaining that information.

That would be where something like speed reading would come in. By a practiced increase of reading speed and reading comprehension it is possible to make less time count for more where anything reading is concerned. Added benefits may be an increased memory capacity and more mental discipline.

Speed reading is simply an accelerated rate of reading. Usually speed reading involves employing specific techniques to your reading that, with practice, can double or sometimes even more than double your reading speed.

If a person is aimed for success, things like reading speed and a sharp memory would seem to give them an extra edge. College students many times benifit from speed reading techniques. Studying becomes faster and more profitable. Speed reading can also be an easy way to impress someone.

Speed Reading Technique Course
Speed Reading

Speed Reading, Is It For Me? by Steven Quinn

Everyone has probably observed others who seem to skim over a page quickly as they read. People naturally read at different rates, but there are some people who have learned to speed reading. These people also read at different rates but those people with speed reading skills all read faster than most people. Speed reading can be done by learning specific strategies for reading through material quickly and comprehending the material. Turning and skimming pages quickly is not much use if the reader does not remember or comprehend what they have read.

People who would like to read and comprehend more quickly should enroll in a speed reading class in order to acquire skills that will help them read faster and better. Speed reading courses usually provide the students with several strategies and techniques to read and comprehend more quickly. Students who enroll in a speed reading course should learn these strategies to improve their reading rate. Once students learn these strategies in a course, they will find many benefits. All of their reading assignments or duties will take far less time.

Students will be able to finish all of their reading requirements and have lots of extra time for the fun activities of college life. Business people will be able to study reports and other papers and have more time for family and fun. Students, business people and others who use speed reading strategies save time but they also comprehend the material that they cover. Courses often teach people to use techniques that are different from the techniques that they used to learn to read in elementary school. Most people initially learn to read in a linear fashion.

Speed reading courses often teach people to read the words in other patterns than the ones first learned in school. The courses usually train students to avoid reading each individual word. A good course in speed reading will change some of the habits that people have acquired in their traditional education. The course will also provide students with advice that will help them become better readers.

Distractions can interfere with reading comprehension and many instructors in a course will advise students to eliminate the distractions in order to achieve better reading comprehension.
The speed reading instructors often suggest ways that students should prepare for reading tasks before they read the first word. There are many strategies that people can use to become better readers and many are most pleased when they learn the strategies that help them.



Double YOUR Reading Speed In Just 16 Minutes - 100% Guaranteed..." www.bestspeedreadingcourse.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

How You Can Find An Extra 2-6 Hours Of Working Time Per Week by Craig A. Garcia

Do you ever feel like there is just not enough time in the day? Many days you might leave your office wondering why you didn't get much more accomplished. Between dealing with different people and receiving phone calls, and trying to juggle all of the different little tasks you need to, the day can be gone before you know it. A huge challenge for many people is dealing with all of the information that they get get thrown at them through the mail, internet, fax, etc. It's quite a lot of reading!

How many hours a week do you think you actually spend reading - between emails, faxes, newspaper, reports, etc? I sure if you did an inventory of the time you spent on this every week, you would be surprised at the amount of your time that is gobbled up by reading. Now what if you could cut that in half? For some people that would free up a tremendous amount of their days, and allow them to accomplish a tremendous amount more. What many people don't realize is that it is possible to quicky and easily start the habit of reading faster - much faster.

Simply by being aware of the need and the ability that one has to ready faster, this typically helps in and of itself. Many people after a short tutorial can find that their reading speed can be doubled. And really the sky is the limit with the right instruction. There are highly successful people that have really taken this to an art form. Marshall Thurber, a well reknown expert in the field of wealth empowerment, is said to read 3 books before lunch every day. Even if you don't have that kind of reading ambition, it's pretty clear that even if you doubled your reading speed you could save yourself tons of time.

A simple tip you can start using to read faster is to be simply conscious of your reading speed and your need to improve it. For a free test of your reading speed and some free tips on reading faster, check out:

http://www.VelocityReadingSecrets.com



Craig Garcia is recognized as one of the Nation's leading experts on Mortgage and Equity Management. He is a Licensed Mortgage Lender who has been helping consumers with financing solutions for over the past ten years. More lending info can be found at http://www.GreenBrowardCounty.com
Always looking to for ways to improve his efficiency, he established Ballast Publications, which publishes subject matter in a variety of interesting subjects. The most recent publication shows readers how they can quickly and easily read faster. More information can be found at http://VelocityReadingSecrets.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

6 Speed Reading Myths Debunked by Ed Caldwell

Speed Reading Myths Debunked

There is so much misinformation about speed reading that as a user for over 30 years, and as an instructor of tens of thousands of learners from all walks of life and all levels of education, I feel compelled to debunk some of the most prevalent and popular myths. However, before we begin, it is essential to define what is reading.

Reading Defined

Although definitions may vary somewhat, reading can be defined as the act of interpreting visual symbols and deriving meaning from those symbols (letters, words, etc.). If you accept this definition, then it follows that reading is a cognitive thinking skill. Therefore, one can read, as fast as one can think (or interpret) the visual symbols.

So when someone wants to learn to “speed read,” there is a two-fold problem. One is seeing the symbols more quickly (that’s the easy part), and secondly is getting the mind to respond more quickly. Said simply, there are 2 components to speed reading – developing the mechanical skills of getting the eyes to move more efficiently, and learning to push the mind to think and respond more quickly (comprehension).

Myth # 1 – “It doesn’t really work.”

This is both true and false. One of my biggest challenges with learners is the notion that if they enroll in a program, then magic will happen. Because of the nature of learning a new system of skills and habits is difficult, the learner must immerse themselves completely in the experience and let go of preconceived notions of what they believe about themselves as learners and loosen their attachment to the “see-say-hear-understand” habit they grew up with. What I tell learners is, “it doesn’t work, you work it.” In other words, Dynamic Speed Reading is a system, a methodology to be applied to the act of reading, but the reader has to bring themselves and their mind to the process. One technique outside of the process will not work for all reading situations.

Myth #2 – “Speed Reading Is Merely About Moving Your Eyes Fast”

False. Although historically this is true, and most programs today focus almost exclusively on the speed of eye movements, this statement contradicts the definition of reading as stated earlier. In fact, this is the primary cause of cynicism and skepticism towards the concept of speed reading. It is not reading if you merely move your eyes and see all the print. Learning the mechanics without learning the comprehension process is only part of the solution. If someone is serious about wanting to develop their efficient reading skills, a strong emphasis on how to build comprehension is critical for success. I do not recommend software programs, or any other type of mechanical devices because of this. By definition, you can only read as fast as you can think or respond to the symbols on the page. Comprehension, or the cognitive skills, must be developed as well.

Myth # 3 – “When Speed Reading You Lose Comprehension”

Again, false. Although the answer to this is included in myth 2, this needs additional explanation. As I explain this, keep in mind the premise that you are not reading if you are not comprehending. Comprehension means understanding. This myth has developed not only because most programs focus on merely speed, but also because of the nature of the adult learner trying to change a lifetime of habits around.

Typically the adult learner has formed the belief/habit that in order to comprehend well, you need to start at the beginning and read word by word to the end in a linear fashion. This belief/habit was formed as a result of early reading training from school days. However, research has proven that comprehension is a process. In other words, we need to build comprehension like we build our learning of any other skill. A useful analogy would be to take a trip to a new state, province, or country. You would start by looking at a map to get a general sense of direction of where you are to where you want to be. Next, you might look at the major highways that lead you there. Finally, you would focus on the specific streets that would get you to the point of your destination. Reading comprehension experts agree, comprehension must be built. Stated differently, you need to “prepare the mind to read.”

