SPEED
READING
“Doubling my reading speed saves me hours every week”
-D DeSousa
“The reading breakthrough of the decade” - N.O’Malley
Double or treble your reading speed Improve your recall, (memory) Improve focus and concentration
eBool
read with eas
Trang 2First published by Cucoco Ltd., 2005
Unit 4, Campus Innovation Centre, National University of Ireland- Galway, Galway, Ireland Written by Dr Louis Crowe and Michael FitzGerald
ISBN: 1-905459-04-1
This book may be read by itself or as a companion to the ReadPal Speed software
program
www.readpal.com
All rights reserved
Trang 3Training Course to increase your reading speed
Welcome to ReadPal Speed Do the exercises
in the course and you'll soon be able to Speed read
Increase your reading speed by 50 - 300%, (some have even greater gains)
«Improve your comprehension and what you
remember
AutoSkim
« Use the revolutionary technology to get through your on-screen reading quickly
Be more productive in study and work
* Special section on efficient study
* By increasing your reading speed you can breeze through documents
* Use the ReadPal Program to make ai/ your on-screen reading more productive
Focus and concentration
« The exercises and techniques in this course will improve your concentration and focus
Have more fun and less stress reading
Trang 4"The covets of this book are too far apart.”
Ambrose Bieree, genius in need of ReadPal Speed
Dedication
To my mother and my darling nieces and nephew, Nuanna, Andreea and Louis May they be always happy and know the joys of reading (And to Karen S whom | promised to dedicate a book to 10 years ago)
| would like to specially thank
Cathal O' Keffee, Ciaran Byrne, Claire Cullinane, Goska
FitzGerald and Marcel De Sousa for their honest advice and corrections
Trang 5Contents page Part |, Introduction and Preparation
L_Ovewiew of course 7
2 Getting the most out of your course — 14 3._What they didn’t teach you in sehool 17 4 How Speed Reading works: 21 Part 11, Learning to Speed Read
S._Alourof ReadPal 25
6 Assessing your Baseline Reading Speed 33 7 The Training Sessions 3 8 Speed Training on printed material — 45 Part 111, Skimming and AutoSkim™
9._Overview and Skimming 110 10 AutoSkim™ Technology T12 Part 1V, Study,
11 Speed Reading and Stud) 180 “Part V Wrap up
12 Consolidating your gains 190
Trang 6Part |
Introduction and
Preparation
This section will give you an introduction to the course; answer common questions; explain what speed reading is and how it works
Trang 7Part |, Introduction and Preparation
Chapter 1
Overview of the course
The course has a simple structure This book will give you the background to speed reading and the techniques used to improve your reading speeds It will explain common bad habits in reading and how to overcome ‘them You can read the book by itself However, it will be most effective if used in with the ReadPal Speed software This software contains two types of exercises designed to increase your reading ability It also measures, tracks and graphs your reading speed In addition to the computer-based exercises, there are exercises to do on printed material to increase your speed
The user should regularly assess their speed in order to monitor their progress
The book contains special sections on skimming, effective studying, etc
Trang 8Part |, Introduction and Preparation
Some Common Questions about the Speed Reading Course
Question What improvements can | expect in my reading?
Answer: You can expect big improvements in your on- screen reading and in your reading of printed material, Let's talk about your print-reading firs
Typically users will increase thelr reading speed by 50-30% ‘The improvement you achieve depends on many things Your Initial reading speed, how often you train, etc Your improvements will be greater if you use ReadPal in your regular on-screen reading and if you follow the instructions for off- screen reading Even a 50% increase would make a huge difference to most people's lives (50% is a lot would you like 2.50% pay increasa?) A history student could expect to go up a grade with less work A business man might have a chance of keeping up to date in his field You might finish the Sunday papers on Sunday!
