Fritz: All Fritz/All Fritz.zip/All Fritz/FILES/EDUCMISC/READFAST.LZH/READSYLL.BUS

Text File | 1989-06-16 | 8KB | 163 lines

                SUGGESTED SYLLABUS FOR READING IMPROVEMENT
                          Shareware Version 1.4
                    (c) Copyright 1989 by Larry O'Rear

     For best results in improving your reading, you will need to practice
your new skills regularly, especially at first.  Thirty minutes or an hour
is probably the longest period that you should work on the eye-span
exercises or paced reading, unless you find that you can work longer
without fatigue.  If you have a longer time available, you could take a
short break about every hour and then continue.

     Here is a suggested schedule.  Each number refers to one session as
mentioned above, about thirty minutes to an hour at first.

1.  Start the READFAST program by typing READFAST <Enter>.  Of course
    <Enter> means hit the ENTER key, also called RETURN.  It probably has a
    crooked arrow pointing to the left.

    Hit 1 to read the introduction.  When finished, hit the <Esc> key to
    continue.

    Choose 2, First Reading Exercise, from the menu.  Have a book ready to
    read and follow the instructions to find your present reading speed.
    You will also need some kind of notebook to keep a record of your
    progress.

    Now hit 5 to leave the READFAST program for a while.

    Your disk includes the READTACH program and a text file named
    READCISE.TXT.  Type READTACH <Enter>, and when you are asked for the
    name of a file to read, enter READCISE.TXT (capital letters aren't
    necessary when you enter the name).  Choose a rate of 400 words per
    minute.  The lines are short; you won't really be reading that fast.
    After you start, you may find that you need a faster rate.  (You
    shouldn't have time to read the words one at a time.) You can stop
    READTACH at any time by hitting the space bar.  Start over and choose
    the new rate.

    Now go back to READFAST.  Choose 3, First Paced Reading, and follow
    the instructions.

    And that's about enough for starters.

2.  If it's been a day or more since your first session, warm up by using
    READTACH with the file READSOLR.TXT.  Choose a rate of 500 words per
    minute or faster.  You can skip the opening screen of READTACH by
    entering READTACH Q.

    Mark vertical lines on about ten pages of the book you are going to
    read.  (Instructions for marking a book were given at the end of Choice
    2 on the menu.  Type COPY READMARK.SHO PRN at the DOS prompt if you
    want to print out the instructions about marking.)  Then start the
    READFAST program and choose 4, Main Reading Program.  Choose 300 for
    the rate, unless you want to try a faster speed.  You can select one
    click per section of a line (the number of clicks will be one more than
    the number of vertical lines), or just one click per line.



    Record your rate, write a summary of your reading, and evaluate your
    summary.

    If you did well on that reading, select 4 from the READFAST menu again
    and this time choose a rate 10% or 20% faster than last time; multiply
    the previous words per minute by 1.1 or 1.2.  Of course you will read a
    different set of pages this time.  If you divided the lines into four
    sections before, use three sections this time.

    If you had trouble on the previous reading, select a slower speed.  Be
    sure you are not trying to look at each word.  If you had three
    sections per line last time, use four this time.

    Now read the new section, record your speed, and write a summary and
    evaluate it.

    How much has your speed improved since the first reading, 2 on the
    menu?  That was before you started pacing as you read.

3.  Start this session with READTACH, using some text file that you have on
    disk.  You could use READFAST.DOC or the documentation for some other
    shareware program.  If you enter READTACH or READTACH Q, the speed will
    automatically increase from one screen to the next.  If you want the
    speed to stay the same, enter READTACH NO or READTACH Q NO.  (You can
    also do this when using READCISE.TXT or READSOLR.TXT.)  Enter 600 for
    the speed.

    Now we will see how you do without the vertical markings.  Select about
    ten pages to read, and mark the last page so you will know when you
    have read ten pages.  Enter 400 for the speed.  If you found the
    previous reading easy (session 2), select a higher speed.  If you had
    difficulty at the speed in session 2, enter 300 for the speed this
    time.  For this reading, use one click per line.

    Read, record your time, write the summary, and evaluate it.  You will
    do this after each reading; I won't tell you every time from now on.

    If you did okay on that, let's select about fifteen pages to read at
    450 words per minute (or more, if you read over 400 wpm last time).  If
    your speed was 300 last time, select 330 this time.  Again, choose one
    click per line.

4.  Begin with READTACH, using READSOLR.TXT as the file to read at a speed
    of 700.  Remember, it's not really that fast with the eye-span
    exercises!  Then use READTACH to read a different text file at 500 wpm
    or more.

    From now on, when I suggest a speed I will assume that you will adjust
    the actual speed that you use, according to the results of your last
    reading.

    Select about twenty pages to read, and mark the last page.  Read at 500
    words per minute using READFAST with one click per line.

    After you have done your recording, etc., select about twenty-five
    pages and read at 550 wpm with one click per PAGE.  Be careful not to
    fall behind the clicks--they won't be reminding you as often!


5.  Use READTACH to read READCISE.TXT at 800 wpm, then some other document
    file at 600 wpm.

    Choose about thirty pages to read at 600 wpm with one click per page.

    Select about thirty more pages.  This time we will try something
    different.  When asked for the words per minute for pacing, enter 0.
    That's right, zero.  This turns off the clicker.  You are on your own
    to keep up your speed!  You will still hit the space bar when you start
    and when you have finished, to find your reading rate.

6.  Use READTACH to read READSOLR.TXT at 900 wpm.

    Now comes the real fun!  Choose a book that has about 120 pages.  You
    are going to read an entire book at one whack.

    Start READFAST.  If you did okay last time without the clicks, enter 0
    again for the words per minute.  If you fell behind last time, enter
    600 or more.  Hit the space bar, read the book, and then hit the space
    bar again.  After you finish, write a summary of the book you read.
    You might want to look back through the book to check the accuracy and
    completeness of your summary.  Be sure to record your reading rate.
    Good luck!

7.  Continue according to this pattern, increasing your speed each time by
    about 10%.  Sometimes you will hit a "plateau" when it seems impossible
    to make any progress.  If this happens, try a speed about one and one
    half times the last speed you used, and read about thirty pages, using
    one click per line.  Read it by the clicks even if you don't seem to
    be getting anything from the reading.  Then go back to a speed about
    10% greater than the previous speed, and see how you do.

    I will appreciate very much a report on your success with this program,
    and any suggestions you might have.

    Thank you, and best wishes.


                                                Larry O'Rear
                                                703 Cielo Drive
                                                Georgetown, TX 78628