Speed Reading
Most of us could improve our reading speed by learning new skills and practicing. Many of us learned to read word by word in grade school, and we have never been taught to improve upon that method. When reading word by word, our eyes often skip back to a previous word or line. We might also fixate on a single word even after it has been read. These mechanical issues slow us down, and working to reduce these issues would in itself increase our reading speed.
But in addition to these mechanical difficulties, the average college reader, and most likely you, sound out each word as you are reading. If someone hooked electrodes up to your throat, you would find that you are sounding out each word. You are still virtually reading to yourself, just as you learned to do in grade school.
This type of reading is referred to as "sub-vocalizing." It is the slowest form of reading. "Auditory reading" is faster. Auditory readers "hear" the words they read, but they do not sub-vocalize to themselves. "Visual reading" is the fastest. Visual readers do not "hear" what they are reading. They simply see a word and understand its meaning.
Students often ask if it is possible to become a visual reading. The answer is "yes." Think of the phrase "University of Chicago." How often have you seen that? Have you had the experience of knowing what "University of Chicago" means before actually hearing it in your mind? Visual readers do not stop to hear the phrase or words. They are able to trust that they understand the meaning without the extra step.
How much faster is auditory or visual reading than sub-vocalization?
Sub-vocalizers generally reads at approximately 250 words per minute. Auditory readers read at approximately 450 words per minute. Visual readers read at approximately 700 words per minute.
Does reading faster reduce comprehension?
Generally the answer is "no." U of C students who have taken the speed reading workshop have found that their reading comprehension is improved. These students have often moved from reading at approximately 250 wpm to 450wpm. The caveat to this is that you have to make good judgments about what you can read at the quicker pace. This method is useful for even dense and challenging contemporary humanity texts. But it is not appropriate for reading Physics, Math or 19th Century philosophers. Use discretion. If you must read to yourself in order to understand the text, then do so.
