This is not about trying to read
as FAST as you can . . .
Speed Reading
. . . It is about learning to read
as effectively as you can
Dripa Sjabana
dripa@fk.unair.ac.id
Sandra Jamieson, Drew University, 2005
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The History of Speed Reading
Reading at Higher Education Level
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by Pam Mullan
Text books
Reference books
Journal articles
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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.
review articles
research articles
Reports
Essays
(101 words)
Reprinted by Abby Marks-Beale from http://www.AbbyLearn.com
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Reading rates
The History of Speed Reading
by Pam Mullan
Reading rate is the speed at which you
read, which is measured in words per
minute (wpm).
z Your reading rate will change based on
the difficulty of the material content.
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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)
Gibbs et al from http://www.utmem.edu/sass/Reading and Problem Solving.ppt
Reprinted by Abby Marks-Beale from http://www.AbbyLearn.com
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Assessing your findings
Reading rate
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150 wpm Insufficient
Type
Speed range
Reading
purpose
Type of material
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250 wpm Average general reader
Analytical
Under 100 wpm
Detailed
comprehension:
analyze;
evaluate
Poetry,
argumentative
writing
Study
150–250 wpm
High
comprehension
and high recall
Textbooks,
library research
Casual
250-400 wpm
Moderate
comprehension
Novels,
paperbacks
Accelerated
Faster than
casual
Overview of
material, rapid
location of
specific fact
Reference
materials,
novels, nonfiction
(too slow for college)
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400 wpm Good general reader
(the minimum for effective college-reading)
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600 wpm Strong college reader
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1000 wpm Excellent
Sandra Jamieson, Drew University, 2005
Gibbs et al from http://www.utmem.edu/sass/Reading and Problem Solving.ppt
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Why is reading academic texts
a problem?
Reading Rates
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Approximate reading rates for Average College
Student
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History English, Political Science
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Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, Microbiology
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15-20 pages per hour
10-15 pages per hour
Bio-Chemistry, Physics
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So much to read?
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Can’t find the main points?
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Psychology, Biology, Economics, Geography, Sociology
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Can’t remember what you’ve read?
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20-25 pages per hour
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8-10 pages per hour
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Can’t concentrate: need to re-read?
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Dense text, difficult vocabulary?
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Boring material?
Gibbs et al from http://www.utmem.edu/sass/Reading and Problem Solving.ppt
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Reading Myths [1]
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Reading Myths [2]
Myth 1: Never skip passages in reading.
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Myth 3: Reading once is enough.
Skim once to identify the main ideas. Reread more
carefully for additional facts and note-taking.
Myth 2: I have to read every word.
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Myth 4: If I read rapidly my
comprehension will drop.
Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001
The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003
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Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001
The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003
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Tips to Increase Reading Speed [1]
Reading Myths [3]
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Push yourself.
Practice as often as possible using newspapers, books,
or magazines.
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.
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Myth 6: I need to use a machine or take a
course to improve my reading speed.
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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.
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.
Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001
The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003
The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003
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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.
R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R
RE - MEM - BER
REMEMBER!!!
The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003
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Tips to Increase Reading Speed [2]
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Tips to Increase Reading Speed [3]
Use the author's clues to direct your reading:
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italicized and bold words; subheadings; cue words such
as "next," "causes," "before" and "therefore.”
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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.
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Don't go backwards and reread the material.
Don't move your lips as you read.
The movement of the lips and throat slows down reading
speed.
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.
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When reading for speed, don't be an auditory
reader who hears the words in his head; use
your eyes.
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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
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The Learning Centre, Dawson College, 2003
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Strategies: Surveying
Development of reading skills will
increase your ability to concentrate,
your comprehension, and your speed.
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‘looking across’ the text for cues that give you
some insight into the content and perspective
and usefulness of the text
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Mental preparation for reading
Eg. who’s the author, when was it written, does
it address the topic I’m concerned with…
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Look at the format:
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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/
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Strategies: Scanning
Strategies: Skimming
Reading quickly by skipping details, minor ideas and
examples…
‘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).
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Eg. looking through a telephone book
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It requires short bursts of high levels of
concentration
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Read the first paragraph / introduction carefully
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This gives you the main ideas or issues or focus, as well as some
cues about style, tone, language, density etc.
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Read the first (& last) sentences of each paragraph, &
anything that looks like a summary or conclusion
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Look at sub headings
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Scan or glance over paragraphs for other important ideas
or info, but mostly skip the detail
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Firmly fix in your mind what you are looking
for – close your mind to everything else
These give you the main points as they are developed
These give you an idea of what the reading covers
Languange and Learning Skills Unit, University of Melbourne
from www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu/
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Languange and Learning Skills Unit, University of Melbourne
from www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu/
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Strategies: SQ3R
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S: Survey
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Q: Questioning (simple), what is this passage
about, what does the title mean, what is the author
saying, reporting or arguing
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R: Read through the passage, looking for answers
to the basic questions
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R: Recite – jot down important points or annotate
the text and then go through these afterwards
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Basic principles
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Don’t waste time with reading:
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Improve Motivation:
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R: Review – glance back over afterwards to refresh
your memory and fill in gaps in your understanding.
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Read only what’s relevant
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Be clear about your purpose
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Put your reading into context:
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What do you already know?
Read actively and critically
the Mock Turtle said: no wise fish
would go anywhere without a
Languange and Learning Skills Unit, porpoise.
University of Melbourne
from www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu/
Languange and Learning Skills Unit, University of Melbourne
from www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu/
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Active reading
The Goals of Reading
Active reading, being critical, engaged, increases
comprehension and speed
‘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)
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Reading is Thinking!
Think and engage with the material
Evaluate and filter info, don’t be a sponge
Link new reading with what you know
Compare and contrast approaches
Ask questions about the material
Languange and Learning Skills Unit, University of Melbourne
from www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu/
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