Another part of this myth’s development is due to the fact of the nature of the learning process in developing speed reading skills. As the learner works on breaking the habit of focusing on individual words both visually and cognitively, a dynamic flow of eyes over stimuli (words) needs to be achieved in order to create meaning faster. Here we are talking about the mechanical skills. As the speed reading student first enters this phase of development, comprehension will decrease initially as he/she struggles to learn fluency of the mechanics. This can be compared to first learning to drive a car. Remember? You had to focus on managing all various pedals, buttons, and mirrors while simultaneously navigating this ton of steel down the road safely. If you’ve been driving for years, you might not even be able to remember how clumsy you felt. Another good comparison would be learning how to do a new dance. The learner needs ample time to build fluency.

Myth #4 – “Speed Reading is Merely About Skimming, Scanning, Key-wording”

False. Skimming is sample reading portions of text – a sentence or two here and there, or some other approach. Skimming is a good “pre-reading” technique, but is not “dynamic speed reading” in itself.

Scanning, by definition, is to glance from point to point often hastily, casually, or in search of a particular item. We may scan the telephone book for a particular person’s number, scan the newspaper ads for a job, but we do not scan a new book, report, manual, etc. if we want to master it. Scanning may be used as an after reading technique, but is not speed reading.

Key-wording is an old speed reading technique where the learner was told “don’t focus on the unimportant words,” such as, “a,” “the,” “of.” This cannot be done. Try this yourself: sit opposite someone who is about your height and look at their face. While you do this try to not see their nose. Sight, the mechanical part of reading, is impartial. Or in other words, you cannot not see something within your field of vision. Your mind may not register or respond to something your eyes see, but that is another issue. In fact, that again is the issue of comprehension which we have discussed.

Myth # 5 – “You May Get Some Results At The End Of The Program, But They Don’t Last.”

This is both true and false. Reading is a skill like other skills, when you don’t do it for awhile, you will slow down. If you spent 5-10 years learning to play piano and then hadn’t touched the piano for 10-20 years, you would get rusty. All it takes once you have mastered it is occasional practice. When buying a program, look for long term support and follow-up.

Myth # 6– “If You Look At the Naturally Fast Readers, Only Really Smart People Can Speed Read”

The truth is one of the things that made these folks smart was the fact that they were voracious readers. They loved to read. When you develop more ease with reading, you’ll read more and enjoy it more, and learn more. When you read more, you’ll naturally get smart!

Now that these 6 major falsehoods of speed reading have been explained, what will you commit to do to deal with your information overload? In today's knowledge economy there is no other option but to learn a new approach in getting through the piles.



Ed Caldwell, speaker, developer, trainer, and author, is president of Productive Learning Systems, Inc., and ProductivElearn.com and its sub-site speedreadingtactics.com. As a user and teacher of Dynamic Speed Reading skills for over thirty years, he has helped tens of thousands of learners from all walks of life to master their information overload.


Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Speed Reading Sweeping College Campuses by Elija Warren

Speed Reading Sweeping College Campuses
Colleges are seeking new ways to help students stay afloat in today's sea of information.

The easy and cheap availability of printers and photocopiers has resulted in more information being distributed to students on top of their text book reading requirements. Students also spend more time reading using handheld devices, wireless laptops, and researching or passing messages with friends from their own computer. Professors commonly make assignments using the web which means still more supplemental information to be read. Students can easily spend 50% or more of their waking hours reading. They have more to read today than ever before and less time.

How can students ever hope to deal with the growing flood of information? This pinch between time and the volume of information dumped on the heads of students has resulted in revived interest in Speed Reading on college campuses.

Most people read around 200 to 300 words per minute, which is close to the rate we speak. Speed Reading teaches methods that allow a person to read at 600 to 2500 words per minute.

According to Michael Ford, the developer of the Speed Reader-X speed reading system,"In the past six months we have seen a noticeable increase in the number of schools requesting information on setting up speed reading classes. Most of the requests come from Nevada, California, and for some reason Speed Reading is very popular in Florida and Utah."

The speed reading method was discovered in the 1950's by Evelyn Wood when she turned in an 80 page college paper and her professor flipped through it, reading it cover to cover in seconds. He was a natural speed reader who developed the skills on his own without realizing he read differently from anyone else. Evelyn Wood went on to study this phenomena and eventually founded a speed reading institute in Australia. Since then, speed reading has become popular in many countries. However, the technique was almost unknown in the USA until recently when software training systems were developed which made learning the technique much easier.

Critics have questioned the usefulness of speed reading due to lower comprehension rates experienced by some people. According to Mr. Ford, "Speed must be learned before comprehension can be developed. It is exactly the same when a child first learns to read. The child must learn the mechanics of reading and then they develop comprehension with practice. Once a person learns the speed reading techniques, comprehension will follow."

The avalanche of printed and digital reading material that is overwhelming college students will only grow as demands on students increase and their free time decreases. Speed Reading could help future students manage this information overload but, Mr. Ford warns, "Learning speed reading is like learning a foreign language. Anyone can do it but, it is much easier when you are younger and the more you use the techniques, the easier speed reading becomes. I suggest starting before college. Many people start in college but, you can gain the most benefits if you are proficient before beginning college rather than trying to learn speed reading while facing a full class load too. Start early, that is my advice."

If you would like more information, Mr. Ford has created a free report that explains how speed reading works and it is available at http://www.free-speedreading-report.com



http://www.free-speedreading-report.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Speed Reading Myths by Michael Ford(The Auction Inquisitor)

There has been a revived interest in speed reading recently. Many colleges and local schools are even starting speed reading programs, but does it even work?

Let's take a look at some speed reading myths and see how they stand up to scrutiny.

Hand Motions

Some books, mainly older references, go on-and-on about fancy hand motions, moving in Z or S shapes, and the amazing things you can accomplish just by waving your hands over the words. When these methods are put to the test they fall far short of the claims. There is no magic hand motion that will make you read faster. Some people simply find it easier to use their hand as a pointer and some find it distracting. It simply depends on how your brain is wired. The only fact about hand motions is, if it works for you, use it, if it distracts you, don't use it.

What speeds can people read? What speed qualifies as Speed Reading?

A quick Amazon search reveals some older book systems spouting ludicrous claims of 10,000 words per minute or more. These kinds of numbers have been repeatedly debunked because they are simply made up. No one can read 10,000 words per minute and remember more than a few words. That is not how speed reading actually works and such outrageous numbers as 5,000 or 10,000 words per minute are nothing but marketing gimmicks.

There are documented, real speed readers who have taken no classes. These people picked up the techniques used in speed reading on their own, at an early age. They have had a lifetime to use them and many do not even know they are speed readers. They assume that everyone reads the way they do. The average person reads 200 to 300 words per minute. True speed readers can read 500 to 2500 words per minute but more commonly average around 600 to 1000 maybe 1500 words per minute. That is still a lot faster than 200 words per minute.

Didn't the Air Force Prove Speed Reading works?

The Air Force conducted some research to see how fast someone could recognize a word. This was related to identifying enemy aircraft then later displays and labeling and not actual speed reading. They used a device called a Tachioscope which was a dark screen and flashed a light colored word very fast, then disappeared. The person in front of the screen then had to identify the word. It turns out that a person can identify the word even if it is only shown for hundredths of a second. This does not in itself prove speed reading. It does prove that a person can recognize a word on-sight without using the normal sub-vocalization reading process. The technique used by the Air Force was not meant to test speed reading, but it does prove that the human brain can take in information much faster than many people thought. This technique itself will not teach speed reading either. It only proves a concept. It does not teach speed reading.

Speed Reading is fake. What good is speed reading if you dont have any comprehension?

