THINKING SKILLS
Speed Reading
Now you can learn more quickly
Speed reading is now very popular in business training but ofen costs a small fortune, so younger people and students (who probably need it most) dont get the opportunity to use it. If you are looking for free speed reading techniques, then read on...
Speed Reading is all about reading more quickly and there are actually a number of different techniques which come together under the banner of 'speed reading'.
The first is scanning; the ability to run your eyes over text and understand the gist of it without actually reading the sentences. If the page is no wider than about 14 words per line it is best accomplished by scanning the middle of the text.
The Mesolithic was a time of transition. The human population was essentially a mobile, nomadic or semi-nomadic population. Star Carr, one of Britain’s most famous Mesolithic finds was a small seasonal habitation site[3] in use around 9 and a half thousand years ago. The plants and animals were also in transition following deglaciation. Fluctuations in temperature meant the make-up of the forests was in transition. Coniferous forest would establish first and the mixed deciduous only much later. Dimbleby notes that any advancing human population would exists on a largely carnivorous diet in coniferous forests due to the “relatively poor flora containing few plants of use to man.” [4]
These factors indicate that the Mesolithic population was small and well spread out. Having few people around; global estimates vary from 5 to 20 million;[5] means that there is less chance of us finding any remains whatsoever.
In the exmple above , by just reading the first line in its entirety and then the middle section of each subsequent line we actually absorb the following information.
The Mesolithic was a time of transition. The human population was essentially a ... or semi-nomadic population. Star Carr, ... was a small seasonal habitation site[3] in ...The plants and animals were also... Fluctuations in temperature ...Coniferous forest would establish first ...any advancing human population ...coniferous forests due to the “relatively poor flora...indicate that the Mesolithic population...global estimates vary from 5 to 20...finding any remains whatsoever.
As you can see, we have lost a few details, but not the general theme that this is a paragraph about the environmental changes of the Mesolithic. It took us one third of normal time it takes to read it and we can now evaluate wether it is an IMPORTANT paragraph worth re-reading more slowly or not. This in itself is a second technique of speed reading called 'rate adjustment analysis.
These are just two of around 30 different tools in the speed reader's arsenal.
Quality books to improve reading speed.
The Speed Reading Book
Buzan
offers readers an excellent how to guide covering all aspects of speed
reading in an easy to read, well written format.
Tony Buzan has become the acknowledged authority on cognitive enhancement practice so you should feel very confident that this man knows what he is talking about.
Order
from Amazon.com Today (Note: different cover
for US market)
Triple
Your Reading Speed
Wade Cutler's classic book is now in it's fourth edition. This book's accelerated redaing program is acknowlwdged as the classic method which really produces amazing results for all ages.
Speed Reading for
Success
This
is an excellent idea and I wish we had thought of it first.
Jane Smith's audio CD combines a course in speed reading with some clever techniques of audiohypnotism to ensure you take in the information more quickly and easily. A little bit of genius that will help you learn speed reading with ease. there are also some nice progress charts included alongside a 16 page booklet.
Sadly
not available in the US at present