Speed Reading For Dummies

1. Speed Reading is Efficient Reading, Not Just Fast Reading

Speed reading actually increases reading comprehension.

More than just speed. Speed reading isn't about racing through text; it's about reading more efficiently, engaging your eyes, ears, mouth, and brain more effectively. It's about processing information quickly and accurately, not just skimming over words. It involves seeing, silent reading, decoding, comprehending, and concentrating.

Efficient reading skills:

• Seeing multiple words at once, not one at a time
• Reading silently, without vocalizing
• Decoding words quickly through a strong vocabulary
• Comprehending the meaning of words in context
• Concentrating intensely on the text

The goal of speed reading is to become a confident reader who can read more in less time, with better comprehension, retention, and recall. It's about maximizing your reading efficiency, not just your reading speed.

2. Break Bad Habits: Vocalization and Regression

Vocalizing is a throwback to your early reading education; you must abandon it to be a speed reader.

Vocalization slows you down. Vocalizing, or saying words in your head as you read, limits your reading speed to your speaking speed. It also hinders comprehension by diverting mental resources from understanding to pronunciation.

Strategies to stop vocalizing:

• Read for meaning, not sound
• Use physical blocks, like chewing gum or holding a pencil between your lips
• Widen your vision span to take in more words at once
• Focus on thought units, not individual words

Regression hinders progress. Regression, or rereading words and sentences, slows down your reading and disrupts comprehension. It often stems from a lack of confidence or a habit of vocalizing. To overcome regression, force yourself to read forward, and use a pacer to block previously read text.

3. Understand the Mechanics: Eye Fixations and Vision Span

You read several words in a single glance.

Eye fixations are key. Your eyes don't move smoothly across a page; they jump in fits and starts, pausing briefly on words or groups of words. These pauses are called eye fixations. The fewer fixations you make, the faster you read.

Vision span matters. Your vision span is the number of words you can take in during a single eye fixation. Expanding your vision span is crucial for speed reading. You can do this by:

• Training your eyes to see more words at once
• Reading vertically as well as horizontally
• Using your peripheral vision

Pacing can help, but not always. A pacer, like a finger or a card, can help guide your eyes and expand your vision span, but it's not essential for speed reading. In fact, it can become a distraction once you've mastered the fundamentals.

4. Master the Fundamentals: Clumps and Word Groups

You read thought unit by thought unit: He was generous — to a fault.

Clumps are the building blocks. Clumps are groups of words that you read together in a single glance. They help you move beyond reading one word at a time. Reading in clumps increases your reading speed and comprehension.

Word groups are units of meaning. Word groups are collections of words that convey a single idea or thought. They include:

• Idioms
• Prepositional phrases
• Subordinate clauses
• Thought units

Reading for meaning. By reading word groups, you read for meaning, not just individual words. This approach increases your comprehension and retention. It's about understanding the author's ideas, not just the words on the page.

5. Comprehension is Key: Vocabulary and Context

The larger your vocabulary is, the faster you can read, because you don’t have to slow down or halt your reading as often to decode words you don’t know.

Vocabulary is essential. A large vocabulary is crucial for speed reading. The more words you know, the less time you spend decoding unfamiliar words. You can expand your vocabulary by:

• Reading widely
• Learning prefixes, roots, and suffixes
• Using context clues

Context enhances comprehension. Reading in clumps and word groups allows you to understand words in context. This approach increases comprehension because each word in the group gives meaning to the other words.

Comprehension is the goal. Speed reading isn't just about speed; it's about understanding what you read. By focusing on comprehension, you become a more effective and efficient reader.

6. Strategic Reading: Skimming, Scanning, and Prereading

Speed reading actually increases reading comprehension.

Skimming for the gist. Skimming involves quickly reading a text to get the main ideas. It's useful when you need a general overview but don't have time for a detailed reading. Skimming techniques include:

• Reading the first and last sentences of paragraphs
• Reading headings and subheadings
• Studying tables and charts

Scanning for specific information. Scanning involves quickly searching for specific words or phrases. It's useful when you need to find particular information but don't need to read the entire text.

Prereading for context. Prereading involves examining a text before you read it to get a sense of its content and structure. It helps you decide whether the text is worth reading and what parts to focus on.

7. Leverage Writing Structure: Topic Sentences and Signal Words

The important document stated that the American colonies were no longer under British rule.

Topic sentences reveal main ideas. Topic sentences, usually found at the beginning of paragraphs, express the main idea of the paragraph. By identifying topic sentences, you can quickly grasp the essence of each paragraph.

Signal words guide your reading. Signal words indicate the direction of the author's thought. They include:

• Contrast signals (e.g., however, but)
• Comparison signals (e.g., similarly, likewise)
• Example signals (e.g., for example, for instance)
• Additional argument signals (e.g., also, furthermore)
• Causation signals (e.g., because, therefore)
• Conclusion signals (e.g., in conclusion, finally)

Skip subordinate clauses. Subordinate clauses provide secondary information. By recognizing and skipping them, you can read more quickly without losing essential meaning.

8. Practice Makes Permanent: Consistent Application

Mastering silent reading skills arms children, as well as adults, with skills needed in the real world, where all reading is done silently.

Consistent practice is key. Like any skill, speed reading requires consistent practice to maintain and improve. Make speed reading a part of your daily routine.

Apply speed-reading techniques to all reading tasks:

• Newspapers
• Books
• Articles
• E-mails
• Web pages

Revisit exercises. Periodically revisit the exercises in this book to reinforce your skills and track your progress.

Make it a habit. The more you practice speed reading, the more natural and automatic it will become.

9. Eye Health Matters: Exercises for Vision

You can’t swing your eyes wildly around the room and expect to see anything but a blur.

Eye exercises improve vision. Just like any other muscle, your eye muscles can be strengthened and made more flexible through exercise. These exercises can improve your vision and make speed reading easier.

Eye exercises include:

• Eye squeezes
• Thumb-to-thumb glancing
• Tree pose
• Eye rolling
• Eye writing
• The 10-10-10
• Change of focus
• Palming
• Hooded eyes
• Eye massage

Regular eye checkups. Visit your optometrist regularly to ensure your eyes are healthy and your vision is optimal for speed reading.

10. Mindset is Crucial: Aggression and Concentration

Speed reading actually increases reading comprehension.

Read aggressively. Speed reading requires an active, not passive, approach. Read with intensity, focus, and concentration. Devour the words as you read them.

Concentrate intensely. Focus all your attention on the text. Pretend that nothing exists outside the boundaries of the page.

Speed reading is a mindset. It's about reading with purpose, focus, and determination. It's about being an active, not a passive, reader.

Embrace the challenge. Speed reading is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice. By adopting the right mindset and applying the techniques in this book, you can become a more efficient and effective reader.

Last updated: February 1, 2025