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In this Issue:

* Making Memory Work: Tips to Improve Memory

* How to Increase You Reading Speed

* How to Increase Your level of Reading Comprehension

* Learn How to Succeed by Thinking Like a Genius

* Focus on... The Benefits of Focus and Concentration

* Excerpt from Creativity Special Report

* Tips to Turbocharge Your Brain Power

* Speed Reading Tips and Patterns to Avoid!

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Making Memory Work: Tips to Improve Memory

-an article from Leon Edward

It is difficult to imagine what life would be like without memory. The mearnings of thousands of everyday perceptions, the bases for the decisions we make, and the roots of our habits and skills are to be found in our past experiences, which are brought into the present by memory.

Memory can be defined as the capacity to keep information available for later use. It includes not only remembering things like arithmetic or historical facts, but also involves any change in the way an animal typically behaves. Memory is involved when a rat gives up eating grain because he has sniffed something suspicious in the grain pile. Memory is also involved when a six-year-old child learns to swing a baseball bat.

There is no magical formula available yet for making everyone a wizard of memory. Many of the gimmicks that one hears about have proven to be mostly wishful thinking. For example, learning in sleep has never been shown to be effective. Indeed, one of the most important requirements for learning is to pay attention.

This also relates to the use of hypnosis, another potentially 'magic' learning aid. Under hypnotic suggestion people do learn a little faster, but the advantage is of just the magnitude expected if a person concentrates harder for any reason.

There are many variables that may make a difference in how well you learn and remember something. Spacing practice is one of these. It is usually better to study or practice a particular thing a little at a time rather than all at once, at least insofar as its meaning and logic are not impaired. Even the way in which flash cards deck of, say, French-English vocabulary is arranged for memorization can make a difference. If the same card is studied twice in a row, the second practice does almost no good. It is best to study one card for a while, and then put it away while you study at least six or eight others.

After something has been learned, the degree of retention may be greatly influenced by the manner in which practice was organized. If instead of learning just to master, the learner goes on to study more, his rate of forgetting is much less rapid. Tests are even more effective in preventing forgetfulness.

In some cases, less will be forgotten in a month with a properly arranged test than in a single day without one. Tests are probably most effective, as compared with just more studying, when the material is already fairly well learned.

Certain methods of organizing information as it is learned can make it easier to retain and retrieve. These 'tricks' are sometimes called mnemonic devices. For example, medical students often try to remember a sequence of nerves by memorizing a poem in which the first letter of each word stands for the first initial of a nerve. Junior high school students use the same trick to remember the order of planets.

Another technique is to create a vivid visual image - one full of bizarre and unusual features - incorporating the thing or things to be remembered. These memory aids work by organizing the materials to be learned and making them more meaningful. They thus take advantage of things the person already knows to help make new connections more varied, rich and salient. Under what conditions these various memory aids work and do not work has not yet been established.

Does memorizing make a person a better "memorizer"? The answer is complicated. The use of various aids, together with proper organization of practice time and other good study habits, will increase your ability to learn and retain information. But simply doing a lot of memorization will not strengthen your memory. Practice makes you good only at exactly what you have learned.

How to increase your reading speed.

from Leon Edward

Read at the speed of thought

The Information Age is a time when speed is of the essence. Everything is fast. In the blink of an eye, money is transferred from New York to Tokyo. A call on a mobile phone is made in the same distance in the same amount of time.

It is no big leap of thought to see that even people will be expected to move a light speeds. The constant rapid pace of life in cities is not something most people like, but will want to be able to cope with to keep their heads above water.

So picture yourself. You work in one of the biggest Information Technology corporations in the United States. You job as project manager is to coordinate project movements between your end in the US and an outsource firm in India. Your primary methods of communication are the phone and email, and the occasional monthly visits you make to Bangalore to meet the point people face to face.

On top of all this, you must report your progress to your employer, get his opinion, work with middle management under you to keep things from going into meltdown, and then make sure all things administrative are done. And let's not forget the "informal" socials. It's a task of exponential proportions if you don't know what you're doing.

You need to save time, and for you time is a valuable resource. Verbal communication can be managed and you can get to the point. Email is manageable. You can always ask people to get to paraphrase and supply bullet points. But what about your professional growth?

That usually stumps most people. Most project managers don't have the time to read long essays in an MBA course. But when it comes to research they have to do, they have to hunker down and hit the books which is a costly, time intensive endeavor.

