Sped Reading Handout

1Speed Reading

Dripa [email protected]

EBL for Fac.of Med. Airlangga Univ. 2005 2

This is not about trying to read as FAST as you can . . .

. . . It is about learning to read as effectively as you can

Sandra Jamieson, Drew University, 2005


Reading at Higher Education Level

z Text booksz Reference booksz Journal articles

z review articlesz research articles

z Reportsz Essays


The History of Speed Readingby Pam Mullan

People have been concerned with systematically increasing reading speeds since 1925. This is when the very first formal Speed Reading course was conducted at Syracuse University in the United States. But at many times in writing history, literate people have considered how to speed up the reading process. For example, in the mid-1600s, a man named Antonio di Marco Magliabechi was reportedly able to read and comprehend and memorize entire volumes at a rapid rate. But while 1925 appears to be the first formal presentation of a Speed Reading course, much research in the area was being conducted before that date.

Reprinted by Abby Marks-Beale from http://www.AbbyLearn.com

(101 words)


The History of Speed Readingby Pam Mullan

It was a French ophthalmologist, Emile Javal, who unknowingly laid the foundations of Speed Reading with his eye-movement experiments in 1878. Javal discovered that the eyes move in a series of jumps (saccades) and pauses (fixations), stopping on average three or four times, while reading a line of text. It is only during these fixations, when the eyes are steady, that word recognition can occur. Prior to Javal's work, it had been believed that the eyes would stop on each letter, or at least each word, while reading.

(88 words)

Reprinted by Abby Marks-Beale from http://www.AbbyLearn.com


Reading rates

z Reading rate is the speed at which you read, which is measured in words per minute.

z Your reading rate will change based on the difficulty of the material content.

Gibbs et al from http://www.utmem.edu/sass/Reading%20and%20Problem%20Solving.ppt

2EBL for Fac.of Med. Airlangga Univ. 2005 7

Assessing your findingsz 150 wpm Insufficient

z 250 wpm Average general reader(too slow for college)

z 400 wpm Good general reader (the minimum for effective college-reading)

z 600 wpm Strong college reader

z 1000 wpm ExcellentSandra Jamieson, Drew University, 2005


Reading rate

Reference materials, novels, nonfiction

Overview of material, rapid location of specific fact

Faster than casual

Accelerated

Novels, paperbacks

Moderate comprehension

250-400 wpmCasual

Textbooks, library research

High comprehension and high recall

150250 wpmStudy

Poetry, argumentative writing

Detailed comprehension: analyze; evaluate

Under 100 wpmAnalytical

Type of materialReading purpose

Speed rangeType



Reading Ratesz Approximate reading rates for Average College

Studentz History English, Political Science

z 20-25 pages per hourz Psychology, Biology, Economics, Geography, Sociology

z 15-20 pages per hourz Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, Microbiology

z 10-15 pages per hourz Bio-Chemistry, Physics

z 8-10 pages per hour



Why is reading academic texts a problem?

z So much to read?z Cant find the main points?z Cant remember what youve read?z Takes too long?z Cant concentrate: need to re-read?z Dense text, difficult vocabulary?z Boring material?


Reading Myths [1]z Myth 1: Never skip passages in reading.

z Myth 2: I have to read every word.

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003


Reading Myths [2]z Myth 3: Reading once is enough.

Skim once to identify the main ideas. Reread more carefully for additional facts and note-taking.

z Myth 4: If I read rapidly my comprehension will drop.



Reading Myths [3]z Myth 5: There's a problem with my eyes,

so I can't read fast. Unless you have a vision problem, it is your brain, not your eyes, that slows you down. Your brain isn't processing fast enough.

z Myth 6: I need to use a machine or take a course to improve my reading speed.



z Push yourself.Practice as often as possible using newspapers, books, or magazines.

z Build your vocabulary. You will read faster if you know more words. Use the context to unlock the meaning of new words so that you don't break your train of thought. Look the new word up in the dictionary later.

z Visualize. Make pictures in your brain. Try to read phrases instead of words. Try to reduce the time it takes to convert printed words into ideas or images. e.g. Even though the phrase "beside the red car" has four words, read it in one glance and think of one picture or one idea.

