We read thousands of words in a day – in school, on the computer, at work or just traveling, and are bombarded with words on a constant basis. It’s no wonder people can feel overwhelmed with all the information we have to process every day.

Because we have so much to take in, we are always looking for short-cuts – and Speed reading is one of those short-cuts.  It’s the ability to read better, faster and remember more than we would normally do, and frees up our time for other things.

Speed-reading is not just for geeks. The average person can learn to speed read. Most people waste a lot of time reading things without really understanding what they read. They skim over a page or newspaper just to get the highlights, and only stop to read something that catches the eye. You have to admit; when you do this you miss a lot.

With speed-reading you do basically the same thing – you skim over a story and take out the important things to remember. The difference is that you can skim over a lot more material, and understand what you are reading a lot better. It’s not rocket science. Speed-reading can improve our grades, and help you remember more of what you read. It’s just a tool that will make your life easier.

Speed reading classes simply teach a few easy ways to help a person concentrate better and pay attention to what they are reading. 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.

Richard Sutz and Peter Weverka  of the Literacy Company wrote a great book on speed reading to go along with their “Reader’s Edge Speed Reading Program,” is designed to help those who have little or no idea what speed-reading is all about to become better readers. Like all books for “Dummies,” it is written in a humorous way, step by step, for people of all ages to understand.

Sutz book offers good advice on ways to increase your reading speed, and understand what you read – no matter whether it’s a book, magazine, email or college textbooks and manuals. It will help you to break bad habits that and improve your memory.

Inside the book you will find:

  • How to know what level you are reading on now, and map your progress.
  • Tools and sample lessons to improve your reading skills
  • The basics to speed reading techniques
  • Ways to improve your vocabulary
  • Eye exercises that will help improve your eye health and allow you to see more of what’s on the page.
  • Tips for making your speed-reading skills last forever

When the authors were asked to explain what speed-reading is all about they say, “It is nothing more than an efficient way to read, and understand what you read.  In today’s information-based society, in which individuals are ultimately judged on how well they read, improving ones’ reading skills means improved efficiency and productivity.”