One suggestion is to increase your reading speed. Reading faster saves you time. Here are a few suggestions that will help you increase your reading speed.

1. Do not fixate. If your eye lingers on a word, that is called a fixation. Try to focus on groups of word instead. You will soon find that groups of words make sense depending on your fluency of the language.

Do not get into the habit to backtracking or rereading. Text is usually constructed to summarize then move on to elaborate so there really isn't any necessity to backtrack. Also, develop a wider eye span that takes in a larger area of the page.

2. Improve your vocabulary. When you encounter something you do not know take the time with the material to understand what it is. Next time you encounter that word, you will not be slowed down by it.

3. Do not move your lips. Subvocalization is a natural human function. It is a neurological aid in which the brain associates the word in visual with the word as it sounds. However, your reading speed will be impaired if you have the habit of vocalizing it every time. If you find yourself moving your lips, try reading faster and rest your eyes on groups of words as instructed above.

4. Take time off to read something else. Get used to reading by reading other topics. The human mind is always looking for something fresh. Try to read a novel or other non-work related literature on weekends.

5. You must have a purpose. When you know what you're looking for, you will find that you can rapidly skim through topics you need and avoid topics that have no relevance to your search. This one point is a great time saver. Do not start reading unless you know what you need to know.

6. Practice. If you find that you have difficulty focusing on the text. Use your finger as the focus and pacing device. Rapidly move your finger across the material to prevent fixation and increase your attention. This method was introduced by Evelyn Wood and it achieved speeds of 1000 words per minute with comprehension.

7. Pace yourself. If you find yourself getting tired, read for 5 to 10 minutes at a time and take rest periods in between. Gradually increase the reading duration according to your pace and taste.

How to increase your comprehension

from Leon Edward

20% Speed 80% Comprehension

Comprehension is defined in Encarta as "the ability to grasp the meaning of something".

One of the most complex things humans can do is read. Reading is a process that requires the recognition of a symbol or set of symbols, forming a pattern that point to another set of meanings previously learned and stored in the mind.

Being an ability found in humans and in limited levels in primates, literacy requires that one must be able to comprehend first the symbol and the underlying meaning behind the symbols. Since reading is this complex, it signals that a person is intelligent.

Comprehension then is vital to the mental and social standing of an individual. Increasing comprehension acts as a force multiplier. The more things a person is able to comprehend with the least amount of time and input has the greater advantage.

Even a slight edge in comprehension makes a significant difference over time. This slight edge acts as compound interest, pulling the person ahead more and more until he is ahead of the pack by a wide margin.

This concept is referred to as the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 Principle. It states that small initial advantages over time can increasingly multiply and produce highly unexpected results. This in turn makes it easier for people investing in skills like comprehension to become even more skilled over time.

The average human spends a significant amount of time learning through books written by various authors. People who read are essentially learning from the experience of others, saving time and effort.

Of course, the better method would be to directly learn from another experienced person, but not everybody has the time, money and patience for that. Reading, then, is a perfect alternative.

Speed reading would logically be a good way to learn more in less time, but some studies have shown that though a person trained in speed reading can consume literature at about 1,000 words per minute. However, the comprehension rate is at 50%, which is not acceptable to the development of better comprehension.

An average human reads at a speed of 200 words per minute with a comprehension rate of 75%. Though this is actually acceptable, any chance at improving this rate significantly creates a window opportunity for the person. Unfortunately, it would actually be easier for a person to learn to read faster than to learn to comprehend concepts better.

Despite this challenge, if the person wishes to have a better edge, it is recommended that he concentrate his efforts at attaining moderate reading speed and maximizing his level of comprehension instead.

Improved comprehension requires preparation and a willingness to improve. Here are a few tips to achieve the desired level of comprehension.

1. Practice self-assessment. Test the level of your comprehension through summarizing the material you just read. If you are able to explain concept in your own words, then you have understood the subject matter. As time passes this get easier.

2. Push the limits of comprehension. Through questionnaires, one's level of comprehension can be measured and test by oneself. Cross word puzzles, connecting the dots, etc. can be done in the comfort of one's own home without assistance.

3. Improve metacognition. Metacognition is the ability to "think about thinking." It is used as a regulation tool to catch oneself with thoughts that are not logical. It detaches a person from his own thoughts to see if they are biased. This is akin to the teachings of Eastern philosophy where one is able to become brutally honest with himself.