(On the internet there are many who
will claim to guarantee reading speeds “| took 4 speed- of tons of thousands of words Pet reading minute Whilst an occasional course
individual may reach such speeds and an read \War and be able to remember something of
what they ead they really are one-in- Peace jn twenty a-milion They usually perform a
type of skimming which is similar to — [)[)([©S, glossing over an article The targets
we set out are achievable and you involves Russia” can start to benefit from the very first
Suen Woody Allen
Trang 9Part 1, Introduction and Preparation
Fun! Reading should be fun and being a better reader will help you to enjay your reading more If you read a book in a day or two instead of a few weeks you'l find it more absorbing
(On-screen reading Just by using the ReadPal software for your everyday screen reading you will improve your productivity and help your reading speed (Even without doing the speed read training exercise) Depending on the formatting and the subject material users find that they can read more comfortably and with greater concentration at speeds 30% higher than they typically would otherwise The longer the document to be read the greater the advantages of ReadPal This is because without a ‘pacer’ the reader typically starts to drift when reading on- screen ReadPal will help keep them focus and concentrating Regularly using ReadPal, in addition to doing the training sessions, will greatly accelerate your progress and allow you to achieve greater reading speeds These improvements will be seen in both your on-screen and off-screen reading,
Question I'm a really bad reader - can it still help me? Answer One of the real joys of being bad at something is that there is so much room for improvement and usually big improvements are easily got! Consider an unfit, person and an elite alhlete starting on a training program for fone month, The elite athlete would be lucky to improve by 1% but the unfit person could easily improve their fitness levels by 50% So be happy if you are now a bad reader because that wil soon change
Trang 10Part 1, Introduction and Preparation
By using the ReadPal software they can fly through their on- screen reading,
If you are already a good or very good reader you should do more than one training session in one sitting, as they'l take you less time
Question: suggestions? | am almost too busy to do the course any Answer: Yes, several
Firstly, we have set up the software so that you can do the speed training sessions on nearly any computer document This way you can use documents that you need read anyway for your training
“Men of power have no time to
read; yet the
men who do not
read are unfit for
Secondly, the sessions are designed to 5 take less than a half hour, not a lot POWEF considering the benefits of faster reading Michael Foot (On the days when you don’t have time for
a ‘Standard Session’ we have included an option of doing a "Quick Session’ which takes less time
Lastly, calculate the number of hours you spend reading every year and see how much time you would save it you doubled your reading speed,
Question sessions like? What are the computer based training Answer: There are two types One is a general speed training exercise that uses a technique know as Rapid Serial Visualisation Process (RSVP) The second is specifically designed to increase your visual span, (this is the number of words you can absorb in a single glance)
Trang 11-10-Part |, Introduction and Preparation
The Rapid Serial Visualisation Process (RSVP) technique presents words or groups of words on your screen in rapid succession and at increasing speed This challenges your brain and visual system to read more with each ‘glance’ and to process them more quickly When challenged in this way your brain responds accordingly
Question: | may read something more quickly but will 1 understand it and remember it as well?
Answer: Yes!
During the course you will read at speeds that are difficult for you During some training sessions you may not understand land remember much This is part of the training However, when not training your reading speed will be much higher with no loss of understanding, Indeed, many, especially previously slow readers, greally increase their understanding at all speeds (This is probably because they no longer read single words in isolation but rather groups of words which together make the context clearer)
Question: How often should I train?
Answer: We recommend that you train for about a half an hour four times a week for about a month We have included over 40 short stories in the software for you to train with, However, you can, of course, train more intensively, (but stop if you are feeling tired)
The more that you read,
the more things you will know
The more that you learn,
the more places you'll go
Trang 12Part |, Introduction and Preparation Symbols used in the book
This is Julie, she reads at 2,000 words per minute (She could read this entire book in just a half-hour) She will point out some ‘common reading problems and give you tips
“ This is Amy who is seven with Fetch, her dog She is 1 {most adults This drawing means that there is a learning to speed read and already reads faster than )\\ speed assessment to be taken (You find out Woe how quickly you can read)
4 Las
‘And this is the symbol for a speed training exercise,
(đây THis same sen the egondary wrt of Uset During the course youtl read and enjoy one of his short stories
Trang 13Part |, Introduction and Preparation
Glossary
On-screen reading _ Reading on your computer soreen; any digital reading
Print / printed material reading Reading anything ‘physical’, like a book, magazine or newspaper
Words per minute / wpm This is your reading speed, The number of words can you read in a minute with good understanding
ReadPal software This is software that allows you to read almost any computer document with more ease and speed tis intended for everyday usage, not just when you are training to increase your reading speed
ReadPal Speed software This is the speed training module of the ReadPal software This module contains the speed training exercises that will increase your
reading speed
“There are worse crimes
than burning books One
of them is not reading them.”