This is one of the most annoying posts I see on message boards and it is always posted by someone who has never actually tried a real speed reading system or tried it for ten minutes and quit.

The act of asking the question proves that the person asking has no experience with speed reading because this is simply not how the process works. Many nay-sayer's like to claim that there is no comprehension or understanding of what is read when speed reading. That is simply false. They fail to say that 'they' cannot comprehend, and instead claim that no one can comprehend. The real comprehension problem is with the individual who has either not followed a legitimate speed reading training system, or has not developed the skills needed to understand what they are reading.

In speed reading, you must first learn the mechanics of the new reading method. Once your brain can process those mechanics, then you build comprehension. Remember back when you were first learning to read. You would sound out each word in a sentence, read several sentences about the adverntures of Dick and Jane running, then the teacher would ask you what you read. Your cute little 5 year old face would look up blankly as you said "I dunno" because you had no idea what you read. Your mind was still learning the mechanics of reading. Does this mean that no one can read anything because it is impossible for them to comprehend or remember what they have read? Obviously not. A child must learn the mechanics of reading, then they develop their skills and build comprehension through the 2nd, 3rd, grades. When someone learns speed reading, it is unrealistic to expect to have the same comprehension level when first learning a new way of visually taking in information. Mechanics first, then comprehension. If you see anyone posting on a message board about how 'they' cant comprehend anything they read when speed reading(assuming they ever tried) you can now correct them.
How fast do you read?

Speed Reading is just Skimming isn't it?

Absolutely not. Skimming is just that, skimming for some keywords. Speed reading is the act of reading every word. It is not picking out the hilights and it is not 'getting the general idea'. Speed reading is NOT skimming. If any system tells you they are the same, toss it in the trash because they are trying to sell a Skimming system re-labeled as a speed reading system.



Find out for yourself.

Modern speed reading systems have gained a new popularity with the development of software which makes the training and speed measuring much easier.

You can take a free reading speed test at www.SpeedReaderX.com and see if you read at a normal rate, slow rate, or if maybe you are already a natural speed reader. There you can also sign up for a free online mini-course which teaches you how speed reading works. Give it a try and see how much it can improve your school or work performance. If you have children, imagine how much it could benefit them throughout school.



Take a free reading speed test or sign up for the free mini-course at www.SpeedReaderX.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Speed Reading: How To Get Faster by Matt Chang

You probably fall into 2 categories, you hate to read, so the faster you can get through it the better, or you love to read, so the faster you can read, the quicker you can get to more reading! Either way, improved reading skills can help you get through the words quicker, so you can either move on to something else, or move on to another book.

In a previous article we discusses the idea that to improve your reading retention, you should read in a non linear fashion, and take the time to get a framework of the reading, so you have a good map of where you are going. In this article, we are going to discuss how to start to improve your reading rate.

Most people read a book as if it were given to them as a speech. They listen to the author and follow along with what he is saying in a purely sequential manner. In order to reach faster rates of comprehension you have to learn to abandon this tactic. You can start this by not subvocalizing.

Think back to when you were younger. As a child or in your elementary school classes, you probably had to do alot of reading out loud. After you mastered this skill, you were told to simply say the words inside your head and read quietly. This is where most reading education and skill levels end. And, that is what subvocalizing is. It is the act of reading inside your head quietly. The reason it slows you down is that it takes time to form the words to say, even if you don't say them.

To move to a new level you need to stop sounding the words inside your head or subvocalizing. Again, subvocalizing takes time, more time than is necessary to comprehend the words you are reading. It is almost impossible to go much beyond 400 or 500 words while subvocalizing. Instead you need to train yourself to read without hearing the words in your head.

You are probably thinking that it going to be tough, and yes it can be challening at the beginning. What you need to do is remove the formulation of words with your mouth. If I read at around a thousand words per minute, there is no way I could hear the words in my head while trying to process them. Train yourself to see the word, reconstruct it in your brain, and bypass the word construction. You need to have your brain get the understaning. When you get this down, you will take one second to gain understanding than the 5 seconds it would have taken to subvocalize.

Since most people currently can't separate the subvocalization from comprehension, they are locked in at a rate of about 400-500 words. Moving beyond that rate requires that you practice reading faster than you can actually read aloud.

This may sound a little confusing, but what you need to practice is seeing the words and gaining the meaning in your head. Start with small words and phrases, and grow into sentences. Eventually you will get the hang of seeing and understanding, instead of seeing, forming the words in your head, and then understanding.



Buy cheap books online at http://thebookwhiz.com, we offer cheap audio book titles, and cheap childs book selections.

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Speed Reading Helps ADD/ADHD Students Improve Behavior and Overall Performance by Bernie Marasco

Speed reading software helps ADD/ADHD students improve behavior and overall performance by engaging students in interactive exercises and helping them learn to focus on one task at a time.

According to the American Psychiatric Association 5-8% of children and approximately 4% of adults suffer from ADHD. ADD/ADHD is defined as a physiological/behavioral disorder characterized by inattentiveness or short attention spans, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and disorganization.

How Does ADD/ADHD Affect Reading?

It affects students that have difficulty focusing on study and general reading materials.

How Speed Reading Software can help: Speed reading software helps ADD/ADHD students by engaging them in interactive exercises (i.e. Drills and Games), by focusing on one task at a time, and by allowing the students to view reading material at a faster rate. Because they are engaged, and because they can adjust the text's parameters to meet their needs, they may feel a sense of accomplishment at being able to do the work. Some instructors have found that using a speed reading program for a short period in the morning led to improved behavior and performance overall throughout the school day.

The Educational Research Institute of America (ERIA) reviewed (www.acereader.com/papers/ERIA_Review_of_ACEREADER_Research.pdf) four independent studies of a leading speed reading software program to determine if the results provided valid evidence of its instructional effectiveness. While using different age groups and training levels, each of the studies provided evidence that:
1. The program increased both users' reading rate and their comprehension.
2. The program elicited a positive response in all test groups.
3. The program proved both easy to implement and effective to use among reading instructors.

The studies documented improvements with students at the elementary through the adult levels, as well as at a variety of ability levels. Perhaps most impressive was that the students' scores exceeded expected gains in both the experimental groups and the general school populations.

Students and adults can establish a baseline to measure their improvement by taking a free online reading test at www.freereadingtest.com.



About the Author:
Bernie Marasco is President of Stepware, Inc. developer of the award winning AceReader Speed Reading Software program. Keep up to date with the most recent literacy news by reading his blog at www.speedreadingsoftware.com and measure your reading speed and comprehension at www.freereadingtest.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Latest from Articles Base

How To Speed Read

By Jason Hobbs

How to speed read is an important question that comes in the mind of an individual who wants to read the books, newspaper speedily and gain the information accurately. The key step involved in it is first determining what piece of information an individual wants. If a person just wants the general summary of story or article then they can browse the book rapidly and derive only the necessary details. But if an individual wants to know the entire concept in less time then there are various techniques of reading speedily such as reducing the fixing time, hop-back time and increasing the word count in each block.

Different Methods Of Speed Reading:

The answer on how to speed read can be attained with the help of below mentioned methods:

1. Reduce the fixing time: This method trains an individual to read an entire block within the speculated time. An individual can allot specific time to read a passage and thereby further keep reducing the time required to read the entire book. Time required in reading a block is usually 1/4th of a second. It helps in gathering the information more effectively.



2. Increase the word count: In this case an individual needs to increase the amount of words while reading. By adopting this method a person can easily learn how to speed read. Here word reading in every sentence can be increased by confining the content a little distance away from the eyes. It helps to read many words in a block within less time.



