Speed reading is the ability to read rapidly and with good understanding. Many students and other people who need to do a great deal of reading take courses in order to increase their reading speed and improve their comprehension.
There are many ways of learning speed reading. A machine that flashes words on a screen at increasing rates helps some readers practice their eye movements. Drills and workbooks assist some people in mastering certain activities or skills. However, the most important changes to be made are mental, not physical.
Speed-reading courses teach how to eliminate or control certain habits that tend to slow or distract readers. One such habit is vocalizing, in which the reader pronounces each word or syllable silently. Another habit is regressing, in which the reader goes back to reread a number of lines. A third bad habit is unnecessarily fixating (pausing) at long words that the reader already knows.
There are three good habits that can speed up a person’s reading rate and improve comprehension at the same time. The first is setting a definite purpose for reading, such as digging out facts, skimming for ideas, or enjoying a good story. The second is for the reader to push his or her reading speed to a level of slight discomfort, but not to complete confusion. Third and most importantly, the reader should concentrate and give full attention to the text. These habits together help reading efficiency, whether the material is interesting and well written, or not.
