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Learning Speed Reading
http://the-real-way.com
What have you been reading lately? At a meeting, you can tell who the wide-spectrum readers are. Wide readers often think and speak well. They win the admiration, respect, and high regard of others.
After all, reading broadens the mind. In fact, many individuals consider it one of the most satisfying pleasures of mankind, combining, as it does, mental agility and physical relaxation far beyond the scale of television.
The act of reading is primarily a mental activity. After all, you read with your mind and use your imagination to paint the scenery of the detective thriller you are reading. You use your mind to picture the pain that the foremost characters are undergoing as the story unfolds; or you bring into play the diverse arguments and ideas brought up by the author in that self-help book you are reading.
Being able to read effectively helps you to develop an extensive vocabulary through reading various types of books. A competent reader recognizes a wide range of vocabulary.
The reader may not know exactly what each word means, but he/she will have a general concept of what the sentence is saying.
The act of reading makes you more alert and more curious about previously unknown words. Some readers even like to employ 'the dictionary habit', which means that whenever they find a peculiar word, they strive to work out what it means in the sentence. If they are bewildered, they refer to a dictionary.
Likewise, reading develops academic curiosity by exposing you to a range of topics. You learn to read by reading books of increasing difficulty and variety. As in other variations of education, you learn by really doing and as you are reading you automatically learn about the subject matter of the book as well!
Reading teaches you to have an active and open mind. Only understanding the writers idea is not actually good enough, you have to have a reply to what you read. Become an active, not a passive, reader.
Endeavour to develop the habit of drawing your own conclusions, the habit of dynamic thinking, of agreeing or disagreeing with the author. Always keep your mind open; understand and weigh the ideas that you read. A practical part of dynamic reading is the formation of one's own conclusions.
Now allow me tell you to the idea of speed reading. All of the above applies between three and ten times over, because speed readers can read that amount faster than the average reader!
Imagine that! - Being able to read, understand and remember all those books. You would certainly be well-read in your field a lot more quickly than others. Just imagine how that would help you in your career or in school or university ...
Allow me to share four fundamental rules for effective reading and better comprehension:
1) Try to read more and more each month. Remember the saying that practice makes perfect.
2) Develop the habit of reading for main ideas. Look for the subject and predicate. Do not waste time on details or little words.
3) Learn to read with single-mindedness and concentration. Think of what you are reading. Do not let your attention wander somewhere else. Real readers read with comprehension.
4) Learn to budget your time. Experiment with your reading time. Try purposely to read faster. Give yourself a time limit for a specific article that you are reading.
Reading is a wonderfully stimulating mental activity. It expands your knowledge and ability. You have such a lot to gain by discovering the pleasure of reading. So, go ahead, take down a book right this minute.
Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on various topics but is currently concerned with Free Home Schools. If you would like to read more, please go over to our website entitled How To Stay Home From School.
Article submitted Wednesday, September 07, 2011 & read 36 times.
Owen Jones writes on many subjects and is currently running several websites. He was born in Wales but now lives in northern, rural Thailand.
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