Reading faster strategy

[Rezafo]

One of the strategies of reading faster is to focus on more than one word at a time. But, by now, I couldn’t to settle down with this technique, and when I eye on more than one word at a time, I lose a notable of comprehension and even the whole word per se.

How can I overcome this?

Note: I’ve just started practicing this strategy for a few days.

[BobK]

One of the strategies of reading faster is to focus on more than one word at a time. But, by now, I couldn’t to settle down with this technique, and when I eye on more than one word at a time, I lose a notable of comprehension and even the whole word per se.

How can I overcome this?

Note: I’ve just started practicing this strategy for a few days.

I don't think you should persist with this. Comprehension is the aim - and if speed-reading interferes with this it's a bad thing. Learning to speed-read will do more harm than good unless you are a very competent reader in the first place. Don't try to run before you can walk.

b

[Rezafo]

... unless you are a very competent reader in the first place.

b

But, you won't be a competent reader, unless you deal with the suggested strategies given, Right?

... Don't try to run before you can walk.

b

And, how to learn how to run if - as you suggested - I'm not gonna persist with this?


Parting Shot: Giving up a technique because you are not getting the expected result, sounds OK with you as a Teacher?


[ We are just discussing to learn more, don't take it as an argument please. ]

[5jj]

Bob responded to your first post, in which you said that, in trying to read more than one word at a time, you were losing comprehension, even of single words. His advice made sense to me.

If you already read and understand clearly, but read very slowly, then it may be worth persevering with trying to read faster. That is, assuming that reading fast is important for you. However, it may well be that reading slowly is what helps you understand.

I find that if I am reading a light thriller (in my own language), I can read at about 100 pages an hour. If I am reading an academic paper, I might spend half an hour on one page.

[Rezafo]

I find that if I am reading a light thriller (in my own language), I can read at about 100 pages an hour. If I am reading an academic paper, I might spend half an hour on one page.

That would make two of us. I think there are a lot to be said and discussed in those guide books. One, for instance is, we have text and text, there may be a text which my eyes won't travel slow, even if myself wants to do it deliberately! Because the process of guessing the coming words after each word or phrases plus the level of interest on the material and easy context, all make it a text like that which you can't read it slowly. And, quite the opposite, today I was reading an e-book "Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins, and I lost myself amid the phrases when I decided to apply those fast-reading strategies !

By the way, something interesting happened just today when I was trying different ways of reading fast, and that is; I tried to hear myself [ inside, not with lips movement, (I don't know how they say or phrase this process) ] when I was reading. I imagined an anchorperson - who I know already - is reading the text aloud and I'm listening to him/her. It was unbelievable my eyes were running so fast over the words as though that person is really reading the text in reality and I'm following him/her reading the text.

Have you ever experienced this? Is it already a suggested technique in fast-reading? If yes, I should say that I found it spontaneously, if not, then others can try it out to see if it works for them too.

Thank you all for reading me, and discussing this matter with me. I appreciate your time and knowledge.

[BobK]

That would make two of us. I think there are a lot to be said and discussed in those guide books. One, for instance is, we have text and text, there may be a text which my eyes won't travel slow, even if myself wants to do it deliberately! Because the process of guessing the coming words after each word or phrases plus the level of interest on the material and easy context, all make it a text like that which you can't read it slowly. And, quite the opposite, today I was reading an e-book "Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins, and I lost myself amid the phrases when I decided to apply those fast-reading strategies !

By the way, something interesting happened just today when I was trying different ways of reading fast, and that is; I tried to hear myself [ inside, not with lips movement, (I don't know how they say or phrase this process) ] when I was reading. I imagined an anchorperson - who I know already - is reading the text aloud and I'm listening to him/her. It was unbelievable my eyes were running so fast over the words as though that person is really reading the text in reality and I'm following him/her reading the text.
That sounds like a neat idea. But the speed-reading techniques that I've met involve specifically not pretending to hear the words. Speech is too slow for this sort of speed-reader. But I don't think it's too slow for an English student. (Nor is it for me: I always missed stuff when I tried those techniques. )

Have you ever experienced this? Is it already a suggested technique in fast-reading? If yes, I should say that I found it spontaneously, if not, then others can try it out to see if it works for them too.
If it works for you, keep at it.

Thank you all for reading me, and discussing this matter with me. I appreciate your time and knowledge.

b

[Rezafo]

Thank you Bob.