Speed Reading and Comprehension Skills

Speed reading and comprehension skills go hand in hand. Studies have shown that an increase in reading speed also increased comprehension as well and a decrease in reading speed also decreased comprehension. There are several things to keep in mind when considering speed reading comprehension. First, your eyes should be checked by your eye doctor. Vision problems often affect reading capabilities which will also affect your comprehension. Another important skill to learn is the ability to read without pronouncing the words either out loud or in your head. This will greatly reduce your reading speed because you will only be able to read as fast as you can talk. Learn how to read and comprehend the material the first time. Rereading material will slow speeds and ultimately reduce comprehension. Practice with a wider area of visibility. This will help you read more than one word at a time. All of these skills are important to learn, however, the most important skill that you can learn is to read at a steady pace. Setting a pace is a very crucial part of speed reading and comprehension. Runners are trained to set a pace that is comfortable and allows for long distances without reaching exhaustion. This also allows for better stamina and increased burning of calories. Speed reading comprehension follows these same rules. If you are reading a book and your speed is increasing and decreasing your comprehension of that material is going to reflect this. You will be able to increase your words per minute along with your comprehension as you set and keep a comfortable pace.Т It is also important to learn how to adjust your pace depending on the material you are reading. For example, school textbooks are usually written in a fashion that allows for easy reading. Speed readers will have no problem getting through these types of books very quickly and with great comprehension. However, if you are reading technical material such as financial plans, ratios, or statistics your reading speed will be reduced. Comprehension will also be reduced. This is not a flaw in speed reading, the same rules apply for any type of reading of technical material. A page full of numbers is almost impossible to remember without several hours and even days of studying. This is why it is crucial for you to learn to adjust your speed reading rate.