4. Open your mind. Read extensively. Comprehension comes from an extensive learning background. Reading a lot about different subjects increases the likelihood of speedier comprehension in any other field due to the ability to spot similarities and differences.

5. Communicate. Find the time to speak with people of different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. People always have an opinion about something. While you may or may not agree with their opinions, there is always something to learn from their points of view.

6. Contemplate. Spend time to reflect on what you just read, turn the ideas upside down and inside out in your mind. The ability to turn an idea on its head will become more natural the more an idea is played around with this way.

Learn How to Succeed by Thinking like a Genius

From Leon Edward

You don't have to be a certified genius to think like one.

When you learn how to think like a genius, you'll soon reap the kind of rewards that used to be exclusive for people ten times more creative and smarter than you.

Start Thinking Out of the Box

Don't allow yourself to be limited and restricted by traditions and conventions!

You should always tell yourself that you can do something that's not expected. Although people who think out of the box are usually those with definite artistic talents, working in a regular office doesn't mean you can't let your creative juices flow. Just persist in proving your critics wrong and you'll stay on the right track.

Have a Strong Dose of Confidence in Yourself

Geniuses aren't all arrogant or conceited, but they do have a healthy dose of self-confidence. They know what they want, they know what they can do, and they know what they should do. They don't let anything stop them from reaching their goals if they know they deserve it.

Have a Realistic Goal

At the same time, geniuses are smart enough not to reach for the moon - figuratively speaking, that is.

All their goals are SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Their goals may not be smart for others, but they definitely believe that it's smart for them, and in most cases, that's all that counts.

Maximize the Power of Visualization

Many people wonder how geniuses were able to create or invent such wonderful products or services. The answer to this is simple: they have powerful visualization skills. They can picture in their minds what they wish to happen in the future. As time passes by, the picture becomes clearer and sharper until it becomes reality.

If you want to succeed in life, you need to think like a genius and that includes being able to see in your mind where you want to be in the future.

Use Self-Affirmation

Reminding yourself about your goals, talents, skills, and abilities will strengthen your resolve in achieving your goals. Geniuses are smart enough to recognize the importance of motivation and inspiration and the role it plays in one's life. If you wish to be as successful as most geniuses are, you need to remind yourself constantly that you deserve and are capable of obtaining such success.

Don't Be Afraid to Take Risks

Geniuses are rarely afraid to take risks because they know that taking risks is usually the only way for people to make new discoveries and take advantage of new opportunities. Of course, being willing to take risks doesn't mean you should take all sorts of risks without thinking the matter completely.

Use both facts and intuition to analyze if the risk you're about to take is sensible.

Don't Stop Asking

Lastly, it's important that you don't stop asking questions. Geniuses are the way they are because they're eager to learn things all the time. If you want to find out the same things they know, you need to question incessantly about everything.

Learning how to think like a genius and making a conscious effort to do so at all times will not only give you the rewards you desire but also cause you to become one yourself in time. Nothing in this world is impossible and that's something only geniuses understand and believe in!

Achieve A Laser Like Focus Faster when you

"Focus on... The Benefits of Focus and Concentration"

If there is anything vital that you want to learn and master, you need to be able to focus and keep your concentration. These two things combined will help you achieve your goals and be successful in life.

Here are some of the benefits of achieving focus and concentration to the highest possible level:

1. You'll get more things done. Focus and concentration on your job will eventually lead you to achieve better performance and higher promotional status. As you continue to do your job well, you will be well liked by your superiors and colleagues. It will be more possible to head your own team in the future.

2. You'll make good decisions in life. If you practice focus and concentration, you will be able to evaluate your options more fully. You will know how to weigh all the pros and cons of any given situation. In doing so, you will arrive at a more sound and accurate decision that could change your life or the lives of others in a very convincing way.

3. You'll be able to appreciate things more. Focus and attention will make you aesthetically appreciative of the things that you see and the things that are offered to you. Attention to detail will show you all the avenues of a beautiful entity.

4. You'll be able to live fuller. Focus and concentration will eventually make your body respond exactly to your mind's wishes. If the mind can direct your body to do positive things, imagine how it will be able to allow you to achieve greater heights and bigger things.

5. You'll accomplish things in the least possible time. Focus and concentration not only get things done. They get it done faster and more accurately.

6. You'll remember things better. Focus and concentration improve your memory and your brainpower. These are important elements in the accomplishments of highly successful people. If you can remember people, information, and figures faster and more efficiently, success is just around the corner.