Joseph Brodsky
Trang 14Part 1, Introduction and Preparation
Chapter 2
Getting the most out
of your Course
The course is only of use if people use it! This chapter is about how to ensure you will
reap the full benefits not just for a day, but for the rest of your life As in much of
life you get out what you put in
Reading is a most important skill; it deserves some time and commitment Not much time, mind you and not much commitment -just a little perseverance View the time you spend speed training as an investment Just doubling your reading speed could save you thousands of hours over the years,
Psychologists have studied why some people keep resolutions, (like New Years Resolutions), and why some don't If you adhere to the following simple procedure you are twice as likely to sueoeed It seems silly but by writing down a specific goal and exactly how you are going to get there the mind suddenly takes this promise more seriously Don't just think it ~ ink it? ‘The mind finds it easy to squirm out of resolutions if thay are vague, or never ending, or foo big,
Trang 15Part |, Introduction and Preparation
“if you aim at nothing, you'll hit it
every time.”
‘Anonymous
“The research tells us to be:
‘© Specific, (nothing vague or ‘airy fairy’, like "I'l improve soon!)
Clear
Goal oriented
“The research also tells us that a promise written down is worth ten made in the mind Writing it makes it concrete
Things are much easier to stick with if they become habits It is much easier if something becomes a routine This is one reason why most people don't forget to brush their teeth (They always do it last thing before getting into bed when they are in the bathroom) So you should try to get into the habit of doing your training at the same time everyday You can, of course, train more than once a day, but if you promised to do it at a particular time try to keep that promise and anything else isa bonus
When you are ready to start the steed training sessions you should fill out the declaration on the next page
“In life, as in football, you won't get far unless you know where the
goalposts are”
Arnold H Glasgow
Trang 16
Part |, Introduction and Preparation My Promise to Myself
I ., solemnly undertake to
improve my reading speed
My baseline speed is , this will improve by AT LEAST 80% †o or more
| will do this by doing (tick):
30 ReadPal Speed Training Sessions ‘The ReadPal exercises in the Library
The printed material exercises, described in this book
The exercises in this book
| will do number of sessions per day, (weekday) This means that | will do sessions per week
If at all possible | will do this
(Eg every weekday first thing at work after switching on my computer - try and be specific with your time and place this help enormously: then stick with it)
Improving my reading speed will help m 1
2
(Again, be specific, e.g this will help me increase my History grade by )
“It is never too late to be who you
Trang 17Part |, Introduction and Preparation
Chapter 3
What they didn't teach you in school
This chapter describes the common bad habits of average readers and how they can
be overcome
The three bad reading habits of the average reader
‘The following are typical traits that hold people back when they are reading We learn them in childhood and often never get Tid of them:
4 Sub-vocalisation 2 Back-tracking
Trang 18Part |, Introduction and Preparation
Sub-vocalisation
This is the term for talking under your breath or saying each word as you read it, EVEN in your head When we learnt to read we pronounced each letter to form a ward Then we pronounced each word This is a good and necessary stage for learning However, it has obvious limitations Most of us can’t talk that quickly If we ate going to let our reading be limited by how quickly we can talk, even internally, most of us will never read that fast It would be like having a car and limiting it to how fast you could walk, For many readers this is the first stumbling block Some have been sub-vocalising for decades - so you would expect that this is a hard habit to break Thankfully, it is not It requires two things Firstly, a decision not to ‘say’ the words to yourself while reading and secondly, practice at reading too quickly to say them Most people find that when forced to read at a rapid pace they simply can't say all the words If you find that this is a persistent problem with you try reading with some classical music playing in the background (Music with vocals or talk-radio is generally too distracting for good concentration),
RoadPal is ideal for eliminating sub-vocalisation You simply have to set a fast pace and try to keep up If you are reading can important document and need to read it slowly stil try not to sub-vocalise If you catch yourself doing this just continue reading but try not to say the words
This insight alone allows many average reader's speed to soar! (There does seem to be a small sub-section of people who do continue a form of sub-vocalisation and still reach respectable reading speeds However, they are the exception not the rule)
“Once we have learned to read, the
meaning of words can somehow register without consciousness.”
