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Sure, you want to avoid the competition frame in reading

The leading speedreaders of the world were measured for comprehension some years back and it turns out they were really poor. In fact the research indicates that practicing skimming as if it is real reading actually trains you to reduce your awareness of comprehension.

The speed reading champions were even presented with paragraphs that had mixed content (eg a sentence about whisking eggs, and a sentence about nuclear physics). They didn't even notice!

So its generally a good idea to keep awareness high. If you are skimming, just realize thats what you are doing, and realize the reduction in comprehension, identify the areas you missed, and go back and read them properly. Basically search, focus, read properly.

If its a rich text, just skim to identify the small bits of text you don't need to read, then read the huge amount you do really carefully.

Slow reading = generally more powerful because you have more resources for imagining and thinking.

Fast reading = mostly for searching for stuff to read slowly and carefully, and reading things you pretty much already know about.

Rich

Good Point, I used to use skimming as a way to filter much of the repetitive fluff used to pad out the book and used to "Hard read' the points I needed more clarification on.

I began to notice my Physiology in reading. The book says we all image first and some may also repeat in their head (like reading out loud).

What I noticed specifically is that I would "Soft read" left to right (which seemed quite unconscious absorption and then "Hard read" on the key points, which involved my pupils Zooming in and really focusing in on these key points I may have even moved my head closer but for sure my physiology felt different when I began to look for the differences.

When I began to quiz myself I realized when "Soft reading" I was more relaxed absorbed more and retained more albeit Unconsciously (Unconscious Competence).

For me it is delicious to slow read if you are reading a novel or as Jonathan said want to savour the text, and speed reading is helping me to have more time for that.

Nadia.

some courses are expensive for something u can easily learn and practice yourself

Absolutely right Peter

Reading efficiency courses should really be free for individuals. Their companies should pay to help those who have been screwed over by speed reading course guidelines.

Many SR courses say that we have been held back mentally due to various mental illnesses such as imblanced brain, lack of ability to control brainwaves, lack of ability to imagine, lack of ability to see huge chunks of text etc.

They set people up to feel insecure about their perfectly useful 200wpm reading speed, then set to work conning them into thinking they can read at high comp at high speed. The tests can generally be done with reference to common knowledge, and they test information that was repeated in the text or placed in prominent position. Light texts are used only.

Most people can read perfectly well already, and the only thing you need to do is add efficiency by improving search, integrating simple note making, and questioning techniques. It doesn't require a course at all. For helping kids through college, the uni tends to employ a proper reading efficiency/study method course. Expensive speedreading courses are generally avoided because they generally teach people self-deception.

And spending 10 min to half an hour a day skimming in the belief that it will improve reading, when in fact it is training ignorance and obliviousness, is really rather silly.

Rich