3. Hop-back time: While reading, eyes usually hop back to the earlier sentence. To avoid this student can run a pencil, indicator or finger below the sentence. With this technique eyes tend to trail or chase the point of indicator, which enables in smooth reading. Speed read in this method can be obtained by moving the finger more quickly below the sentences.

Importance Of Speed Reading:

While speed reading a person can go through the index page of book to get a fair idea of content in the book. This helps the reader to know what they want to derive from the book. Few initial chapters can be ignored and rereading has to be avoided to gain more momentum. It is important for students, intellectuals, lecturers and researchers as it facilitates them to read and collect the data at faster rate and efficiently.

Speed reading significance can be better understood by considering the example, if a student goes out to buy some research related books for making a project then it is not possible to get into the minutiae of every book available at the book store. Simple overview is enough while choosing the books. An ideal reader can read about 10 to 12 words per second whereas standard reading speed is usually 4 to 5 words a second. But with strong resolution and little practice this feat can be easily accomplished.

If you would like more information on how to learn Speed Reading and receive a FREE Newsletter on the subject visit the authors site http://www.speedreadingadvice.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Hobbs
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Speed-Read&id=836759

6 Speed Reading Myths Debunked

by Ed Caldwell

Speed Reading Myths Debunked



There is so much misinformation about speed reading that as a user for over 30 years, and as an instructor of tens of thousands of learners from all walks of life and all levels of education, I feel compelled to debunk some of the most prevalent and popular myths. However, before we begin, it is essential to define what is reading.



Reading Defined



Although definitions may vary somewhat, reading can be defined as the act of interpreting visual symbols and deriving meaning from those symbols (letters, words, etc.). If you accept this definition, then it follows that reading is a cognitive thinking skill. Therefore, one can read, as fast as one can think (or interpret) the visual symbols.



So when someone wants to learn to “speed read,” there is a two-fold problem. One is seeing the symbols more quickly (that’s the easy part), and secondly is getting the mind to respond more quickly. Said simply, there are 2 components to speed reading – developing the mechanical skills of getting the eyes to move more efficiently, and learning to push the mind to think and respond more quickly (comprehension).



Myth # 1 – “It doesn’t really work.”



This is both true and false. One of my biggest challenges with learners is the notion that if they enroll in a program, then magic will happen. Because of the nature of learning a new system of skills and habits is difficult, the learner must immerse themselves completely in the experience and let go of preconceived notions of what they believe about themselves as learners and loosen their attachment to the “see-say-hear-understand” habit they grew up with. What I tell learners is, “it doesn’t work, you work it.” In other words, Dynamic Speed Reading is a system, a methodology to be applied to the act of reading, but the reader has to bring themselves and their mind to the process. One technique outside of the process will not work for all reading situations.



Myth #2 – “Speed Reading Is Merely About Moving Your Eyes Fast”



False. Although historically this is true, and most programs today focus almost exclusively on the speed of eye movements, this statement contradicts the definition of reading as stated earlier. In fact, this is the primary cause of cynicism and skepticism towards the concept of speed reading. It is not reading if you merely move your eyes and see all the print. Learning the mechanics without learning the comprehension process is only part of the solution. If someone is serious about wanting to develop their efficient reading skills, a strong emphasis on how to build comprehension is critical for success. I do not recommend software programs, or any other type of mechanical devices because of this. By definition, you can only read as fast as you can think or respond to the symbols on the page. Comprehension, or the cognitive skills, must be developed as well.



Myth # 3 – “When Speed Reading You Lose Comprehension”



Again, false. Although the answer to this is included in myth 2, this needs additional explanation. As I explain this, keep in mind the premise that you are not reading if you are not comprehending. Comprehension means understanding. This myth has developed not only because most programs focus on merely speed, but also because of the nature of the adult learner trying to change a lifetime of habits around.



Typically the adult learner has formed the belief/habit that in order to comprehend well, you need to start at the beginning and read word by word to the end in a linear fashion. This belief/habit was formed as a result of early reading training from school days. However, research has proven that comprehension is a process. In other words, we need to build comprehension like we build our learning of any other skill. A useful analogy would be to take a trip to a new state, province, or country. You would start by looking at a map to get a general sense of direction of where you are to where you want to be. Next, you might look at the major highways that lead you there. Finally, you would focus on the specific streets that would get you to the point of your destination. Reading comprehension experts agree, comprehension must be built. Stated differently, you need to “prepare the mind to read.”



Another part of this myth’s development is due to the fact of the nature of the learning process in developing speed reading skills. As the learner works on breaking the habit of focusing on individual words both visually and cognitively, a dynamic flow of eyes over stimuli (words) needs to be achieved in order to create meaning faster. Here we are talking about the mechanical skills. As the speed reading student first enters this phase of development, comprehension will decrease initially as he/she struggles to learn fluency of the mechanics. This can be compared to first learning to drive a car. Remember? You had to focus on managing all various pedals, buttons, and mirrors while simultaneously navigating this ton of steel down the road safely. If you’ve been driving for years, you might not even be able to remember how clumsy you felt. Another good comparison would be learning how to do a new dance. The learner needs ample time to build fluency.



Myth #4 – “Speed Reading is Merely About Skimming, Scanning, Key-wording”



False. Skimming is sample reading portions of text – a sentence or two here and there, or some other approach. Skimming is a good “pre-reading” technique, but is not “dynamic speed reading” in itself.



Scanning, by definition, is to glance from point to point often hastily, casually, or in search of a particular item. We may scan the telephone book for a particular person’s number, scan the newspaper ads for a job, but we do not scan a new book, report, manual, etc. if we want to master it. Scanning may be used as an after reading technique, but is not speed reading.



Key-wording is an old speed reading technique where the learner was told “don’t focus on the unimportant words,” such as, “a,” “the,” “of.” This cannot be done. Try this yourself: sit opposite someone who is about your height and look at their face. While you do this try to not see their nose. Sight, the mechanical part of reading, is impartial. Or in other words, you cannot not see something within your field of vision. Your mind may not register or respond to something your eyes see, but that is another issue. In fact, that again is the issue of comprehension which we have discussed.



Myth # 5 – “You May Get Some Results At The End Of The Program, But They Don’t Last.”



This is both true and false. Reading is a skill like other skills, when you don’t do it for awhile, you will slow down. If you spent 5-10 years learning to play piano and then hadn’t touched the piano for 10-20 years, you would get rusty. All it takes once you have mastered it is occasional practice. When buying a program, look for long term support and follow-up.



Myth # 6– “If You Look At the Naturally Fast Readers, Only Really Smart People Can Speed Read”



The truth is one of the things that made these folks smart was the fact that they were voracious readers. They loved to read. When you develop more ease with reading, you’ll read more and enjoy it more, and learn more. When you read more, you’ll naturally get smart!



Now that these 6 major falsehoods of speed reading have been explained, what will you commit to do to deal with your information overload? In today's knowledge economy there is no other option but to learn a new approach in getting through the piles.



Ed Caldwell, speaker, developer, trainer, and author, is president of Productive Learning Systems, Inc., and ProductivElearn.com and its sub-site speedreadingtactics.com. As a user and teacher of Dynamic Speed Reading skills for over thirty years, he has helped tens of thousands of learners from all walks of life to master their information overload.




Article Source: ArticleRich.com

Understanding The Basics Of Speed Reading

by Brandon C. Hall

Speed reading is not just a parlor trick you can use to impress your friends and family. For many it’s a necessary tool for managing time and information in the fast-paced business world, and for many others, specifically students, it’s the only way to get through reading-heavy class loads.



The practiced speed reader can pick up a lengthy document or a thick stack of papers and use their skill to get at the meat of the subject by skimming for the most important details and information. Without developing the ability to speed read, this time-saving technique is merely flipping through pages fast.



