Jan
21
2019
How to speed read effectively from paper and screens
If you could have a super-power, what would it be? When Bill Gates, the Microsoft multi-billionaire, was asked this question, he replied he would like the power of Speed Reading.
In our computer-driven age, and the volume of reading material it is producing, Speed Reading is now a vital skill. You need it to keep on top of your job.
On-screen reading speeds can drop by 40%
If you are reading this from a computer screen, your reading speed will almost certainly be slower than if you were reading the same text from paper. Recent research (Stavanger University, 2016) showed that reading speeds can drop by up to 40% when reading on-screen. Your on-screen reading is taking up too much of your time, you will be reading with poor mental focus and have poor retention. Tiredness, glare, posture, inappropriate fonts all contribute to poor on-screen reading.
Frequent re-reading
Slow reading causes you frequently to re-read, due to you losing concentration. And if you lose concentration, you absorb less and retain less. You become less well briefed than you think you are.
Speed Reading course now includes techniques for on-screen reading
Contact The Centre to find out more about our Speed Reading course. Learn how to double, or even treble your reading speeds, from paper and from computer screens. Learn how to concentrate better and retain more, as well as learning a number of useful tips and techniques on how to read effectively from computer screens.
Our Speed Reading training consultant, David Aylwin, is one of the country’s experts on the subject.
(He is still working on Mr Gates! They cannot get their diaries to coincide. Ah, the drawbacks of Mr Gates having too much to read!)