These are just some of the benefits that focus and concentration can give you. Do not waste time. Get the best focus and concentration boosting materials that you can for they will surely benefit you no matter who you are or what you do. And, that's a real fact.

Excerpt from Chapter 5 of 'Creativity Special Report'

Nurturing the Creativity Within

"An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it." - Bill Bernbach

Now that you've accepted the fact that you are indeed a creative person, and that you are capable of becoming creative more than you have ever dreamed of, it's time to put that talent to work and practice, practice, practice.

The first thing you need is a place in which to be creative - a space of your own. If possible, it should be a space that's comfortable and conducive to creative thinking - a place free of distraction and noise.

To start with, you will need a desk, a comfortable chair, good lighting and the proper tools or equipment. At this stage, you are only focusing on your creativity and formulating ideas. You're still brainstorming. To help you focus, you might try a little mood music.

Grab that pen/pencil and paper. If you like, you can use a recorder. Whatever medium you choose, make sure you record every single idea; don't let any of them get away. You may not be able to retrieve them later. At this stage, don't try to censor yourself, just write down everything that occurs to you, no matter how silly or bizarre it might sound.

Don't be negative; this is no time to be critical with yourself. Just let yourself go. Try writing for about fifteen minutes at a time. Natalie Goldberg says to just keep your hand moving across the page. Francis Bacon said, "Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable." Then take a break. Get up, stretch, take a walk, and relax

Give yourself time every day to daydream, to ask "What if?" Remind yourself you're a creative being and allow yourself to maintain that childlike wonderment. Question everything. When you run into the "That's just the way we've always done things," attitude, try this:

Ask why.

Think of a new way to do things. Think outside the box, as they say. Don't be afraid to challenge traditional thinking.

Maintain the motivation.

When something strikes you as interesting, go with it and find the twist.

Keeping a journal is an excellent way to avoid losing all those marvelous ideas your creative mind is capable of churning out. Allow yourself that spontaneous creativity.

Increasing the creativity in your life is easy if the activities you've chosen are of particular interest to you. William Shakespeare said, "No profit grows where is no pleasure taken, in short, study what thou dost affect." Simply put, do what you love and you will succeed. You work hardest where your heart lies.

Give yourself the proper incentive to work hard on developing your creativity. Don't wait for inspiration to strike. Sit down and begin the process of creating; and the Muse, in curiosity, will appear.

Many times, visualization is very helpful in the process of creating a new idea. Each person has their own way to bring their creativity to the forefront. You will doubtless find your own way to entice the Muse to visit you. Benjamin Franklin used to take air baths to stimulate his thinking. The ritual itself is not important; it's only a way of focusing your mind on developing creative ideas. Other factors may include a music that inspires you, the time of day when your creativity is at peak, or working in a particular place each time. The important part is to train your mind to think creatively. This takes a little time and effort, but is well worth it in the long run. When creative inclinations (such as questioning everything, asking what if, and stretching your mind) become automatic, you can pat yourself on the back. You're developing the creative side of your brain, inviting the Muse. Congratulations!

Remember, developing creative ideas is not enough. You must back it up with action. Robert Ringer said, "Nothing happens until something moves." Put those wonderful ideas into motion. Take action!

How to Become an Effective and Engaging Public Speaker as Well as a Strong Communicator

from Leon Edward

You are an expert in your field and have great experience working for XYZ companies and maybe your own business.

As guest speaker however, you now find that despite your expertise and the importance of your talk, your audience seems uninterested; even slightly confused. Here lies the big difference between knowing a subject matter well and communicating it to others effectively.

These 10 helpful nuggets should help you get your message across.

1. KNOW YOU AUDIENCE

Be aware of the general demographic of your audience. The factors of age, educational attainment and economic background should dictate the level at which to design your talk. Your doctorate gobbledygook will not be helpful to the rural agricultural workers waiting to hear you. In the same light, a graduate school audience may become bored with a simple linear presentation. Younger audiences may need conceptual statements to be broken down into concrete examples they can relate to.

2. LEVEL-OFF AT THE BEGINNING

As you begin your talk, spend some time introducing the subject matter and your personal involvement in it.

Use the introduction as an opportunity to define terms and spell-out any acronyms that may be specific to your field.

