We are accelerating! 4 ways to read faster and stay meaningful

How fast do you read? Most when checked, it shows about 250 words per minute. And only a few reach super speeds. So, the Englishwoman Anne Jones “swallowed” the last volume of “Harry Potter” in 47 minutes. That is, I read 4244 words per minute! You should not strive for such results, but you can eliminate the causes of slowness and slightly accelerate. We share tips from the book “Super Student” .

Why do we read slowly?
Rapid reading techniques are aimed at eliminating factors that slow down the process. Therefore, before talking about speed, let’s see what reduces it.

While reading, the eye makes many separate movements. To perceive a fragment of the text, the gaze must be fixed on it. The duration of one fixation is only ¼ seconds. Many people manage to read only one word during this time. To increase your reading speed, you need to read more words in one commit. The figure shows the number of words perceived in one fixation: one (above) or several (below).

Learn to read multiple words in one commit

Speaking text while reading
Reading a small number of words in one fixation is usually associated with the pronunciation of the text while reading. Most often, we kind of hear the words inside ourselves, that is, mentally pronounce the text, sometimes moving our lips while doing this. As a result, the reading speed decreases, because in this case we read at the same speed as we speak (about 150 words per minute). You should get rid of this habit. We think much faster than we speak. Looking at a drawing of a car, we instantly understand what it is. Why say (silently or aloud) the words written on paper? To increase the reading speed, you need to remove the extra link.

A person who does not speak words while reading perceives their meaning instantly

Re-reading portions of text
If we constantly return to the read fragments of the text, the reading speed also decreases. Many people do this unconsciously. After reading a piece of text, they mechanically re-read it over and over again. As a rule, this happens due to lack of concentration or fear that the text will not be remembered without repeated reading.

Observe the movement of your gaze while reading

Inattention and / or distraction
If you can’t concentrate on reading and thoughts are hovering somewhere far away, the reading speed decreases, and the text is poorly remembered. Do you interrupt reading in order to ponder what you have read, delve into its meaning, connect new knowledge with what you have learned earlier? Perfectly. Distracted by dreaming about dinner? Then you are unlikely to learn anything. Fortunately, mastering the fast reading technique will allow you to read so quickly that you will have to concentrate willy-nilly.

The complexity of the material and lack of basic knowledge
Reading complex technical literature takes more time, as you have to think about what you read. This also applies to reading books in foreign languages. They may contain many unfamiliar words, and it will take time to understand the text. Such literature is not suitable for quick reading.

How to read faster? Techniques and Tips
Possession of fast reading techniques allows you to increase your speed by 2–3 times without compromising the perception of the material.

Reading with your finger

This technique consists of adjusting the pace of reading with your own finger. Place your finger at the beginning of the line, and then slide to the right as you read. To get used to the movement of your finger, first read at your usual speed, and then gradually increase it, following the “regulator” with your eyes. This technique is good in that it does not allow you to return to what you have read and sets a high pace of reading, which means it contributes to concentration. It is better to use your finger, but you can replace it with a ballpoint pen or something else. When reading from a tablet, you can roll a piece of paper into a tube and use it as a pointer.

More words in one commit

You already know that the duration of one gaze fixation is ¼ of a second. To increase your reading speed, you should read 2-3 words at a time. For many, this speed is unusual, but achieving it is not at all difficult. Squeeze the fingers of your right hand and extend your palm in front of you. Focus on the middle finger. At the same time, you see the index and ring fingers, although you only look at the middle, right?

Fast pace

Once you have learned to adjust the reading pace with your finger and read multiple words at once, you can continue to increase your speed. It will be difficult to understand the meaning of what you have read for a while, but do not be confused by this: the ability to comprehend what you read will soon return. Try to read at the same speed as your finger moves.

At a speed of 100 km per hour, the driver is forced to follow the road more closely than at 40 km per hour. Reading quickly can also help you focus.

Do not speak the text while reading

Breaking this habit is the hardest thing to do. Some people do not succeed in doing this to the end. But with other fast reading techniques, you can speed up so much that you simply cannot speak the text (or at least every word). Each new step in the fight against pronunciation of the text increases the speed of reading. Try, for example, to read the following sentence using only the words in bold: ” Socrates is believed to be the first great philosopher .” While reading, you can mentally say “tra-ta-ta” – this will also help to get rid of a bad habit.

When should you read quickly?
Reading quickly is not an end in itself. It is useful only if you understand the meaning and internalize the material. In addition, different texts and different tasks that we solve when reading require different speed.

The tasks can be as follows:

get a general idea of ​​what you have read;
understand and assimilate new positions and ideas;
find answers to questions;
repeat the previously covered material;
enjoy the reading process itself.

Want to find answers to your questions? Most likely, for this, it is enough to skim the text fluently, that is, you can read much faster than when familiarizing with new complex material.