I am not going to discuss anything about facts or misconceptions about speed reading as they have been discussed for a long time in many books and articles. My concern is for those who would like to know the fundamental ways to learn to speed read. Before you start, you must first believe that it is possible. There is no point in starting the training if you have doubts about whether you can learn it or not. Second, you must have valid reasons why you need to study how to speed read, because if you don’t have any, in all probability, you will simply give up; the result is not overnight. I guarantee that it is not easy. So why would you want to learn speed reading? When will it be useful to you?
Speed reading can be useful in different situations: when you are going to take an exam; when he prepares to talk about a subject that he has just touched on; when you have been given a very limited time to read a long novel that you need to summarize, and other similar conditions. These are just some of the reasons why it is worth having the skill. Below are the first three steps that you should take wholeheartedly.
1. Become a voracious reader. I don’t think you’d like to learn to speed read if you don’t like to read, but it’s not enough to just like to read or read from time to time. You really must have this drive to read a lot and get familiar with different topics. Also, imagine trying hard to read so fast with all the words visible but not registering in your head, and it’s because many words you see are not common to you. Reading voraciously improves vocabulary all at once in a jiffy. If you don’t have any problems with this first step, some of the other steps will be easier for you.
2. Improve your eyesight. Naturally, you won’t be able to read fast if you have poor optimal vision. Do things that help you improve your eyesight. Wear glasses or contact lenses if necessary. The speed reading training itself will require you to read aggressively, rigorously, and to a large extent, so that you may strain your eyes. Do some exercises that will help you keep your eyes healthy. Look for articles on websites that give advice on how you can improve or maintain your eyesight.
3. Read in silence. Vocalizing the words you read slows you down. Practice reading with your mouth and even your mind in silence. If it’s too hard at first, give your mouth something to chew on, like gum, or bite down on a pencil. It is very important that you get used to this way of reading, so that your concentration is not divided between reading and listening. When you read with sound, you tend to listen to the pronunciation of your voice; as a consequence, it reduces its speed.
Those are the first three things you should do. Get used to reading every day. Remember to train yourself to read without vocalizing. The next steps I’m going to discuss in Part 2 are going to be easier after you accomplish the above. You will learn a lot by reading.
