7 Practical Tips for Speed Reading

 Speed reading is a useful skill to process information more quickly while still maintaining comprehension. Here are seven practical tips to help you improve your speed reading ability:

Minimize Subvocalization

• What it is: Subvocalization is the habit of mentally “speaking” each word as you read. Most people do this to some degree, which limits their reading speed to the pace of their inner voice (typically 150-250 words per minute).
• How to minimize it:
  • Count while reading: One way to reduce subvocalization is to count silently in your head while reading. This helps distract the mind from vocalizing words and shifts focus to scanning for meaning.
  • Use faster content: Try reading faster material, like light fiction or news articles, where you don’t need to focus too much on complex details. This trains your brain to grasp meaning without “hearing” every word.
  • Skim first: Preview the text by skimming the headings, bolded words, and summaries. This gives your brain context, so you can focus on the main ideas without silently pronouncing each word.

2. Use a Pointer or Your Finger

• What it does: When you use a pointer (such as your finger, a pen, or even a digital cursor on an e-reader), you give your eyes a specific focus, which helps them move fluidly across the text. Without a pointer, your eyes might wander or jump backward, slowing your progress.
• How to apply it:
  • Steady pace: Move your pointer along the text at a steady pace, slightly faster than you’re comfortable reading. Your eyes will naturally try to keep up, pushing you to read faster.
  • Zigzag technique: For larger paragraphs, use a zigzag motion with your pointer to guide your eyes to scan horizontally across two lines at once, speeding up your intake of information.

3. Expand Peripheral Vision

• What it is: Expanding your peripheral vision means learning to read multiple words or even phrases at once instead of focusing on one word at a time. This is one of the keys to significantly improving reading speed.
• How to practice:
  • Word chunks: Start by training yourself to group two or three words together as you read. Instead of focusing on each individual word, try to focus on phrases like "in the evening" or "the red car."
  • Practice with columns: Take an article or text and draw vertical lines dividing the paragraphs into two or three sections. Practice reading by scanning down each column, forcing yourself to read chunks of text at a time.

4. Avoid Backtracking

• What it is: Backtracking happens when your eyes move backward to re-read parts of the text, often because of a lack of focus or confidence in comprehension. This significantly slows down reading.
• How to reduce it:
  • Trust your initial comprehension: Many people backtrack because they fear they’ve missed something. Build trust in your ability to understand the text on the first pass, and reserve re-reading for critical or complex sections.
  • Use your finger or a guide: Using a pointer helps keep your eyes moving forward in a straight line, reducing the temptation to backtrack.

5. Practice with Easier Texts First

• Why it matters: It’s easier to practice speed reading on familiar, less complex texts because you can process the material quickly without needing to slow down to understand difficult words or ideas.
• How to do it:
  • Start simple: Begin with fiction, blogs, or magazines—something you enjoy and are comfortable with. These types of texts tend to have simpler sentence structures and vocabulary, making them perfect for training.
  • Gradually increase complexity: Once you’re comfortable with speed reading easier texts, move on to more challenging content like academic articles, technical manuals, or philosophy books. Start slow but apply the same principles to gradually speed up.

6. Set Goals and Timers

• What it does: Setting clear reading goals and timing yourself helps you stay focused, track progress, and push your limits without getting overwhelmed.
• How to apply it:
  • Use a stopwatch: Time how long it takes to read a page or section at your normal speed. Gradually decrease this time as you practice. For example, if it takes you 10 minutes to read a chapter, aim to reduce that to 8 minutes next time.
  • Word count goals: Set goals based on word count. For example, aim to read 1000 words in 5 minutes. Apps or e-readers often provide tools to help track word count and reading speed.
  • Pomodoro technique: Combine speed reading with the Pomodoro method, where you read for a set period (e.g., 25 minutes), then take a short break. This keeps your brain fresh and increases overall focus and productivity.

7. Improve Vocabulary

• Why it helps: A larger vocabulary helps because the more words you recognize, the less time you need to decode unfamiliar words. This enhances both speed and comprehension.
• How to do it:
  • Read widely: Expose yourself to a variety of reading materials—fiction, non-fiction, scientific articles, and opinion pieces. The more you read, the more you’ll encounter new words.
  • Use vocabulary apps: Apps like Anki or Quizlet allow you to create flashcards with new words and definitions. Reviewing these regularly helps commit new words to memory.
  • Keep a journal: Maintain a vocabulary journal where you note down new or complex words along with their meanings. Refer to this journal regularly to reinforce learning.

Additional Tips:

• Adjust your environment: Distractions can impede speed reading, so ensure you have a quiet, well-lit environment.
• Maintain good posture: Sitting comfortably with good posture helps improve focus and reduces fatigue during extended reading sessions.

By consistently applying these techniques, you can gradually increase your reading speed while maintaining or even improving comprehension. It’s important to practice regularly and be patient with your progress, as speed reading is a skill that develops over time.