“I am not a speed reader. I am a speed understander”
~Isaac Asimov
1. Change your definition of reading:
What does it mean to read? Most people consider reading as the act of looking at each word on a page in order to gain some comprehension. This definition holds most readers back. Instead, think of reading as a means towards accomplishing a goal. For example, find the number of times the word ‘it’ appears in this post.
Consider what you did/will do/would do to find the answer; you read the post. In other words, you examined a group of text to accomplish a purpose; that’s reading. Usually, your purpose will include inferring some comprehension from a passage. Typical purposes include; what is the most important point in this passage? What can I apply to my life? How many people were killed? And so on…
2. Define Your Purpose:
You cannot read without a purpose. Therefore, you must know your purpose before you start reading. Define specifically what you want to get out of the reading. Let headlines, subtitles or topic sentences give you a sense of what you want from the article. Do you want to remember some key points? Or are you just reading for fun. Any which way, define your purpose.
3. Use your finger:
When reading, your eyes have to make sure you are looking at the right words and lines as well as focusing on the words themselves. Use your finger to help guide your eyes. Trace the bottom of each line with your finger and use it as a cue for your eyes. This aid allows your eyes to completely focus on the text rather than worry about skipping lines or being on the wrong line. Use the movement of your finger to set your reading pace.
And that’s jus’ the tip
References/Further Reading