Anthony Marcel
Trang 1918-Part 1, Introduction and Preparation
Back-tracking
Unnecessary backtracking is the second bad habit of average readers Average readers tend to read a few words and then go back and reread some of them Most of the time this is not just unnecessary but actually hinders the understanding of the text because it becomes disjaintad Again, this is a habit we formed while learning to read, Starting out we were naturally unsure of every word we read and frequently went back to double-check that we had got it right This is appropriate for beginners However, if you can read this book, frequent backtracking is not appropriate for you you've progressed well beyond that level and it is only holding you back,
Backtracking is usually a subconscious habit - people don't even realise that they are doing it (However, if we track the person's eye movements with a high-speed camera it is clear that they are frequently back-tracking) You can't expect to make much progress if for every two steps forward you take fone step back It is a habit that needs to be broken Thankfully help is at hand! The exercises in the ReadPal Speed Course will help eliminate unnecessary backtracking During the speed training sessions you are forced onto the next word/group of words Backtracking regularly, (many times within a sentenea), is net an option,
By using ReadPal software to read your everyday documents on-screen you can reinforce your new good behaviour Of course, on occasion, you may not get the meaning of a sentence and will need to go back and reread the sentence That's fine, simply use the rewind function
However, during the speed training sessions you should not use the rewind function The training sessions are aggressive in forcing your pace If you don't catch something that's perfectly fine, In fact if you catch everything and understand it all you are training at too slow a pace
Trang 20Part |, Introduction and Preparation
Always reading at the same speed
If you are jogging and come to a hill you will slow down because it is more difficult; you'll naturally speed up going downhill, Likewise with reading; if you are reading something difficult it is often necessary to slow down On the other hand if you are reading something you find easy let your reading speed soar Don't be stuck in the one gear for all your reading Shift it around a little
‘The world may be full of fourth-rate
writers but it’s also full of
fourth-rate readers.”
Stan Barstow
Trang 21Part 1, Introduction and Preparation
& Chapter 4
How Speed Reading
works
This chapter describes the theory of speed reading training Why you must push yourself to your limits and beyond Why, like physical fitness, you must use it or lose ji
It is easy!
Trang 22Part 1, Introduction and Preparation
‘As with physical exercise you must push yourself to improve It js by reaching beyond your ‘comfort level’ that you attain speeds you never thought were possible If you want to run faster you must train at fast speeds Walking a marathon won't help a 100-meter sprinter much In training if you want to sprint you must do strength and speed exercises, If you are happy reading at say 200 words per minute well and good However, if you want to comfortably read at 600 words per minute you must train at high speeds Speeds that initially push you and challenge you But persevere! Great speed ‘comes to those who practice at great speed
“Use it or losa it” The fit person must regularly exercise if they want to maintain their fitness Reading fitness must also be maintained by regularly reading at top speeds This keeps the mind agile and prevents you from slipping back into older, slower ways This is one of the huge advantages of ReadPal software (In addition to the Speed Training Course) you can use ReadPal software to read everyday documents - documents
that you would be reading anyway tor work of pleasure, "Time management This allows you to maintain
Jour reading speed peteang js |ife management
the advances you have made fs
Everybo, jes
1AT
Speed Course you should read time, It’s not as man documents and :
sbooks as possble udng the optional Some
ReadPal software We
recommend using it to speed People just do it read at least once a week :
and preferably read al your better than others
onvscteen material at high speeds If possible, you should set de ton minutes for high speed reading twice every
week, You can choose a document for fun or one that needs to be read anyway
Dr Gene Griessman, in How To Get More Out Of Every Day
Trang 23Part |, Introduction and Preparation
The eye movements during reading
When you read something the eye does not move smoothiy over the text as you would imagine Instead the eye hops along the line(s) Next time you are beside someone reading look at their eyes and your will see ‘them jerking The eye stops, focuses on a few letters or words, takes them in and then moves on to the next group of letters or words, focusing on them, taking them in, At each stop it takes in some information The brain pieces all this together and you understand what has been written
From this you can see that there are two principle ways to improve your reading speed The first is the time spent on each focus If you half the time per focus, (and you read the same amount with each focus), then you double the speed that you are reading at Secondly, it you double the amount that you can read with each focus then also increase your speed ReadPal Speed trains you to both increase the speed of each focus and how much you can take in with each focus
