While training, patience and a positive attitude are essential!
Use the following hints to maximize your progress:
(1) Keep your shoulders level and relaxed and align them with your ears and hips.
(2) Keep your elbows close to your sides (when typing/using mouse) and your knees lower than your hips.
(3) Keep your head tilted slightly downward. With your feet on the floor or on a footrest, hold your head upright and look straight at the monitor. The top of your screen should be at or below eye level.
(4) Try to keep your head still. Your eyes should be moving and your head should stay still while reading.
(5) Make sure your screen is clean, with no window glare.
(6) Try to create a good learning environment. That means eliminating as many distractions as possible -- i.e. turn off phone, turn off e-mail notification, turn off music, remove paperwork from field of vision.
(7) Take a few deep breaths and make sure you're positioned and ready to concentrate before you start each Drill.
(8) Remember to blink. When people read from a computer, they tend to blink less than from a printed page. That can lead to discomfort such as eye burning, tearing or drying out.
(9) Take breaks. Every so often you should stand and stretch for about 30 seconds.
(10) Make the commitment to practice every day. The more you do, the faster and more easily you'll become a Speed Reader!
GENERAL READING TIPS:
One of the most important and the most helpful, reading aids is known as previewing. Previewing gives you a sense of the material -- such as topic, level of difficulty, author's style and length -- before you actually sit down to read it. It allows you to decide whether or not you want or need, to spend the time reading the entire passage to obtain more of the details. In short, it allows you to become a more efficient and effective reader.
Use the following steps to preview:
(1) Establish a purpose for reading this material. Have a specific reason for reading the material, whether the motivation comes from within or without. You'll vary your approach and techniques to achieve that outcome.
(2) Study the title, headings and subheadings. They give you a quick cue as to what the topic of discussion will be. They may also be a deciding factor in determining your purpose and establishing your course of action.
(3) Look at the first and last paragraphs. These can provide you with a quick introduction and conclusion of the material contained in the main part of the text.
(4) Look for bold-faced, italicized and underlined words. These are words or ideas that the author thought were important enough to highlight for you. A quick overview of these words will give you a sense of where the author is heading with the material.
(5) Look at the visual aids. Graphs, charts, diagrams, maps and illustrations all provide support for what's in the main part of the text. They create a vivid mental picture of the people, things and ideas under discussion. They can also provide a quick grasp of the relationships between the data or other concepts in the main part of the text.
You should preview everything you read, regardless of its complexity or length. Here are some suggestions for a couple different types of material:
General non-fiction/textbooks -
(1) Look at the organization. There are usually chapters, sections, a table of contents and an index. Look for chapter headings and key subheadings.
(2) Look at the chapters. Individual chapters may have their own index/overview and summary/content questions.
(3) Look at the beginning and end of sections. The most important information is usually contained there, with details in the middle part.
(4) Look at the setup of diagrams, pictures, graphs, etc.
(5) Read the book's preface/introduction for an overview of the author's purpose and content.
(6) Within the chapters, preview the introductions, summaries, charts, etc. Decide if you need to read for more details.
Letters and Memos -
(1) Consider the setup. The opening and closing paragraphs are usually cordialities and contain little vital information.
(2) Head to the important parts. The earlier and later middle paragraphs contain the most important information.
(3) Look at who sent it, the date sent, if there's a "re:" line and who else received it.
(4) Skim or read the middle paragraphs to get details and decide appropriate response.
News -
(1) Consider the organization. News is usually organized in an inverted pyramid -- the most important information is first, then the details, in order of importance.
(2) Read the first and last paragraphs for an overview and the conclusion.
(3) Look at the graphs, diagrams, etc. and decide if it's worth taking the time to read the rest of the article.
