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Home | Articles | A² Curriculum | A² Reviews | Speed Reading | Phonics | FAQ | Contact Us | Support | Products | Search |
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Speed Reading 4 Kids FAQ
There are two different types of speed reading. They are as follows: 1. EXPANDED READING is where the reader is trained to expand his peripheral reading vision horizontally in order to catch 2, 4, or even words at a glance.
This method of speed reading can be useful, and some schools teach it. Using expanded reading, the practical limit to reading speed is about 700 to 900 words per minute. 2. DYNAMIC READING is where the reader is trained to expand his peripheral vision vertically as well as horizontally. Like this:
What is the best age to learn to speed read?
While people can learn to speed read at any age, George Stancliffe, author of Speed Reading 4 Kids has noted that children between the ages of 8 and 12 appear to be gifted at speed reading. Normal reading is a left brained activity. We read and say each word in sequence. Speed reading is a right brained activity. Speed readers need only see each word, then the brain creates a visual image of written word. Children visualize everything, but as we get older, we use that capacity less and less. Most adults can top out at 1500 words per minute, but children frequently can read more than 5000 words per minute. Some children actually top 20,000 or even 40,000 wpm. Is speed reading dependant on intelligence?
Almost everyone of normal intelligence can learn to speed read. Many people with disabilities such as dyslexia, and ADHD are very gifted when it comes to speed reading. Stroke patients suffering from aphasia (partial brain damage) can no longer read normally, however, because speed reading uses a different part of the brain, many can speed read. For some this means the difference between being able to work and support their family, and having to live in poverty. Can you teach speed reading if you are not a speed reader?
Absolutely! Many people have purchased Speed Reading 4 Kids and taught their children to speed read when they were not speed readers themselves. There are literally scores of examples. How long does it take to learn to speed read? I had the pleasure of meeting with George Stancliffe for a one hour speed reading lesson. I started off reading at 300 wpm. At the end of that hour my speed had increased to 1300 wpm. My comprehension was a little low, so I backed off to 700 to 800 wpm and had over 90 percent comprehension. The next day, I finished reading a 300 page book. Total time spent reading was only 2 ½ hours. In the interests of full disclosure, I had read the book before. Later I read another book, for the first time, with almost 900 pages in only 7 hours and understood everything.
The technique is quick and easy to learn, however, it does take daily practice for the first few weeks at least. Eventually the speed reader can read almost any kind of material with ease and with excellent retention. |
By
seeing large sections of the page at a glance, the reader can catch 20,
40, or more words at a glance. Some children have peripheral vision good
enough to be able to catch a whole page at a glance. Using the dynamic
reading method, the practical limit to reading is over 10,000 words per
minute. However, it is more common to have kids end up with reading
rates of between 1,500 and 5,000 words per minute. Our manual, Speed
Reading 4 Kids, shows how to teach dynamic speed reading to children.