“| had just taken to reading | had just
discovered the art of leaving my body to sit impassive in a crumpled up attitude in a chair or sofa, while | wandered over the hills and far away
in novel company and new scenes My world began to expand very
rapidly, the reading habit had got
me securely”
MG Walls
Trang 24
Part II, Learning to Speed Read
what they didn't teach you at
school
The fun begins now using ReadPal and learning to speed read At the end of this section you will have all the knowledge and techniques needed to increase your reading speed Well take you on a tour of ReadPal, show you how to use it and do the speed training sessions
You'll check your baseline reading speeds so you can quantify your improvements There are basic techniques to improve your reading off-screen as well These little ‘tricks of the trade’ are explained and you will do some exercises to practise them
You should refer to the ReadPal Manual, (tree download at www.readpal.com )
Trang 25Part 11, Learning to Speed Read
Chapter 5
A tour of ReadPal and the Speed Training Module
You'll be introduced to ReadPal software and the Speed Training Module of ReadPal You will take a brief tour of ReadPal features and learn why it can make your life a little easier
‘The ReadPal software programme accompanying this book has two main parts!
1 ReadPal the basic application that allows you to read most on-screen documents faster and more comfortably
2 The Speed Trainer Module of ReadPal This is the core of the speed reading course It comprises of a
Trang 26Part |
Learning to Speed Read
series of exercises designed to increase your reading fitness It has an assessment mode that can measure, track and graph your reading speed automatically You should refer to the manual to install the software, Browse through the manual and familiarising yourself with the product,
Trang 27Part 11, Learning to Speed Read li ] = | ——— = i I Compatible applications
‘You can use ReadPal to read most documents and the internet (Including Microsoft Word, Emails, Paf files)
1d better with Readpal
=
=5 -~.- computer screen
ReadPal extracts the text from the document and re-presents it to you in a way that is much easier to read
¢ Faster reading .Get through documents in haif the time, (even without speed training)
Comfortable reading Less glare with a black background Large font Throw away those reading glasses!
Print less Eco-friendly
Web page ads ReadPal reads around them
No clutter ReadPal lets you read in a simple uncluttered frame
Trang 28-31-Part 11, Learning to Speed Read
Whether you are reading for fun or work using ReadPal will make reading on-screen, more pleasurable, more comfortable land much more efficient It will help you develop and maintain reading skills that will be of use in the print world too
Text editors, like Microsoft Word, are designed to make writing and editing easy The requirements of comfortable and efficient reading are different, ReadPal allows you to read the way you lke, (not the way the author wrote it), It will take any large chunk of text and present it to you the way you lke to read on-screen
“The best thing about ReadPal is that it allows you to practice speed reading on your everyday documents”
EC Mahon
ReadPal has three main modes for reading:
1 The Column Mode
This is a passive mode - you decide when you need to move onto the next page’screen,
2 The Banner Mode
This is an active mode, Text is presented to you at a set pace, ø.g you decide to read at 200 words per minute and words, (or groups of words), are presented to you at this pace
3 The Sentence Mode
This is also active Sentences are presented to you, ‘one after the other, at the rate you decide, e.g 200 words per minute,
Trang 29-28-Part 11, Learning to Speed Read
Use the Column mode for comfortable but efficient reading: the Sentence mode is ideal for study or trying to get a good command of a document -especially when you need to get through your work at a good pace; use the Banner mode if you are a speed merchant! The Banner
Mode is for speed training and for
texing at hgh speeds "You cm "“KNowledge is
use it to be aggressively fy
sitien.io ge trough al int free at the
reading in double quick time, library Just
You can set up each mode with
yor sterol jot, et ae, ring your own
Colour combinaion and rà
Presentation style In the active containe
modes you also set the speed at
which you wish to read, Anonymous
Trang 30-29-Part 11, Learning to Speed Fiead The Column Mode
The Column Mode allows you to read in a more relaxed manner Newspapers are divided into narrow columns because it is easier to read in columns, (If fone line stretched all the way across a page you'd lose your position too often) In ordinary on-screen reading people also lose track of where they are, It takes just a fraction of a second to find your new position but these fractions add up and they detract from the reading experience
People read most easily, (and quickly), if they can take in all the words of a single line in one focus’ glace of the eye They then read straight down the column, from one line to the next Very accomplished readers are able to take in several line at atime
The Banner Mode
This is the Column Mode of reading
Newspopers are arranged in columns because it Is easier and quicker to read columns
