Volumes upon volumes have been written about speed reading. In addition, there’s plenty of software available to help students and professionals maximize their time by cutting down the hours they spend reading. But does speed reading really work or is it an illusion created to rake in the almighty dollar? Let examine some of the facts.
Believe it or not, speed reading has a foundation in psychological research. The concept first developed when scientists in the US Air Force proved that people could recognize a group of four words in one five-hundredth of a second. Unfortunately, the story begins to turn a little bit at this point. Apparently it’s easier to recognize a group of four words quickly than it is to read a page quickly and even when high speeds are achieved, reduced comprehension usually accompanies it. For example, top contenders in the World Championship Speed Reading Competition read between 1,000 and 2,000 words per minute but their comprehension rate is about 50%. For those of us who read for information, 50% retention is utterly worthless.
Don’t despair though! You don’t have to read at 2,000 words per minute to benefit from speed reading. The average adult only reads at about 250 words per minute and with a few simple tips, you could easily read at 600 to 1,000 words per minute. How?
1. Read Chunks of Words- This technique is appropriately called “chunking.” Instead of looking at each word individually, you try to see words as 3 to 5 word phrases. It takes a while to get the hang of it but once you do, your reading rate will shoot upwards.
2. Avoid Subvocalization- Can you hear yourself when you read this sentence even if you’re not talking? If so, you’re subvocalizing. You don’t need to hear the word “car” to picture a car. If you’re used to subvocalization, then this tip may be the hardest for you. Don’t get discouraged! Work at it and soon you’ll be visualizing your books rather than vocalizing them and visualizing is a heck of a lot faster!
3. Use Your Hand as a Pace Car- This technique was named after its founder Evelyn Wood. The Wood Method is accomplished by moving your hand across a sentence at the speed you’d like to read. The method works because as humans, we’re highly attuned to motion and you eye will naturally follow your hand. Try it! It’s an easy way to get started speed reading.
While there are reports of people who can read 25,000 words per minute with perfect recall, those cases are few and far between. You may never finish War and Peace in one sitting, but with a little practice you may be able to finish a Harry Potter book in a couple of hours.
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