Voices of Africa

Speed Reading Self-Pacing Methods In speed reading, you use several easy techniques that help you focus your attention better. Your eyes are drawn to motion. These techniques put that motion onto the page. First, you should sit up straight, hold the book down with your left hand, and use your right hand to do the pacing. You should already be a good reader before you learn to speed read: speed reading will not help you if you have reading problems. Also, before you start speed reading, you should get a general idea of what you will be reading. 1. The Hand: Place your right hand on the page and slowly move it straight down the page, drawing your eyes down as you read. Keep an even, slow motion, as if your right hand has its own mind. Your eyes may not be exactly where your hand is, but this simple motion will help you go faster. Don't start, read a little, stop, read a little, start, read a little. Keep the movement slow and easy. Only do it once per page. If you are "left-handed" use your left hand as the dominant pacing hand. 2. The Card: Use a card or a folded-up piece of paper above the line of print to block the words after you read them. Draw it down the page slowly and evenly and try to read the passage before you cover the words up. This helps break you of the habit of reading and reading a passage over and over again. It makes you pay more attention the first time. Be sure to push the card down faster than you think you can go. Slide the card down once per page. 3. The Sweep: Use your hand to help draw your eyes across the page. Slightly cup your right hand. Keep your fingers together. With a very light and smooth motion, sweep your fingers from left to right, underlining the line with the tip of your tallest finger from about an inch in and an inch out on each line. Use your whole arm to move, balancing on your arm muscle. Imagine that you are dusting off salt from the page. 4. The Hop: Similar to the "sweep" method is the "hop". In the "hop" you actually lift your fingers and make two even bounces on each line. Each time you bounce, you are making a fixation which hopefully catches sets of three or four words. Moving to a "hop" method also makes it easier to keep a steady pace as it is a lot like tapping our fingers on a desk. Balance on your arm muscle; don't just wiggle your wrist. 5. The Zigzag or Loop: Modified scanning technique. You take your hand and cut across the text diagonally about three lines and then slide back to the next line. Now the idea here is not necessarily to see each word, but to scan the entire area, letting your mind pick out the main ideas. I wouldn't recommend this method for difficult reading material but only to get the general ideas of easy reading material. These methods seem simple and easy. They can help a good reader read faster and better in very little time. However, you need to practice them. It usually takes about three or four sessions before you get used to a particular technique. As you move along and learn the methods, you may find that one is more suitable for you than the others. Find the one that works for you and use it.

Source: Dennis Doyle – http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/methods.html