The eyes do not get lost
‘tracking across a long line You can choose the colurmn width, ‘the Font, Font size and colours +o suit your eyes and reading style With ReadPal you can always read in your Favourite Format no matter how the original document was created
This is the Column Mode of reading
bd of dormant
In the Banner Mode there is a sequential presentation of words or groups of words from the document that you opened
+ This paces you at a set speed, (you can adjust your reading speed / words per minute)
Trang 31Part 11, Learning to Speed Read
‘+ You can optimize the words presented per frame, (with training each focus will be able to take in more words) ‘+ The flash of text makes a clear retinal imprint that the
brain can easily interpret
+The eyes do not waste time moving and finding the next word to focus on They remain focused on the same spot and the words come to them
‘The Banner Mode is ideal for speed training It allows you to increase the span of your focus - how much you can take in in a single focus / glance It allows you to increase the speed of each frame It is set to read at between one and 3,000 words per minute, It helps develop good reading habits It eliminates habitual backtracking (If you miss something you can, of course, rewind)
Trang 32Part 11, Learning to Speed Read The Sentence Mode
This a very enjoyable way to read It is like The Banner Mode except that it presents one full sentence after another (The speed is adjusted according to sentence length) It is less aggressive than the Banner Mode but if you set a fast pace it can still keep you on your toes
Install ReadPal and play around with it Install ReadPal and begin using it (You should consult the manual, download from www.readpal.com )
Most of the Menu system is self-explanatory You should try things out find your favourite way of reading Go into the ReadPal library and choose anything that takes your fancy Use it as a testing ground for the different ways to read
Flick through the manual to make sure you've found and understood all the product features, especially the formatting and speed settings Try the different ways to read at varying speeds
TIP: Please note that it is not recommended that novices change the text handling rules in the Format menu as it can upset the reading experience
“Never judge a book by its movie”
Trang 33Part l1, Learning to Speed Read ` Chapter 6 Assessing your Baseline Reading Speed
It is good to measure how by much your reading speed is improving
Getting your baseline reading speeds
It is not absolutely necessary to know what your reading speed is If you just do the training sessions you will still notice a big improvement in your reading speed However, it is very beneficial to know it You can quantify the improvements and sel targets This is a great motivator You should get your baseline reading speed and then checking It once every one to two weeks,
Your reading speed is defined as your ability to read X number of words per minute at reasonable comprehension and retention We say you can read at X wpm
Trang 34Part |
Learning to Speed Read
You can check your reading speed using the short stories in the Speed Trainer menu During the Speed Assessments you should read at @ brisk but comfortable speed Al the end of the assessment you should write down a quick, (2 minute} ‘summary of the story If you cannot do this you were probably reading beyond your present limits, Choose another story and repeat the assessment,
Your reading speed differs when you are reading on-screen or printed material; whether you are using FeadPal to read or not (Most people find that they can read much faster on-screen using ReadPal)
We've identified four speeds that ideally you should measure on a regular basis However, if you wish to measure just one use the Auto-Assassment as it is the most convenient and interesting, (number 3) Before checking your speeds you should read the chapter on it in the manual
1 Your speed on printed material (Gick on one of the short storia in the Speed Training menu and print out the Notepad document that opens up Divide the number of words in the story by the number of seconds it took you to read it and mullioly by 60 to get your words per minute, wpm),
2 Your on-screen reading speed, without ReadPal (Click ‘on one of the short stories and time how long it takes you to read the document on-screen in NotePad ‘Again divide the umber of words in the story by the
number of seconds it tock you to read and multiply by 60 to get your wpm.) Most people find they can instantly read faster using ReadPal
3 Aulto-Assessment (Banner)
ReadPal will automatically calculate and graph your speed tor you using the Banner Mode of reading, (Refer to the Speed Manual on reading assessment)
Trang 35Part I, Learning to Speed Read 4, Self-Assessment (Colurnn)
‘This measures your reading speed using the Column Mode TIP: Your speed should be checked under optimal reading conditions
For _ Auto-Assessment, (assessment 3), we suggest the following format for your first assessment Also be sure to be in the Banner Mode and “Let ReadPal set words
per screen”
Words per minute ss
Words per screen (dems _
"mm ample text
đi Ge Ge) GS)
© custone (Yu chose)
Youcan so ute the ko lezte opal thee tira
Trang 36Part 11, Learning to Speed Read
‘Your speed will automatically be dated, saved and graphed in the Speed Training Menu, (see Speed Manual)
You should do a speed assessment NOW!
