# Speed Reading Course



## fiftyeight (5 November 2014)

Recently returned from holidays and had some time to do a bit of reading. I have always been a slowish reader, and now my list is growing both investing/trading and entertainment.

I am thinking that a speed reading course maybe be worth my time. Anyone completed one? Are they any good? Any recommendations?

Cheers


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## tech/a (5 November 2014)

fiftyeight said:


> Recently returned from holidays and had some time to do a bit of reading. I have always been a slowish reader, and now my list is growing both investing/trading and entertainment.
> 
> I am thinking that a speed reading course maybe be worth my time. Anyone completed one? Are they any good? Any recommendations?
> 
> Cheers




No but a great idea.

I think it would be hard for people reading technical books.
But could be wrong. Evidently its more about comprehension.
If we see the first and last characters in a word we recognise
it and even if we don't read a whole sentence if we get the 
beginning and end we fill in the gaps.

Be interested in your research and what you do.


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## skyQuake (5 November 2014)

Try spritz:

http://www.spritzinc.com/

It does what tech/a said with highlighting the 'key' part of a word 

Personally i think its the best thing since sliced bread!


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## systematic (5 November 2014)

I've heard some excellent reviews of Jim Kwik (apparently his real name!)

Regardless, I implemented one of his basic techniques in my uni studies and it definitely helped me - as I have a real tendency to go back to what I've already read.  As simple as it sounds, it does work.  Simply use your finger (or mouse on a screen) to underline as you read. Jim estimates a modest but significant 25% (or more) improvement in speed...but again, the value to me was more in preventing me taking twice as long to read a text book page due to re-reading sections.

It's an area I'd like to do a bit more in too, so let us know what else you come up with.

Kwik Learning is the relevant website.


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## CanOz (5 November 2014)

I recently saw a speed reading course on Apples podcast. It's free I think....


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## fiftyeight (5 November 2014)

Thanks all.

Yeah I have mostly read technical books so it has not been such a big issue, but I feel even technical books contain material that can be, maybe not skimmed through definitely read a bit faster.

I am back at work tomorrow but will give some those recommendations a go and post some results.


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## Wysiwyg (5 November 2014)

I am a slow reader too and that is because my mind wanders off when I am reading. I alerts mind of wander and then mind has to go back to the page or paragraph where the wander began. The wander is usually a recall of a passage or sentence that I have experienced or am trying to picture. I continues to read during this wandering but comprehension is lower during this time. Happy with this idiosyncrasy though. 

I moved to a kindle reading app. on ipad this year with five books and one audio book so far. The audio book is what I first thought to mention here as an alternative to reading. The audio book options are limited but I took note the Ben Graham classic - The Intelligent Investor is available in audio book form at Amazon for $14.95


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## Julia (5 November 2014)

I've never done any speed reading programs but do read fast unless I make a particular effort to read every word because it's beautifully written prose.

In trying to analyse how what is not much more than scanning to comprehend the general sense works for me, best I can come up with is as mentioned above, ie key words.  

The other thing I've done with studying is what I can only describe as imprinting the page on my mind, then going over and over that visual impression in my mind later whilst walking or doing something else that requires no mental effort.  I don't think I could claim actual 'photographic memory' but something getting close to that.

I expect reading speed increases with practice.  I'm often surprised at how few people read for pleasure.

fifty-eight, it's an interesting topic.  Look forward to what sort of courses are available.
Thanks for raising it.


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## fiftyeight (5 November 2014)

Wysiwyg said:


> I first thought to mention here as an alternative to reading




Yeah I am all over audio books. Have had a few mind numbing jobs that were spiced up with audio books 

I wish I had the problem of slowing down to enjoy the we the words Julia

Found one of Kwik video's on youtube. I am making nearly every mistake he identifies so hopefully there is some room to improve.

I like his idea's but his course is quite expensive and it seems like the kind of stuff I will find for free or will be available through apps.


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## Wysiwyg (5 November 2014)

fiftyeight said:


> Yeah I am all over audio books.



I bought the Ben Graham Intelligent Investor audio book for AUD $19.93 which at current conversion of USD $14.95 was AUD $17.33 meaning I assume Amazon pockets $2.60.

Now I have to work on listening for extended periods of time without mind wander.


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## luutzu (6 November 2014)

Wysiwyg said:


> I bought the Ben Graham Intelligent Investor audio book for AUD $19.93 which at current conversion of USD $14.95 was AUD $17.33 meaning I assume Amazon pockets $2.60.
> 
> Now I have to work on listening for extended periods of time without mind wander.




There's a free one on YouTube 

Digital age man.


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## Huskar (6 November 2014)

Now I don't pretend to be any authority on this, but reading quickly is not just the mechanical process of comprehending more words in a less amount of time. Most importantly, it is tailoring your attention / speed to the material at hand: a newspaper article? You can generally skim through quite quickly because of the short paragraphs and fact-based information. Similarly for an "airport" novel that is all about the plot line. Finer details don't matter so much.

On the other hand, technical books demand (often quite self-indulgently) your fuller attention and therefore a slower reading pace. But you can still do a lot to read quicker by looking NOT ONLY AT THE TEXT ITSELF. 
You can get a good flavour of what the piece / article is about from simple things like the heading / author / contents page / index / blurb / glossary / bibliography - these are often neglected as mere appendices. 

Once you have skimmed through, you can go either go back and read slowly or move onto the next piece with the comfort that you have a general idea of what the book/ article is actually about.

For the book that details it best of all check out Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book, or for a cheat-sheet (and highly knowledge enhancing blog) check out http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/how-to-read-a-book/


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## readfastex (18 November 2014)

I've created this tool in order to practice and enhance speed reading skill. I also use that for fluent pronunciation training.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/read-fast-bro/fbdellaidbbhmlmecbeblmjhgnodecjh

This is an extension to Chrome browser - Read Fast Bro. The aim was to learn speed reading on any website with any text formatting. Please try the tool and use that if you like. 
I appreciate if you'll leave or e-mail feedback about this tool.


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