6 Simple Tips to Increase Your Reading Speed

Due to the intensity of daily life, most of us cannot find enough time to read. It is not possible to increase this time, but it may make sense to improve your reading speed. The average person reads 200-250 words per minute. With regular practice and a little effort, the word count can also be increased exponentially. Here are 6 tips to increase your reading speed:

1) Be Prepared for the Source You Will Read

Before you start the book, knowing what the book will talk about and having an idea about it will significantly increase your reading and comprehension speed. The introductory part of the books is very important in order to understand the author’s writing style and expression. Most readers pass this part without looking, the truth of the matter is that the introductory chapters of the books are one of the most important factors that prepare the reader for the book. Thus; As you read the book, your brain’s awareness increases and a more fluid experience occurs.

2) Silence Your Inner Voice

The biggest obstacle to fast and fluent reading is to read to ourselves with our inner voice. Reading the book with our inner voice lowers the speed limit – as it prevents the eyes and brain from working in harmony. Reading speed, on the contrary, is the same speed as speaking speed. To prevent this; We should control ourselves while reading, and read the simple texts that we will read daily by silencing our inner voice. Chewing gum is a widely used method to suppress our inner voice.

3) Listen to Instrumental and Serial Tempo Music While Reading

Especially since the works of the baroque period of classical music contain intense binaural rhythms and put the brain more comfortably in the alpha wave environment, it keeps the concentration level at the highest level and puts the mind in a more energetic state open to learning. However, it will also be of great help in silencing your inner voice.

4) Read With Your Finger/Pencil

While reading, following the lines with a pen is a key point in speed reading . Because; The human brain involuntarily reads the sentence by returning to the beginning. This situation is called visual regression. Using a pen or your finger to prevent this; it allows you to complete the line in a linear fashion, without interruption. In this way, your eyes will not shift to the previous sentence and it will increase the speed of the pen from the line, allowing your eyes to get used to this speed.

5) Read as Blocks, Not Word by Word

Reading the words in the sentence group by group is a method that is much more efficient and increases your speed than reading word by word. Eyes can see 3 words as blocks at a glance and can increase this with practice. Forcing yourself to see more than one word will increase the number of words you read at a time, so it will increase your reading speed at the same rate.

6) Compete With Yourself

We talked about reading using a finger or a pen. At this stage; Using the method I mentioned, go above your reading speed and scroll through the lines and let your eyes follow. First of all, trying this on simple texts or texts you have read before will ensure that you do not experience a loss in efficiency. After doing this practice, the condition of the eyes will improve; It will be easier to see and follow the article. The most important point is; to be able to continue by increasing the speed.