Speed reading, or increasing the rate at which you read text, is linked to increasing the rate at which you understand what you’re reading. The key to successful speed reading is increasing your understanding of the text as you increase the rate at which you read the words. It takes training and practice, but don’t be intimidated by the idea of a challenge. Think of it as the next, natural step to your reading development. Once you’ve mastered it, it’s a skill that will stick with you for the rest of your life.



As a child, when you began to learn to read, chances are you began with the alphabet and the specific sounds each letter makes. Then you learned how to combine and blend letter sounds to decipher words. It’s called letter-by-letter reading. Then something clicked and you began to recognize words without having to sound out each letter one at a time and you graduated to word-by-word reading.



With continued practice common words and sentence structure became more familiar and because your brain was tuned and ready, your eye started taking in blocks of words at a time. The difference between average readers and speed readers is in the blocks of words their eyes take in at one time. The larger the blocks, the faster your eye moves through the text.



Speed reading teaches you how to take your reading and your comprehension to the next level. The techniques used in teaching speed reading focus on your individual abilities, namely where you are right now and what might be keeping you from progressing. For example, if you are a slow reader, factors that hold you back may include, but are not limited to, moving your lips or reading out loud or holding the text too close to your eyes.



If you are in the practice of moving your lips, or speaking or whispering while you read, you’re slowing yourself down dramatically. Your lips can only move so fast. You should be able to read at least two or three times faster than you can speak. In effect, you’re keeping yourself at that word-by-word stage that children generally grow out of in elementary school.



Having the ability to speed read can make a significant difference in your life, especially if reading is a strong component of your work. Implementing some simple techniques can get you reading faster and more efficiently in no time at all.



To receive your complete speed reading course with free bonuses. If you want more articles and information on speed reading visit MySpeedReading.Com.



Article Source: ArticleRich.com

How to Speed Read - Why Speed Reading Will Improve Your Life

by Matt OConnor

Speed reading is the ability to not only read text far quicker than you would normally but to be able to absorb the information as well. It’s no good zooming down a page of text and then not being able to recall any of the information.



Speed reading is something that can be of great assistance to you in almost any working environment and particularly one where you have to take in a great deal of information daily - to the point where you feel your head might explode!



One of the most overlooked points about speed reading is that you must first know what you want to get out of the book you’re trying to read. Do you need to know all of the info in in-depth detail or do you just need to get a gist of what it’s about? In which case you can just skim over the outline of the book and that will suffice.



In other words, know what you want to achieve with your reading before you actually do it. This is a seemingly obvious thing to say but one which, nevertheless, is often overlooked and misunderstood. The key is to be able to skim extremely detailed documents but still pick up the required information - that is what speed reading enables you to do.



Think about how you read right now. As a child you merely went from letter to letter as you got older it was word to word. Now, you probably read in sections or groups of words at a time. You may find that you’ll read one block of words, go onto another and then skip back to the previous block of words because you failed to understand or just didn’t take in what you just read. This is a common problem with adults and their reading. Speed reading on the other hand aims to eliminate these issues and make reading a breeze whilst still absorbing the required info.



In short, a good speed reading course will allow you to read more words in each section, it should reduce the amount of time you spend reading each individual section and it should eliminate the number of times you return to each previously read section.



A great tip to reduce the amount of time you spend going back over words you’ve already read is to use a pointer, say a pencil or a pen, to guide your eye as you read the text. As you get better, increase the speed with which you move your pointer across the text, you’ll find this quickly improves the speed of your reading.



Want to learn speed reading? The author of this article runs a site dedicated to the latest news and developments in speed reading. Go now to get your free speed reading guide.



Article Source: ArticleRich.com

The Real Secrets of Speed Reading

by Matt OConnor

Imagine having the ability to absorb many times the amount of information in a shorter space of time than you ever thought possible.



Imagine being able zip through books, documents and papers and not miss a word, taking it all in but in half the time.



Sounds good doesn’t it?



This article will reveal some of the secretive tips and techniques that you can use to achieve this.



Its important to remember that you don’t have to take a lot of your current reading time to make a huge difference. If you could take a second off of a page, think what a difference that would make when you’re reading a whole book!



It’s really possible to take in all the info you need even when going through a book at a higher speed. Here’s some tips to achieve this...



Use your hand to guide your eyes across the page. It’s really that simple. Make sure you move your hand at a pace that feels right and keep it moving down the page. Don’t stop and start, keep it movinf and over time your eyes will be able to keep up. The more you practice at this the better you’ll become.



Another effective technique is to place a piece of card over the words that you have just read. Slide it down the page as you read and this will prevent you from going back over words you’ve already read. This is one of the main difficulties people have with reading quickly, they soon find themselves going back over the same words again and again. A simple piece of card should remedy the situation.



We’ve already talked about moving your hand down the page and letting your eyes keep up. Well, a similar techniques is to use your hand to draw across the page from left to right. Use a smooth motion and use your longest finger as a point to follow.



Other people may find it helps them to bunny hop their hand down the page. Small leaps down the tect can really make your eyes whizz along the page. This can also be achieved with a diagonal motion, but really it’s personal preference.



This techniques aren’t as easy as they seem and require some practice but if you give it a go you’ll find you can absorb boundless amounts of information with ease.



Did you know in recent studies that a higher rate of reading has been found to increase the level of comprehension? Amazing isn’t it? Those who read more slowly actually take in the information poorly when compared to faster readers, you’d think it would be the other way around!



It’s all to do with your concentration span. You must force your mind to concentrate on the page and rattle through the words more quickly.



Hold on though, the most important point is that you concentrate on your purpose of reading the article or book. By that I mean you must decide what it is you want to extract from the writing and concentrate fully on that. You must focus on how quickly you can pull out the ideas and information you’re after rather than just how quickly you can get through the page.



And that is the real secret of speed reading.



Want to learn speed reading? Matthew, the author of this article runs a site dedicated to the latest news and developments in speed reading. Go now to get your free speed reading guide.



Article Source: ArticleRich.com

How Does Speed Reading Benefit The Entrepreneur?

by Melvin Ng

As either an old-hand in the world of business, or new to the life of being an entrepreneur, one common factor that you’ll share, if you want to run a successful business that is, is an overwhelming amount of paperwork to read through. Now, you may decide that your entrepreneurial skills are more in management and delegation, and therefore offload this to your subordinates, or you may decide that being a "hand’s on" entrepreneur means ploughing your way through all of this paperwork.



Whatever the case may be, being a successful entrepreneur means knowing about all the fluctuations in the market before the rest of the pack do, and having the ability to run your business smoothly. To be able to do this, you will need to undertake research and collect relevant, pertinent, information. In short, as an entrepreneur, you have a lot of reading ahead of you.



Here, some entrepreneurs, even successful ones, find that fulfilling their need to complete all their necessary reading means that they spend more than 12 hours a day reading! But, don’t let the desperation, agitation, frustration and stress of reading all this necessary material get you down - there is a way to cut this reading time in half: thereby giving you more time to spend being the successful entrepreneur you always want to be!



So, how do you manage to improve the time you spend reading? Simple really, ask yourself the following questions:



- do you read pages from left to right, or do you concentrate on the centre of the line and scan the page down?



Empirical evidence shows that concentrating on the centre of the line and scanning the page down will increase your reading speed.



- do you read word-for-word, or do your sweep read?



Empirical evidence shows that word-for-word reading is both very cumbersome and reduces the reader’s ability to comprehend the material being read.



- do you sound out words and syllables as you read them?



If you sound out words and syllables as you read them then you are ’sub-vocalizing’. Although taught to many of us at an early age, sub-vocalization is actually one of the biggest hindrances on our ability to read faster. What’s more, although there are a number of proven downsides with sub-vocalization, there are no proven benefits. In short, you’re wasting valuable time!