Tips to Increase Reading Speed [1]

The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003


58 words = 1 image

A very busy office worker is trying furiously to complete his paper work. Some papers are stacked to his right; others are flying around him as he writes at his desk. Dressed in a black shirt and wearing black glasses, he can't see, but probably knows, that the clock on the wall indicates 4:00 p.m., almost quitting time.

The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003EBL for Fac.of Med. Airlangga Univ. 2005 16

R - E - M - E - M - B - E - R

RE - MEM - BER

REMEMBER!!!


z Use the author's clues to direct your reading: italicized and bold words; subheadings; cue words such as "next," "causes," "before" and "therefore.

z Shift gears. The inefficient reader uses the same rate for all types of material. Instead, you should speed up for descriptions and examples; slow down for difficult new concepts.

z Don't go backwards and reread the material. This is called regression. The average student reading at 250 words per minute regresses about 20 times per page. With one hand, move a ruler, pencil or fingertip down the page as you read, to act as a pace-setter, or let it cover up what you have read, forcing you to concentrate on the next lines.


The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003EBL for Fac.of Med. Airlangga Univ. 2005 18

z Don't move your lips as you read. The movement of the lips and throat slows down reading speed.

z When reading for speed, don't be an auditory reader who hears the words in his head; use your eyes.

z However, in some materials, such as difficult texts and poetry, hearing the words in your head can improve comprehension.


The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003


Development of reading skills will increase your ability to concentrate,

your comprehension, and your speed.


Strategies: Surveyingz looking across the text for cues that give you

some insight into the content and perspective and usefulness of the text

z Mental preparation for reading Eg. whos the author, when was it written, does it address the topic Im concerned with

z Look at the format: z The blurb, abstract, contents page, index,

bibliography, chapter headings, images, diagrams

Languange and Learning Skills Unit, University of Melbourne from www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu/


Strategies: Scanning

z Eg. looking through a telephone bookz It requires short bursts of high levels of

concentration

z Firmly fix in your mind what you are looking for close your mind to everything else

Scanning is not reading in the strict sense of the word. It is an ability to locate facts quickly and to find answers to specific questions (Kai-Fat & Flemming 1978: 98).



Strategies: SkimmingReading quickly by skipping details, minor ideas and examples

z Read the first paragraph / introduction carefully z This gives you the main ideas or issues or focus, as well as some

cues about style, tone, language, density etc.

z Read the first (& last) sentences of each paragraph, & anything that looks like a summary or conclusionz These give you the main points as they are developed

z Look at sub headingsz These give you an idea of what the reading covers

z Scan or glance over paragraphs for other important ideas or info, but mostly skip the detail



Strategies: SQ3Rz S: Survey

z Q: Questioning (simple), what is this passage about, what does the title mean, what is the author saying, reporting or arguing

z R: Read through the passage, looking for answers to the basic questions

z R: Recite jot down important points or annotate the text and then go through these afterwards

z R: Review glance back over afterwards to refresh your memory and fill in gaps in your understanding.



Basic principles

z Dont waste time with reading:z Read only whats relevant

z Improve Motivation: z Be clear about your purpose

z Put your reading into context:

z What do you already know?

z Read actively and critically

the Mock Turtle said: no wise fish would go anywhere without a

porpoise.Languange and Learning Skills Unit, University of Melbourne from www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu/


Active reading

z Think and engage with the materialz Evaluate and filter info, dont be a spongez Link new reading with what you knowz Compare and contrast approachesz Ask questions about the material

Efficient reading is an active dialogue between author and reader. Be ready to evaluate, challenge and criticize your reading materials (Kai-Fat & Flemming 1976: 4)

Active reading, being critical, engaged, increases comprehension and speed



The Goals of Reading

Reading is Thinking!

Documents

Sped Reading Handout