Try to gauge topic awareness among members of your audience by asking for a show of hands on questions that begin with a question as How many of you have heard of something... or a something... How many of you have ever wondered about _blank. This is also a good way of breaking the ice and engaging your listeners.

3. MAKE USE OF VISUAL AIDS WISELY

In some instances, an image can speak more clearly than words. When appropriate, present photos to depict important aspects of your topic. When dealing with abstract ideas or the relationship between processes, show them a diagram to physically represent the interactions involved.

Allow a slight pause, for the audience to absorb a visual. Once they have had a few seconds to take it in, you can continue speaking and they will be ready to listen to you again while mentally connecting the visual aid to your point.

Avoid wordy PowerPoint slides that mimic verbatim what you are already saying in your speech. Instead of enhancing the talk, the visual aid becomes redundant and tempts students to just read the slide instead of listen to you.

4. USE NOTECARDS WITH BULLET POINTS, DO NOT MEMORIZE

Outline the flow of your key points on note cards. Small index cards are better than whole sheets of paper because it is easier to keep track of where you are in the talk.

Use bullet points to highlight your ideas. Do not write out entire sentences on your notes that you might be tempted to memorize. It is easier to remember your outline and expound spontaneously if you memorize the ideas instead of the exact words

5. USE HUMOR IF SUITABLE, BUT BE TACTFUL

Everyone loves a laugh, so it may be helpful to inject some humor into your speech. Before doing so however, analyze the subject matter and check if it will not be inappropriate.

If you choose to employ humor, make sure to remain tactful. Stay away from slanted jokes that may offend certain sub-sectors within your audience, such as gender, religion, race, politics and economic status.

Keep the comedy in check. Well-timed snippets may help you establish rapport with your audience, or make monotonous stretches a bit lighter. Too many laughs however may divert the audiences focus from your key points.

6. MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT

Looking at members of the audience in the eye keeps them involved in your talk. Research has shown that information is more easily received when the listener has both visual and verbal contact with the speaker. Make sure to distribute your attention to audience members in different parts of the room.

7. SPEAK CLEARLY AND MODULATE YOUR VOICE

While the topic is all too familiar to you, it may be a new subject to your audience. Speak slowly and clearly, at a pace that allows your audience to follow your meaning. Make sure you speak loud enough to be heard by the person at the back of the room. For emphasis, briefly pause before and after important ideas or say key points twice before elaborating.

8. KNOW THE SUBJECT MATTER

Nothing beats knowing what you are talking about inside and out. Research your facts and make sure you have a good grasp of the issues involved. Have a comprehensive understanding of your topic. Where it applies, be aware of both sides to a polarized discussion about your subject. Anticipate questions the audience might raise.

9. ENCOURAGE Q & A

To further nail down the message behind your speech, encourage questions and clarifications through an open forum after your talk. Before you begin the forum, set a time limit or a predetermined number of questions you can accommodate. You may want to discuss this beforehand with the organizers

to make sure that you can fit everything within the time allotted for you.

10. SUMMARIZE and DISTRIBUTE HAND-OUTS AFTER TALK

Before you end, summarize your most salient points and repeat the ideas you want your audience to take home with them. You can outline a summary in the form of a hand-out to be given to the audience afterwards. Do not pass the hand-out into the audience before or during your talk because you want them to listen to you first and not just be reading distractedly.

With these 10 pointers in mind, you are on your way to becoming a much sought-after resource person, known both for your expertise in your field and your skill in communicating. More importantly, you can be sure that your message is getting across to your public loud and clear.

Turbo Boost Your Brain Power

Finally, people are starting to understand!

Being intelligent matters. Despite the negative stigma given to intelligent people and so called nerds, society now understands that intelligence often counts more than muscle power, especially in this day and age.

Suddenly, being smart is cool. People want to develop brainpower these days. This means not just being smart in the sense of having a wealth of raw knowledge, but being smart where it counts, with practical application.

Here are five tips you can use to increase brainpower and boost your minds capacity to absorb and process information faster:

1) Choose supplements wisely

Yes, there are supplements that actually work. These may include memory-enhancement pills or medications that stave off mental fatigue for adults; there are also IQ enhancement milk supplements for children. A good number of these supplementary products on the market can actually give children a mental edge and help improve learning. Both children and adults need to follow a good, balanced diet and avoid vices that literally destroy brain cells such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and using illegal drugs. This will help keep your mind sharp over time.

2) Try speed-reading

This is a good way to bump up your learning curve. Speed-reading courses not only allow you to cover data faster, but they also train your mind to pick up visual details at a greater speed.