- do you re-read material if you haven’t fully understood it the first time?



Although psychologically you may think it is more beneficial to re-read a passage you have not fully comprehended the first time you read it, in fact evidence indicates this is not the case. In any event, having the ability to speed read negates the need to re-read passages as with the ability to speed read comes higher comprehension rates.



So, as you can see, if you have answered yes to any one or more of these questions there is a very good chance you’re spending longer reading than is necessary. What’s more, if you were to take a speeding course you could easily find that you increase your reading speed by up to half - meaning that you’ll free up more time to do other essential tasks central to being and entrepreneur, like wining and dining, or spending more time with your family.



Other benefits you’ll be able to unlock by being able to speed read as an entrepreneur includes:



- having more time on your hands to research good business opportunities;



- having more time on your hands to read materials relevant to the business you already have;



- have more time on your hands to greet-and-meet your existing clients, like having the free time to play a round of golf;



- have more time n your hands to spend with your family;



- be in a better position to meet deadlines, as you won’t be bogged down with reading;



- be in a better position to take on more work and maximise your income potential;



- have less stress and frustration, as you’ll have been able to complete all your reading tasks within their given time;



- increase your comprehension and memory of the material you’ve read: it’s a proven fact that speed reading material is more likely to increase your comprehension of what you have just read than if you word-for-word, or re-read, material.



As you can seen then, the benefit of being able to speed read as an entrepreneur is that you are in a better position to manage your business more successfully and with less stress attached to the tasks you need to complete!



Melvin Ng teaches speed reading through his 16-Minute Speed Reading Audio Program
which Guarantees to Double your reading speed in just 16 minutes! http://www.best-speed-reading-course.com



Article Source: ArticleRich.com

The Natural Perspective of Speed Reading

by Kip Goldhammer

We all know how speed reading can enrich our lives both qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitatively, because by speed reading we will be able train our mind to process its thoughts faster, and that will make us more intelligent over time. Quantitatively, because speed reading enables us to save time and use it for living our lives to the fullest. When we speed read, we are digesting the thoughts of the writer in a shorter span of time, and that gives us more time to analyze those thoughts and even to start applying them to our lives.



Speed reading courses have mushroomed in recent times like a bacterium undergoing binary fission, but it is necessary to emphasize here that all of them need not be effective at all. Some of them might create temporary boosts of speed reading episodes, but that would be all. Most of these courses do not work in the long run because they skin the human brain superficially. There is no conscious effort at making the person realize that speed reading must come from within, and not from any outside factor.



That is why natural speed reading techniques are much more effective. These do not employ any outer factor for enhancing reading skills; on the contrary, they condition the human senses to begin reading faster. This certainly helps the person to read faster; and not only that, the reader can also assimilate the thoughts into memory for a much longer time. In time, the thoughts become constructive inputs to the mind, and the person's life becomes enriched.



You must certainly have heard that children have much better mental capacities than adults. They are able to remember many more things, and can read at a voracious pace than adults can do. Think about it. When you were a child you learnt your native tongue, your state's language and perhaps some others too. That happened as a natural process, didn't it? Do you remember making any effort to master those languages? But if you were to learn a foreign language today as an adult, you can very well appreciate the difficulties you will have to take.



Why does that happen? That is because, as children, our mind is much closer to the natural way it was made - i.e. devoid of the thoughts that we have pumped into it over the ages. As a result, children can read faster, and that certainly improves their mind. Adults have a mind crammed with worries, which does not allow them to savor reading as they did when children.



The prime intention of natural speed reading is to help the mind understand what is in the written matter. The thing to be remembered is that your knowledge of language is the most important tool in speed reading. In that sense, it is your knowledge that is driving in the other knowledge into your mind. This is the whole premise of natural speed reading techniques. You keep a free mind, and then use your own knowledge to better read what is in front of you.



Natural speed reading works in a much better way than other methods because it allows people to understand their own limitations, and trains them to condition their minds to word faster. This method does not just improve reading capabilities, but it can actually help the person to improve life at large.



Kip D Goldhammer owns and operates http://www.lightningspeedreading.com How To Improve Reading Speed



Article Source: ArticleRich.com

Speed Reading: Fact or Fiction?

by Michael Ford

Monday Rush



Julie is running late. It's Monday morning and she can't miss her class. There is no time for her to relax. She rushes to the subway and takes a seat. The other passengers are starring blankly straight ahead. Suddenly, Julie remembers that she was supposed to read the first chapter in her history book. She pulls out her book opens it to the first chapter. She flips a page. Then the second, third, -- page twenty, -- two hundred. Before she realizes it, the subway doors open and she has finished an entire book.



Fact or Fiction



Is this a dream or science fiction? Can someone actually read a book in 30 minutes? First, let's ask where the idea of speed reading originated. A woman named Evelyn Wood turned in an 80 page paper to her college professor expecting him to read and return it the next day. To her surprise he read the entire paper in seconds and graded it immediately. She was stunned. How could anyone read so much so fast? Her professor was one of a select few people at the time. He was a natural speed reader. Evelyn Wood went on to study this phenomena and eventually founded a speed reading institute in Australia. That was 40 years ago. Since then, speed reading has become popular in many countries. However, the technique is almost unknown in the USA.



Air Force Research



A device called a tachistoscope was used during WWII to help fighter pilots identify aircraft silhouettes. The device flashed an image on a projection screen for a fraction of a second. Psychologists and educational specialists working on visual acuity created an experiment where the images were gradually reduced in size and the flash rate was increased. An average person could identify small images of different planes when flashed on the screen for only one-five-hundredth of a second.



The U.S. Air Force modified the system by changing the images to single words. Then up to four words flashed simultaneously on the screen at rates of one five-hundredth of a second. The participants were able to recognize and understand the words. This experiment demonstrated that, with some practice, words can be recognized and understood at much higher speeds than normal reading rates.



Misconceptions



Unfortunately, the term speed reading received a black eye in the 1990's when a number of unscrupulous companies made outrageous claims about their speed reading products. These were often combined with useless memory enhancement packages and sold by snake oil salesmen that exaggerated the benefits of their systems. Many of the systems promoted completely different methods which often conflicted with each other. These systems relied on pseudo-science claims that were so far out that they make crystal healing look like cutting edge technology. Some unblinkingly claimed the subconscious could extract unnoticed content from the printed page. Confusion and frustration resulted when people tried to follow their bad advice. In spite of these obstacles, speed reading is making a comeback. Today we have a better understanding of how speed reading works in the brain. New and improved teaching techniques and the ability to use computers for training have made speed reading a hot topic again.



Before we see what speed reading is, let's look at what speed reading is not. Speed reading is not skimming. Skimming is an inaccurate reading method. Imagine trying to skim the instructions for your new hair-dryer and thinking it said 'use in shower' when it actually said 'do not use in shower'. Missing that all important word, not, changes the entire meaning. Skimming simply does not work. Speed reading is not skimming. A speed reader actually reads every word.



Speed reading is not pushing harder. Anyone can push harder to read faster but this only works for a few sentences before falling back to regular speed. Speed reading is a technique that allows you to read an entire magazine or book at speeds two to ten times faster than average reading speed.



Some speed reading systems go to great lengths to teach hand motion techniques or eye movement techniques. Research conducted during the development of Speed Reader-X™ has not shown these techniques to work in themselves. Some people find hand motions distracting while others use hand motions to stay focused. The best rule about hand motion is to use it if it helps and forget it otherwise. There is no magic hand motion that will increase your reading speed. Books can spend chapters explaining eye movement patterns. You move your eyes all day every day. It is not something that requires practice. Eye motions will come naturally.



