HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY READING SKILLS

    HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY READING SKILLS 

Frankly, my standpoint is that, most of us can become naturally fast readers, without even having to sign up for speed reading courses, if only we understand the real causes to our problems in reading:

• we are not physically engaged and intellectually stimulated when we are reading;
• we are still using archaic reading strategies of the past;
• we are not familiar with the proven efficient and effective techniques often used by fast and versatile readers;

So in a nut shell, we just need to get rid of bad habits, and start practising the application of novel reading techniques.

Let me illustrate the essence of our bad reading habits:

1) Our mind is not prepared:

So much distractions and distracting thoughts.

Doing some simple relaxation sequences, with slow by deep diaphragmatic breathing routines, with a physiologically relaxed body to a go along, prior to reading would easily resolve this issue.

2) Regression:

Re-reading the same information many times over.

3) Sub-vocalisation:

Saying the words silently in our head while reading.

4) Lack of Concentration:

Our mind wanders often while reading; most often due to (1).

5) Reading word by word:

Focusing our eyes on one word at a time, moving one space and  focusing on the next word.

6) Skimming:

Skipping words because we feel we are running out of reading time.

7) Our mind is not actively engaged:

Using a pencil as our visual spacer, probing the author of the text with self-imposed questions in our head,  and making marginal annotations, while reading would readily resolve this issue, as well as (2),(3),(4),(5).

Let me share with readers some vital research findings pertaining to high performance reading:

• The mind moves by bounds;
• The mind uses peripheral vision to anticipate what is coming next;
• The mind is faster than the eye;
• The mind can grasp up to fifteen words at a glance;
• It's OK to sift and select as well as read at different speeds;
• Reading faster means better understanding;
• Understanding takes less time than reading;
• The mind moves spontaneously from synthesis to analysis;
• Reading is personal - our past history determines our reading habits;
• Context gives meaning to words;
• The meaning might lie ahead;
• The mind needs a purpose - and precise commands;
• The printed word is not sacred - it's there to be challenged!

I like to take this opportunity to share my "reading ritual" with you, based on my experience as a fast and versatile reader since the early 90's:

[From my "tricks of the trade", you may pick what you need!]

1. PREPARING THE MIND:

First and foremost, practise some relaxation sequences, with slow but deep diaphragmatic breathing routines, so as to help center your mind from distracting thoughts, but more importantly, to help create a resourceful and superior state of mind, with a physiologically relaxed body to go along with it.

2. BEGINNING WITH THE END IN MIND:

Decide on your ultimate application, and whether you want a global overview or detailed information from your reading, as well as how much time you are prepared to invest, as your decision will determine your reading pace.

3. HAVING AN ATTACK STRATEGY:

Learn and apply the seemingly popular SQ5R reading strategy.

With an SQ5R, a quick scan of the tapestry of contents, preface, index and appendix, and even the bibliography, all at the back, and also the end-of-book summary, if available, will often give you some inklings about the book's contents.

That's why, to me, the SQ5R helps immeasurably in this respect.[Google for it on the net. Many thanks to psychologist Francis Robinson of Ohio State University, who originated the concept back in the 1940's]

4. KNOWING THE PATTERNS:

Learn to recognise all the Text Organisational Patterns and their Signal Words, often used by authors in the more intellectually intensive reading materials

With pattern recognition, your mind moves at warp speeds, since it knows where - and what - to focus on within the book terrain.

5. VISUAL PACING:

Use a pen or pencil as a pacer, to control the visual sweep of the saccadic movement of your eyeballs, as attested by most fast readers.

6. GOING FOR THE JUGULAR:

Apply Pareto's Principle, to help you segregate "core material" from "elaborative material".

• "core material" = concepts; theories; principles; definitions; terminologies; nomenclatures; etc.
• "elaborative material" = illustrations; examples, anecdotes, etc.;

It's always good to adopt the Index Card Strategy to help you learn and master "core material" quickly;

7. EXTRACTING GEMS or MINING GOLD:

Learn to spot Key Ideas, and salient points, using the knowledge gained in (3) and (4).

One quick way to achieve productive results in your reading navigation is constantly asking:

• what is the author talking about here? or
• what is the essence here?
• what the key ideas and salient points here? or
• what is important and relevant here, in terms of my predefined objectives or desired outcomes?

[To use the Tomahawk cruise missile analogy, homing on to a predefined, long-distance target, your mind goes automatically into active search mode!]

8. MAKING NOTES:

Don't hesitate to make Marginal Annotations, or intellectual graffiti as I like to call it sometimes, by making notes in the white spaces of text passages, with personal relevancy to call-to-action.

Always express them in terms of:

A2T (Actions-to Take)/T2D (Things-to-Do)/Q2P (Questions-to-Ponder).

All the foregoing tactical initiatives as outlined in (4)(5)(6)(7) and (8) are intended to make your reading endeavour a truly active - and interactive - process, thus helping you to stay physically engaged and intellectually stimulated.

It's like what I often call, having an "intellectual intercourse" with the author and the text.

9. CONSOLIDATING YOUR READING SOJOURN:

Upon completion of your reading endeavour:

Recap and Summarise, preferably with an idea map or cluster diagram or graphic organiser, so as to consolidate and synthesise quickly what you have just read.

10. RELEVANCY TO ACTION:

In conjunction with 9):

Think and Reflect:

• Where do I go from here?
• What's(are) my Next Step(s)?
• [Refer to (8)] How can I use these readings to add/compound/multiply value in my academic pursuit/in my life/in my work/in my business/for my client(s)?

Your real life application of whatever you have found useful from your reading comes from here.

A word of expert advice:

Read only what you need, so as to fulfill your ultimate application and time urgency.

So in a nut shell, you actually don't have to finish the whole book!

It's also pertinent for me to point out that, the fire test of your personal or professional reading actually comes from what you eventually do with the ideas and insights generated from what you have read.

Godspeed! Enjoy your reading and assimilation!

ENHANCE YOUR READING SKILLS (CLICK ON THE LINK )

https://amzn.to/33LczFZ (THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU IN INCREASING YOUR READING SKILLS )

THANKS FOR READING 

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