Another benefit youll gain by learning to speed read is that you train your brain to pick up the important details of the written text. Contrary to claims of some self-help courses, however, you cannot acquire a photographic memory if you dont have one to begin with; however, speed-reading is the next best thing for those of who were not born with a photographic memory.

3) Test yourself often!

Here is a good memory enhancement drill. A study conducted by several colleges separated students into two groups. One group was given 5 minutes to study a text, and was then immediately given three 5-minute tests. Another group was given four 5-minute periods to study the same text, but was not immediately given a test afterwards.

A week later, they were all given a test on the same subject. The group that studied only once but took three tests outperformed the group that had studied the text four times but had taken no tests. The results are clear: dont try to learn by just reading. Apply the knowledge you acquire and test yourself repeatedly.

4) Do drills on some basic math drills

Drilling basic math drills by using flashcards may seem like something that belongs in grade school, but even adults can benefit from it. Face it; most of us are spoiled by having calculators to do our addition and subtraction. At its core, math embodies the purest form of logic. Letting your basic math skills deteriorate is similar to letting your logical and deductive reasoning take a downslide.

5) Take Abstract Logic Tests

There are test books available in bookstores that give extensive tests on abstract logic. These tests present one with sets of 3 pictures; the test taker has to extrapolate from the first three pictures what the fourth logical concluding picture will be.

Buy a few of these books and try them out! Abstract logic may not be a direct help in concrete learning, but it actually improves your deductive reasoning capacity.

Try any of these activities and see how they boost your brainpower. Increase your minds capacity to absorb and process information faster.

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Excerpt from Speed Reading Special Report...

Speed Reading Tips

Once you start reading, don't stop! Read the text straight through. If you have any question after you have completed reading the material, go back and reread the relevant sections.

Reread the marked sections of the text (the items you indicated that you didn't quite understand).

Write a small summary at the beginning of the chapter - consisting about 3-4 sentences. If you ever need to return to the text, the information is much more easily found with summary markings.

Read once. You can't read everything all at once (and wouldn't want to). If it's important, read it now. If it's not, let it wait.

Read the title and the first paragraph more carefully than the other parts of the section.

If there is a summary at the end of a chapter, read it.

Get a grasp of how the material is organized.

If you need more background, seek another source.

A paper and a pen at hand while reading are helpful. Make sure to have both beside you before beginning to read.

Use the cursor on computer as a pointer when you read text on the screen. The cursor will then act as a finger, and your eyes will most likely follow for moving object.

Use a guide (pencil, finger, ruler, etc.) to stop regression.

Train yourself to bypass your automatic response to mentally speak each word. Instead, read words and phrases at a time, using only the peripheral vision.

When you are reading, it is often useful to highlight, underline, and annotate the text as you go on. This emphasizes information in the mind, and helps you to recall important details after reading the material.

Underline relevant information in a section as if you were preparing brief notes from which you could study.

Underline all definitions of terminology.

Mark or label examples that represent main ideas.

Circle and box special vocabulary words and transitional words and phrases.

Number important or sequential ideas.

Jot down paraphrases, questions, and summaries in available spaces within the text.

What Causes Slow Reading?

Reading word per word

Longer time in reading chunks of words

Eyes going back to a word or sentence previously read

Unable to recognize and respond immediately to the material

Slow vocalization and comprehension

Incorrect eye movements and regression

Slow reading habits due to past reading experiences

Inattentiveness and absent-mindedness during reading

Lack of practice and interest in reading

Spending a lot of time on individual words to be able to sustain comprehension

Poor recognition of important and unimportant things

Remembering everything rather than selectively

Notice that these conditions also act to reduce comprehension. Thus, increasing your reading rate by eliminating all these may also result to increased comprehension.

Tips for Increasing Reading Rate

Improve your vocabulary. Expose yourself with new words so when you encounter them, you won't spend more time figuring out what they mean.

Know your reading purpose. For main ideas only, skimming the material is already enough.

Read faster by reading with the mind instead of with the lips.

Read more! Take 15 minutes of your time a day reading an average size novel, magazines, or other books.

Everyday, increase your reading rate by reading faster (about 2 to 3 times faster) than your normal speed.

If reading concentration is poor, practice reading for 5 to 10 minutes only at a time. Gradually increase this rate over time.

To Your Success,

- Leon Edward