Speed Readers



Speed reading has been part of big business and government for years. It has been taught to executives of many major companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Xerox, and Hewlett Packard. Even presidents have been speed readers including John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter. President Carter took speed reading lessons while at the white house and he read two books per week even with his Presidential duties.



Reading Speeds



According to SpeedReaderX.com, the average person reads around 250 words per minute. This is the speed of the little voice in your head that pronounces words as you read. Speed readers can read from 600 to 1500 words per minute or faster.



It is not uncommon for people to immediately double their reading speed when first learning speed reading techniques. Children eight years and older are the best candidates to learn speed reading. At this age they have a fairly large vocabulary and are familiar with reading. Speed reading becomes more difficult for adults. Just like learning a foreign language comes easy to children, so does speed reading. Adults have been reading the old fashioned way much longer so it takes longer to learn a new reading technique. Adults can still benefit from speed reading. They simply have to put a little more effort into it.



Speed reading can provide many benefits. It makes children want to read more. Speed reading fills a child's short attention span by fully immersing them in the material. They actually enjoy reading. This makes children much more likely to read for pleasure. Many studies have shown that children who read perform better in school and to have fewer behavioral problems.



ADD/ADHD/Dyslexia



Children with ADD, ADHD, and Dyslexia have trouble reading because these conditions make them right brain dominant. Most people are left brain dominant when it comes to reading. Speed reading uses the visual centers of the right side of the brain. This makes learning speed reading easier for these otherwise disadvantaged children.



George Stancliffe, founder of The American Speed Reading Project, has reported success in teaching speed reading to students that have ADD, ADHD, and Dyslexia.



Mr. Stancliffe said, "...many people with ADD or Dyslexia find speed reading easier than normal reading. Their brains take to the new, visual intake of words much more easily." He continued to say, "If you have a child who may have either ADD or Dyslexia, and you want him/her to be a better reader, one of the best things that you could do is to teach him/her to speed read."



The Secret



Now that we know speed reading reaches all the way to the Whitehouse, how does it work? The whole concept is actually quite simple. We learn to read in the first grade. By the second grade we recognize whole words. We learn more words and some grammar but that is the end of the teaching process. From this point on, we are effectively reading at a first or second grade level for the rest of our lives.



The human brain can take in information much faster than this. When you read this page, you are likely seeing one or two words at a time. But when you look at a friends face you do not look at individual features to determine who you are looking at. You see their entire face and you immediately recognize them. The brain processes images much faster than it can process words. When you watch a movie, you take in massive amounts of visual information. When a car zooms by on the big screen, do you say to yourself 'C-A-R, car'? Of course not. You see it and you know what it is. You do not have to sound it out or hear it in your head to know what you are seeing. But, when you see the word 'car', the little voice in your head says 'C-A-R, car'. This sub-vocalization slows reading to a snails pace. To speed read, you must learn to see words as images. You must re-learn to process what you read with the right side of your brain instead of the left side.



Speed reading is a technique that allows you to take in the printed word just like you take in images while watching a movie. You learn to change how you view words so they are seen as images by the right side of the brain instead of using the voice in your head with the left side. This completely changes how your brain processes information.



Bored Brains



How many times have you read a page and by the end realized you had no idea what you just read? This happens because the brain becomes bored with the slow reading pace and tunes out that little voice. Your brain wants to go faster than the voice in your head can read. This sub-vocalization is creating a reading speed limit.



Simply silencing this voice can dramatically increase reading speed. You are switching the reading responsibility from the left side of your brain to the right side. You must switch from using the reading and cognition centers to visual centers of the brain



Sub-vocalization is still important in the understanding of complex concepts but, it is not necessary and is undesirable for most of what we read. E-mail, magazine articles, and news articles simply do not require deep comprehension to understand. Subjects like mathematics, philosophy and complex concepts are not suited to speed reading techniques. Speed reading techniques are still useful in covering reviews and summaries of these topics.



Novels are read for enjoyment and are usually read in real time as if the events are happening in the reader's head. The voice in your head becomes the narrator. Zooming through lengthy descriptions that would otherwise cause the story to drag makes the overall novel reading experience more enjoyable. The reader can then return to normal reading speeds for the interesting parts of the novel.



Speed reading is always a useful tool for any type of reading. It is used when appropriate and gives way to normal reading when deeper understanding is needed.



Skeptics



There are some people that are still anti-speed-reading. It is important to be wary of skeptics who claim they have tried some or all speed reading programs and have failed. These people often make claims without going into details or citing methods they have tried. They do not reveal how long they tried the programs or if they followed the recommended practice sessions seriously. They frequently misapply speed reading techniques then claim failure without mentioning the fact they are reading the book upside down. They claim they cannot remember what they read at 2,500 words per minute but, forget to mention they have not developed the skill to read at that speed. They try to use maximum speed techniques on complex material which is contrary to the teachings of modern speed reading methods. Most of these people will be extremely negative towards speed reading and try to convince others it is a fake or a scam. These people often refer to the older snake oil systems from the 90's which provide a rich source for skeptics.



Comprehension rates determine how much we understand of what we read. It is easy to have 100% comprehension of one sentence. Longer articles or books may have unfamiliar words or concepts. This results in less than full comprehension by any reading method.



Comprehension levels of under 50%* are generally cited by skeptics as a failure in speed reading yet, this level is not uncommon in normal reading tests of high school and junior high children when reading adult level materials. Low comprehension for extremely high reading speeds is often cited as a reason for its failure but, this assertion ignores how modern speed reading works. Reading speed varies depending on the material. Maximum reading speed is not used constantly. This is no different than normal reading. You read faster when you need less comprehension and slower when you need more understanding.



Speed reading is a structured process which calls for some materials, such as text books, to be read at high speed, then a lower speed, and then reviewed at a highest possible speed. A 50% comprehension rate when reading 2500 words per minute is excellent. At this reading rate the reader can read an entire book twice in less time than they could read one chapter at a normal rate. On the second reading the comprehension rate can increase to 75% or 90%. A rate of 80% comprehension is common at normal reading speeds. With practice, comprehension at lower speeds, 600 to 1000 words per minute, can meet or exceed regular comprehension rates.



Skeptics often target systems that claim 10,000 words per minute. Such outrageous numbers do make easy targets. Those making 10,000 word per minute claims often fail to mention that comprehension at that speed is 0% to 5%, which is no different than skimming. This rate may be perfectly acceptable if you are looking for some specific information in a long report but, not if you want to remember what you are reading. Rates of 600 to 1500 words per minute are more common and provide the best speed/comprehension balance.



Retention is important. There would be no point in speed reading if you could not remember what you read. This is where many of the products from the snake oil salesmen fell short. People learned basic speed reading techniques but could not remember what they read. Retention and comprehension are actually improved by speed reading but, only after the reader becomes comfortable with speed reading. It takes practice to reach this level. You can easily recall dialog free action sequences of a movie after the movie is over. This information was taken in visually and very rapidly. Your brain is already trained to take in the information from a movie. After the brain is re-trained to take in written words visually, it actually becomes easier to recall and understand what is being read.



Training Products



New research has updated speed reading techniques since Evelyn Wood's discovery of speed reading in the 1950's. Computers now make it easier to learn and practice speed reading. The original books or audio programs on speed reading required you to time yourself while reading passages, write down the results, and repeat this process many times. Research during the development of the Speed Reader-X speed reading software showed that most people skipped over these sections which negated the effectiveness of these early speed reading books. With computer training software, the computer takes care of the timing and keeps track of your progress. The computer training programs show charts and statistics of your reading speed so you can see your progress. They also increase the difficulty as you progress and your skills improve. These new techniques and improvements in teaching methods make learning speed reading much easier and more reliable. There are new products that use the latest techniques such as Speed Reader-X speedreaderx.com and Eye-Q eyeq.tv which are among the leaders in the field of computer training software.



