Speed Reading Can Help You Read Faster And Comprehend More

Speed reading has fascinated many people and has become popular in the last 50 years. Evelyn Wood began the excitement in the late 1950s while a school teacher in Salt Lake City after observing one of her grad school professors quickly read through an article. President John Kennedy often praised the Evelyn Wood program and brought additional attention to it. Because we live in an age where time is money, reading faster and increasing comprehension have become valuable skills. Imagine being able to take in groups of words just like you would take in images you see in a movie. This the essence of speed reading.

You don't need a graduate degree to learn to read faster and comprehend more. The techniques involved can be learned by reading books, watching instructional videos, or taking courses taught live or on the computer. Not everyone can learn to apply the techniques required, however. You will need basic vocabulary, critical thinking and comprehension skills to start out with. But, for most people, learning simple speed reading techniques can boost anyone's reading speed and improve long term comprehension.

Reading quickly may have some drawbacks. Many detractors have cited comprehension levels under 50% as a negative. But, studies of school children have shown that such levels are not atypical when reading at "normal" speeds. It is true that comprehension levels do fall off with increased reading speed. But, this can be compensated for by reading in ways that accent critical thinking techniques which actually help increase comprehension. And, comprehension often depends on the specific questions asked about the material. The learnings of the reader may not always coincide with the expected learnings of the test developer.

The skills required take practice. When speed reading techniques are neglected for a while, reading speed often tends to drift back down to "normal" levels. Most modern speed reading courses present a step-by-step progression of techniques. They offer numerous exercises in these techniques and plenty of practice sessions. While speed reading is not rocket science, it's not as easy as falling off a log. You have to have the desire and the time to make it part of your everyday life.

If you seem to have too much reading material and not enough time to read it, you should consider taking a speed reading course and increasing both your reading speed and comprehension levels. You may be amazed at what you can learn.

By: t1

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Now is the time to take a speed reading course. Reading fast saves time and improves comprehension. Simple fast reading techniques help you understand more about the world in which you live.