To Comprehend More

In college you have to read and less time to do it. Reading too slowly reduces comprehension. Reading too slowly does not stimulate the brain, so you lose interest in the text.

Reading one word at a time. Needless re-reading. Mind-wandering. Talking in your head to yourself. Watching TV or other distractions. Lack of practice with reading.

Read in a non-distracting place. Do not read on your bed. Determine the purpose for each reading. Chunk words together. Practice. (It is not magic.)

Examples: Scan phone books and lists. Skim textbooks to pre-read. Word-for-word for highly technical info. Slower for reading leisure—like novel or magazine.

Sub-vocalization is talking to yourself in your head while you read. Do you move your tongue or lips while reading? Remedy: decrease word-for-word reading and begin “chunking.”

Eye span = number of words you read at one time. Increase eye span by two, you double your reading speed. Increase by three, you triple it.

Focus on how the words make meaning, not each word by itself. Look slightly above the words you read and use side (peripheral) vision.

This

is

an

example

of

reading

one

word

at

a

time.

However, This is

An example of

chunking

groups of words.

You don’t get as bored

with reading

as you do

with one word at a time.

Chunking is faster,

you comprehend more, and

You don’t forget

As much

of what you read.

UTBP West Texas Literacy Center, Dept of Education, Title V, Anna Miller, MA Reading Specialist Rood, S. (2000) Improving Reading Speed and Comprehension, Longwood University