WELL DONE! You've taken the first few steps to becoming a better, faster and more efficient reader
"A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step”
Proverb
Trang 37Part 11, Learning to Speed Read
Chapter 7 ¡ xé CÔ
The Training Sessions
This chapter will give information on the
computer sessions -what they are like and
how you should prepare for them
‘There are 4 types of speed training exercises; two are computer based, these form the core of the course This chapter deals primarily with the computer-based Speed Training Sessions,
‘Computer-based training exercises + The Speed Training Sessions
2 Visual-Span Exercises These expand your visual span, (how many words you can focus on at a glance)
Printed material exercises
3 Exercises that you will find in this book
4 Exercises that you do on your own material, e.g, newspapers
Trang 38Part 11, Learning to Speed Read
The Speed Training Sessions
‘There are over 30 Speed Training Sessions If you follow them you will see significant improvements after only a few sessions Each session is made up of a short story
or article They are a selection of wonderful but simple stories, written by some of the world's greatest authors, The authors include James Joyce, Mark Twain, Leo Tolstoy
‘The short stories used for the Speed Sessions ara arranged in order of increasing length However, your reading ‘speed will be increasing all the time The length of each is stated in the title
During the Speed Training Sessions
“Outside of a dog, a
book is a man’s
best friend Inside
of a dog, it’s too
dark to read.”
Groucho Mars
you tead and reread the same story at much higher speeds than you are used to The words of the story are presented to you at a multiple of your regular reading speed Try to keep reading at this faster pace Steadily your brain learns to read at new, greater speeds
Preparing for a session
‘An athlete needs to be prepared to get the most out of their training, so do you
Where you read is important Set aside the time, (maybe a half-hour, depending on your reading speed), preferably in a place where you won't be disturbed
Trang 39Part |
Learning to Speed Read Reading position and posture
This is important for two reasons Firstly, a good reading posture will help your concentration If you are slumped in your chair or reciining on your couch you won't get the full benefit from the session Secondly, for your general health If, like many of us, you're in front of a monitor all day long a bad posture can do great harm
Make sure that you are sitting comfortably Do not strain to get into a position if itis a strain on your body it is probably doing harm “If you do not have a proper chair, etc., at the very least your feet should be flat on the floor; your back should be supported and your bum pushed well into the chair (This will help keep your back straight and aligned) The moniter should be at a comfortable distance for reading - you shouldn't need to lean forward,
You should place the ReadPal screen up at the top of your monitor This will help keep your head aligned (Using laptops: most people end up reading with their head bowed This is bad for posture and bad for breathing}
‘The following are indicators of goad on-screen reading posture, Eyes level with what you are reading
‘Arms supported, elbows ideally at ~90° Ears, shoulders and hips aligned
‘Burn well lucked into seal and lower back supported Knees at or slightly below hip level, (Le use a high chair) Legs uncrossed
Feet flat or on rest
Before starting you should take @ couple of deep breaths to help release any tension,
Trang 40Part II, Learning to Speed Read
Poor Posture
Good Posture - note the alignment of ear,
shoulder and hip