How To Learn Speed Reading

Learning Speed Reading

What have you been reading lately? At a meeting, you can see who the broad-spectrum readers are. Wide readers frequently think and speak well. They win the esteem, respect, and good opinion of others.

After all, reading broadens the mind. In fact, lots of people consider it one of the most satisfying pleasures of mankind, combining, as it does, mental agility and physical relaxation way beyond the scale of television.

The act of reading is primarily a mental activity. After all, you read with your mind and use your imagination to paint the setting of the detective thriller you are reading. You use your mind to envisage the pain that the foremost characters are undergoing as the story unfolds; or you bring into play the diverse arguments and approaches brought up by the writer in that self-help book you are reading.

Being able to read effectively assists you to develop an extensive vocabulary through reading various styles of books. A skillful reader recognizes a wide assortment of words.

The reader might not know precisely what each word means, but he/she will have a general idea of what the sentence means.

The act of reading makes you more alert and more curious about previously unknown words. Some readers even like to employ 'the dictionary habit', which means that whenever they find a peculiar word, they strive to work out what it means in the context. If they are mystified, they go to a dictionary.

Similarly, reading develops intellectual curiosity by exposing you to a range of subjects. You learn to read by reading books of increasing difficulty and variety. As in other variations of education, you learn by actually doing and as you are reading you automatically learn about the subject matter of the book as well!

Reading teaches you to have an dynamic and open mind. Just understanding the writers idea is not really good enough, you have to have a reply to what you read. Become an active, not a passive, reader.

Strive to develop the habit of drawing your own conclusions, the habit of active thinking, of agreeing or disagreeing with the writer. Always keep your mind open; understand and weigh the ideas that you read. A functional part of active reading is the formation of one's own conclusions.

Now allow me tell you to the concept of speed reading. All of the above applies between three and ten times over, because speed readers can read that amount faster than the average reader!

Consider that! - Being able to read, understand and retain all those books. You would certainly be well-read in your field a lot more quickly than others. Just imagine how that would help you at work or in school or college ...

Allow me to share four fundamental rules for successful reading and better comprehension:

1) Try to read more and more every month. Remember the saying that practice makes perfect.

2) Develop the habit of reading for main ideas. Look for the issue and predicate. Do not waste time on minutiae or little words.

3) Learn to read with single-mindedness and concentration. Think of what you are reading. Do not let your attention stray somewhere else. Real readers read with understanding.

4) Learn to budget your time. Experiment with your reading time. Endeavour deliberately to read faster. Give yourself a time limit for a specific piece of writing that you are reading.

Reading is a wonderfully stimulating mental activity. It expands your knowledge and ability. You have such a lot to gain by discovering the joy of reading. So, go on, take down a book right this minute.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on various topics but is currently concerned with Free Home Schools. If you would like to read more, please visit our website entitled How To Stay Home From School.