Speed Reading: Assess your Reading Speed

and Techniques

Louise Livesey

Academic Skills Adviser

This workshop will

− Introduce you to the concept of reading at speed− Assess your current reading speed so you know where you

are starting from− Teach some preliminary techniques for improving reading

speed.

1.How we read

2.Self-test your reading speed

3.Guided reading techniques

4.Skimming and scanning

Today’s Plan

Fixation points: reading in ‘chunks’

1.How we read

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Words

Fixations: ¼- 1 ½ secondsEye

movements

Activity 1

1. Read the text for 1 minute, note last word

2. Count the number of words on any three lines and add them together. (Take short lines into account).

3. Divide that number by three and you will have an average number of words per line. Make a note of this number.

4. Count the number of lines you read and make a note of this number.

5. Multiply the number of lines read by your average words per line and make a note of the number.

2.Self-test your reading speed

The Basic Sweep

A.Slightly cup your right hand, keeping your fingers together

B.Sweep your fingers across the page, from left to right, with a very light and smooth motion

C.The tip of your tallest finger should sweep directly underneath each line (imagine that you are dusting salt from the page)

D.Allow the motion of your hand to pull your eyes across and down the page

3.Guided reading techniques

Double Line; Variable; and Reverse Sweeps

A.Double line: same as basic but take in two lines at a time

B.Variable: Same as above but as many lines as you can

C.Reverse: Same as above but backwards

3.Guided reading techniques

3.Guided reading techniques

Skimming:• General overview • Identification

Scanning:• Specific information• Note-taking

4.Skimming and scanning

References

Buzan™, T. (2006) The Speed Reading Book. Harlow: Educational Publishers LLP.

Buzan™, T. (2006) The Buzan™ Study Skills Book. Harlow: Educational Publishers LLP

Academic Skills Advice Service

• Where are we? Chesham Building B0.23• What do we do? Support undergraduate students with

their academic skills by running clinics and workshops, having bookable appointment slots, and enabling students to drop-in for Instant Action.

• Who are we? Michael and Helen specialise in Maths Support; Lucy and Russell advise students on study skills; and I (Louise) deliver the workshops

• When can you come for help? Everyday both face to face and on-line

• How do I get in touch? Email: academic-skills@brad.ac.uk or website www.brad.ac.uk/academic-skills

Any questions?