Two-Time USA Memory Champion, memory training expert and memory keynote, Ron White, has taught Speed Reading in his courses and believes everyone can benefit from learning the technique.
Speed-reading is not just for nerds. Anyone can learn it. People who read things without really understanding what they read waste a great deal of time. By skimming over a page or newspaper, and only stopping to read something that catches the eye, you have to admit – you miss a lot!
A course on speed reading can be life-changing. Â You can become more efficient, free up your time, and find you are better able to comprehend and retain more of what you have read.
For students it will improve your study skills – and could be the difference between a B or an A. For professionals, it will make you a more valuable employee.
Because we are bombarded with all types of things to read each day – road signs, pamphlets, menus, email, Twitter, Facebook, etc. we are always looking for short-cuts to allow us to take in more. If you recall a movie in the 1980’s starring Ally Sheedy and Steve Gutenberg titled “Short Circuit†you will remember the robot, “Johnny 5,†was always searching for “input.†That is what our brains are processing every day – tons and tons of input.
With speed reading we can process the written “input†much more efficiently. It gives us the ability to read faster and retain more than normal, and frees our time for other things. The average person reads at a pace of approximately 250 words per minute. A speed reader can absorb from 600-1500 words per minute, or more, without losing any comprehension. As a matter of fact, it will probably increase your grasp of the subject matter.
Speed reading is a memory technique much like watching a movie. You are taking the printed word and processing it through you brain to form a picture. Instead of sounding out words on the left side of your brain you learn to condition the right side of your brain to view the words. The course then trains the reader to look at a word without having to concentrate on each and every letter. This completely changes how your brain processes “input.â€
The basic idea is that your eye is drawn to motion, and speed-reading will teach you to use motion to keep you eyes on the page. Speed reading classes simply teach a few easy ways to help a person concentrate better and pay attention to what they are reading.
Sub-vocalization is the biggest challenge presented to people learning speed reading. We are taught as children to read aloud, or to ourselves, and sound out the words. With speed reading you have to retrain yourself to eliminate that step and your brain will immediately process the words as pictures, thus make it easier to remember.
Perfect for children with developmental handicaps and short attention spans – like ADD, ADHD and Dyslexia, speed reading helps to prevent them from getting bored by focusing on the material and allowing them to enjoy what they read. Research has also shown that students who use speed reading have fewer behavioral problems.
Speed reading programs, such as those available through Brain Athlete, will be beneficial to everyone at some time or another. We read at different speeds at different times, but the course is beneficial for all types of reading needs by teaching memorizing techniques for all occasions.
Resources:
Comprehension and the Art of Speed Reading, by Francis Hesse: http://www.articlesbase.com/time-management-articles/comprehension-and-the-art-of-speed-reading-480366.html
Speed Reading: Fact or Fiction by Michael Ford – http://www.positivearticles.com/Article/Speed-Reading-Fact-or-Fiction/31156
Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachistoscope and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Wood_%28teacher%29