Mastering the Skill



Speed reading is a skill. It is a skill that takes practice. It is also a skill that can make a profound difference in someone's life. Very few people are natural speed readers but, almost anyone can learn the skills needed. Speed reading may not be for everyone, just as learning a foreign language is not for everyone. Today there are inexpensive software programs that make it easy and fun to practice speed reading. Speed reading results vary from person to person and can depend on many factors, not the least of which is the amount of effort put into it. Children stand to benefit the most, especially those with certain learning disabilities. Adults willing to learn a new skill can also benefit. Speed reading is more than simply reading fast. When proper techniques are ignored or remain unpracticed, the results can be disappointing. When the techniques of modern speed reading are applied and used correctly, the results can be astonishing.



For more information visit www(dot)speedreaderx(dot)com



About Authors :

Michael Ford pioneered the development of the Speed Reader-X software which is used to teach speed reading techniques in many schools. Michael has authored several books and is currently developing additional educational software.



Article Source: ArticleRich.com

Better Comprehension, Better Grades and More Money

by Leif Wheeler

Speed reading can improve your comprehension, save time, improve your grades and enable you to make more money.



Whether you are a parent looking out for your child's future or a business owner looking to improve yourself or your business, you should consider speed reading. Not just because I recommend it, but because it has factual evidence to back it up.



I'm sure you've heard of it, but have you really thought about how speed reading could

improve the way you live?



Did you know that speed reading could actually improve your reading comprehension just by changing the way you view words? Maybe it could help you save time or even make more money?



Save time and make more money?! Now I have your attention, don't I?



We all know reading is a required skill if you are going to accomplish anything in life. Speed reading is quickly becoming a very sought-after skill, especially in today's fast-paced world!



Studies have shown how speed reading in school-aged kids helps improve their reading comprehension, essentially by teaching them to look at whole words instead of the letters that make up the words. Reading more quickly and effectively helps them get better grades. Better grades in school means higher SOL and SAT scores. If they can read faster and receive better grades in primary, middle and high school, this could potentially give your child a big jump start toward more college opportunities.



The benefits of speed reading continue throughout the rest of their lives. Giving your child or even yourself more options for college offers a better chance of achieving the career of your dreams. More opportunities for self improvement opens more doors for a better life. And isn't that what we all strive for? To better ourselves and our lives? Reach for the starsand never give up on our dreams?



If your business is online, try this on for size. Online business moves very quickly, and if you aren't up to speed, you could get left in the virtual dust. The average Web surfer spends roughly 100 seconds on a single webpage before moving on to something else. That's about one minute, 40 seconds per webpage. Speed reading would allow you to read the information even more quickly and retain it more effectively. So if your business revolves around information, which most do, speed reading could boost your online business profits through the virtual roof!



I like to look at speed reading as a very valuable self-help tool. I am a firm believer that if you CAN do anything to improve yourself or your life, you SHOULD do it.



How often have you wished you had more time to sit and read a book? Self-help books are great motivators; imagine being able to read an entire book in minutes and retain the information you have read more effectively than if you had read it slowly.



I briefly mentioned in the third paragraph how speed reading could help you save time. I'd like to talk about that a little more in depth as I close this article. As human beings in today's fast-paced world, the more quickly we get things done, the sooner we get to move on to the next project or spend time doing things we enjoy. More productivity leads to more money and more free time to enjoy life.



If it's not already obvious, I strongly recommend speed reading to anyone with a willingness to learn and better themselves and their lives.



Leif Wheeler credits much of his success to the fact that he can read and comprehend at a rate much greater than the average person. Additional information about speed reading can be found at:
Speed Reading by Leif Wheeler



Article Source: ArticleRich.com

Speed Reading, Is It For Me?

by Steven Quinn

Everyone has probably observed others who seem to skim over a page quickly as they read. People naturally read at different rates, but there are some people who have learned to speed reading. These people also read at different rates but those people with speed reading skills all read faster than most people. Speed reading can be done by learning specific strategies for reading through material quickly and comprehending the material. Turning and skimming pages quickly is not much use if the reader does not remember or comprehend what they have read.



People who would like to read and comprehend more quickly should enroll in a speed reading class in order to acquire skills that will help them read faster and better. Speed reading courses usually provide the students with several strategies and techniques to read and comprehend more quickly. Students who enroll in a speed reading course should learn these strategies to improve their reading rate. Once students learn these strategies in a course, they will find many benefits. All of their reading assignments or duties will take far less time.



Students will be able to finish all of their reading requirements and have lots of extra time for the fun activities of college life. Business people will be able to study reports and other papers and have more time for family and fun. Students, business people and others who use speed reading strategies save time but they also comprehend the material that they cover. Courses often teach people to use techniques that are different from the techniques that they used to learn to read in elementary school. Most people initially learn to read in a linear fashion.



Speed reading courses often teach people to read the words in other patterns than the ones first learned in school. The courses usually train students to avoid reading each individual word. A good course in speed reading will change some of the habits that people have acquired in their traditional education. The course will also provide students with advice that will help them become better readers.



Distractions can interfere with reading comprehension and many instructors in a course will advise students to eliminate the distractions in order to achieve better reading comprehension.

The speed reading instructors often suggest ways that students should prepare for reading tasks before they read the first word. There are many strategies that people can use to become better readers and many are most pleased when they learn the strategies that help them.



Double YOUR Reading Speed In Just 16 Minutes - 100% Guaranteed..." www.bestspeedreadingcourse.com



Article Source: ArticleRich.com

How You Can Find An Extra 2-6 Hours Of Working Time Per Week

by Craig A. Garcia

Do you ever feel like there is just not enough time in the day? Many days you might leave your office wondering why you didn't get much more accomplished. Between dealing with different people and receiving phone calls, and trying to juggle all of the different little tasks you need to, the day can be gone before you know it. A huge challenge for many people is dealing with all of the information that they get get thrown at them through the mail, internet, fax, etc. It's quite a lot of reading!



How many hours a week do you think you actually spend reading - between emails, faxes, newspaper, reports, etc? I sure if you did an inventory of the time you spent on this every week, you would be surprised at the amount of your time that is gobbled up by reading. Now what if you could cut that in half? For some people that would free up a tremendous amount of their days, and allow them to accomplish a tremendous amount more. What many people don't realize is that it is possible to quicky and easily start the habit of reading faster - much faster.



Simply by being aware of the need and the ability that one has to ready faster, this typically helps in and of itself. Many people after a short tutorial can find that their reading speed can be doubled. And really the sky is the limit with the right instruction. There are highly successful people that have really taken this to an art form. Marshall Thurber, a well reknown expert in the field of wealth empowerment, is said to read 3 books before lunch every day. Even if you don't have that kind of reading ambition, it's pretty clear that even if you doubled your reading speed you could save yourself tons of time.



A simple tip you can start using to read faster is to be simply conscious of your reading speed and your need to improve it. For a free test of your reading speed and some free tips on reading faster, check out:



http://www.VelocityReadingSecrets.com



Craig Garcia is recognized as one of the Nation's leading experts on Mortgage and Equity Management. He is a Licensed Mortgage Lender who has been helping consumers with financing solutions for over the past ten years. More lending info can be found at http://www.GreenBrowardCounty.com
Always looking to for ways to improve his efficiency, he established Ballast Publications, which publishes subject matter in a variety of interesting subjects. The most recent publication shows readers how they can quickly and easily read faster. More information can be found at http://VelocityReadingSecrets.com



Article Source: ArticleRich.com