What prevents us to read faster and how to fight it
A Life / / December 19, 2019
Alex Obzhorin
PhD, author blog of visual literacy.
Remember the well-known parable of the lion and the gazelle, when the sun rises, each of them must escape to survive. Oddly enough, but the situation is similar to life in modern civilization, supersaturated information. In this savanna winning / surviving one who learns more and faster than others. The presence of millions of texts in the network to make a quick reading skill is one of the conditions for survival. No other skill can be compared with the speed reading on the importance and universality.
How fast can you read? The average speed of reading the Russian text adult educated man - 180 (± 30) words per minute. At this rate, assimilated more than half (more precisely 52%) of the read information. Speed reading is 3-4 times faster than the average level: 600-800 words per minute. Can be even faster, but researchers say that if the assimilation is very bad.
What prevents accelerated? It turns out, the problem is in the brain, eyes and tongue. In the brain, fast reading is constrained by lack of strategy and distracted attention, in the eyes - a small field of view and a regression in language - articulation. Five factors, and to overcome them one by one, more than real.
1. lack of strategy
Fast reading strategy consists of precise notion goal (why read) and understand the logic of the text (how it works). Start reading stands with goal setting, from which will depend on everything else.
There are four strategies for different purposes: scanning, viewing, skimming and in-depth reading. Each of the following suggests a deeper vchityvanie and greater consumption of time.
Scanning - the fastest reading strategy in order to find the specific facts in the text. It can be dates, names, numbers, percentages or keywords. Restricts the search and slide around in the text. Dive into the text is minimal, look grabs only the most necessary (individual pieces of information).
review - Study a table of contents of the book (Article Plan), important provisions (they often emit a different color or bring to the field) and conclusions. The purpose of reading-viewing - see if read detailed text worth (value) and whether there is new information (use) in it.
skimming It involves a little deeper dive into the content of the text and a greater expenditure of time. Focusing on key words, seeing that, we stop and get a grasp of the text before and after the keywords. So we accept only the information directly included in the area of interest, and ignore the secondary.
in-depth - thoughtful reading, drawing on existing knowledge, with attention to detail. In this way we learn, understand and remember new information. The strategy refers to the speed reading, but it is also possible to "pump" and accelerate.
Knowing the logic and structure of the text, you can quickly find the desired information. For example, in scientific articles are described in the summary, presentation logic is fixed and in the article itself: the purpose, objectives, history of the problem, experiment, results, conclusions. In the popular texts, look at the title, subtitle and last paragraph. All texts "salt" is the first sentence of the paragraph; in the paragraphs themselves - details of the main thoughts in the last sentence - the conclusions of the first.
Fight with the following four constraints - literally a matter of technique. They relate to a fairly banal physiological reasons.
2. distracted attention
Read the text, but did not understand, because you think that in a cafe to go in the evening, listening to music (or street noise) or feel numb hand. Familiar? Is not configured to read, do not get down to it. All experts on speed reading in one voice are advised to throw the book out the window if you are not interested to read it or you do not feel the urgent need for the information in this book.
To combat distracted attention define the purpose and create an environment in which nothing will distract from the reading. Turn off your phone, turn on the desk lamp, read not only sitting, but standing up, or do push-ups periodically tilts. And yet, turn off the phone.
3. A small field of view
In the view of the general reader gets 1-2 words, so his eyes run horizontally line by line. In the field of high-speed reader turns the entire line, so it reads the page from top to bottom, or diagonally.
Expand the field of view is possible by means of special exercises (simple but regular). They can be found, for example, this website.
4. Regression
The big problem is the involuntary return of sight to just read the words, sentences or phrases - regression. It occurs when a diversion, lack of concentration, lack of understanding of reading. The solution concentrating and partially solves the problem of regression. In addition, the great help tracking your finger or a pencil. Opinion will not be back, and will accelerate acceleration tracking and eye movement.
5. Articulation
"Say the letter now syllable Now fold the syllables in a word" - so we have been taught to read. It all started with the utterance read aloud, so 90% of adults have this habit. And it slows us: pronunciation of does not allow to start reading the next word until he uttered the last.
Articulation is external and internal.
External - the movement of the lips, tongue and larynx. Everything, as in childhood, only silently. To overcome this habit can, holding his lips a piece of paper or pencil in reading time. In advanced cases - keep most tip of the tongue between the teeth. Compress is not necessary, just enough to fix.
The internal articulation - mental pronunciation of the word-by-word reading. Completely overcome this habit manage to rarely, but it is possible to weaken. You can do this by reading the eyes, silently count the words instead of pronunciation. Or to pick up a pace at which you stored the understanding, but the inner voice will not have time to say read. Here it is necessary to practice: the rate each will have its own.
So, there are two pieces of news, and both are good. First, the factors constraining the speed of reading, it is possible to overcome. Even on their own - without the coaches and expensive courses.
Second, you have already started to work on reading problems. You saw yourself what prevents accelerated: the wrong strategy of focus of attention, the small field of view and regression pronunciation of. So you're already changing for the better.