INTRO - Reading Efficiency

Overview		What you will need
reading is like any other physical activity --warm-up and practice improve your skills reading is comprehension - you haven’t “read” it if you can’t remember it reading efficiently involves choosing the right time and technique for the work to be read this section will focus on reading for meaning -- use it for research, reference articles, novels, textbooks, etc.		someone to help you time your reading speed classical music to read by: instrumental, medium-paced, 80 beats per minute -- Handel, Haydn, Bach, etc. 2-3 books that you haven’t read magazines/newspapers a location where you won’t be interrupted (print out the slides and move if your computer is not in a quiet place) a notepad and pen
Why bother?		Notemaking/Mapping
this is a specific skill for a particular purpose: working through a large amount of reading material in a short period of time (e.g. researching an essay/project) saving time to focus on other things		Why bother? it tells you if you know what you just read it will help you to remember what you just read it will form the basis of your research notes

Notemaking

Use a format comfortable for you. Put down as much as you can remember. Two format suggestions (See Notemaking and Studying):

Topic/Sub-Topic format:		Fuzzy Map format:
1. Topic: sub-topics details 2. Topic: sub-topics examples

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BENCHMARK READ

1. Find someone to time you .
2. Find a book you haven’t read with continuous text (not a comic book, nor a book with lots of pictures).
3. Read for 5 minutes (exactly) using your present reading technique.
4. After 5 minutes (exactly), mark how far you read.
5. Immediately after your read, map the main points of what you’ve just read.

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MEASURING YOUR SPEED

Measuring Chart
(click here to view chart)

• complete the columns using the column headings as a guide - i.e. Column A is the average number of lines per page for the number of pages that you’ve read. Column B is the average number of words per line using any 10 typical lines.
• your mapping will tell you if you have read/understood the passage or not
• your goal is to read at the minimum rate of 350 words per minute - anything above this gives you a greater edge

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PERIPHERAL VISION

Focus on the centre of the object (the arrowheads will blur). Move your vision out to take in the whole object. Move your eyes back in to the centre. Keep moving eyes in and out. Imagine a similar, bigger object on the wall (or use a picture on the wall) and repeat this exercise.

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SETTING THE PACE BY PAGE TURNING

Force your reading pace by turning the pages faster

Practice:

1. Turn the pages of the book so that you can turn them fluently and quickly. Work slowly at first and increase your speed. For now, don’t read, just turn pages. Work at this for one minute.
2. Now, start to read. Force yourself to read at the fastest possible rate. Map what you’ve read.
3. Keep practicing - each time increasing your speed.

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USING YOUR HANDS FOR GUIDING

Open the book at a suitable reading passage - don’t forget to start with your relax and focus routine. Play your reading music. Sweep your hand or finger down the page in any of the following fashions. Let your hand draw your eyes and set the pace. Try this several times. Find the method that is comfortable for you. Then, read and map.

Practise

1. Practise page turning and hand guiding at various speeds.
2. Take one page at a time - read the page and make notes (map). Repeat this exercise several times.
3. Gradually move to more pages at a time.

Newspaper/Magazine columns

where possible, use your hand to hide the column closest to the one you’re reading draw your hand down the page to set your reading pace Quick Tip: If you only need the main ideas of the article, it may often be enough to read only the introduction, first sentence of each paragraph, and conclusion.

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SNOOPING

Snooping is best done in a library, but lots can be done at home.

Sources of quick information:

• the introduction/conclusion/highlighted passages
• table of contents
• book cover/jacket
• bibliography/index
• pictures
• movies/videos on the book/topic
• reviews on the book
• bookstore notes on the book
• discussions with friends who ’ve read it

1. Find a book with lots of text that you've never read.
2. Snoop the book for 5 minutes.
3. Make notes on what you know so far.

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SUMMARY

The Power Read

A power read leaves you with the most information in the shortest possible time.
Here are the five essentials of a power read:

1. Right conditions.
2. Snoop before you read.
3. Focus and relax.
4. Read in short and intense sessions.
5. Map/notemake.

Reading Routine

1. Find the book you want to read.
2. Snoop the book and map/notemake.
3. Do your relax and focus routine to clear your mind. ( See “Relax and Focus”)
4. Start reading.
5. Pause in regular intervals (5-20 minutes) to map/make notes (or add to your notes).

Check Speed Again

After:

• you have established a comfortable reading routine
• you feel that your speed has improved significantly
• celebrate your progress

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