Reading is the most significant skill to gain the latest knowledge or access information. Average reading speed can vary from 200 to 350 words per minute, but that can differ depending on the material and your reading experience. It’s also important to understand what you are reading—even when you improve your speed.
Each busy student must understand that the ability to read more quickly and with greater comprehension is worth the effort. In the glorious world of reading, everyone finds delight. There are a few tips to help you improve and develop your reading speed and skill.
- Every day for at least ten minutes, read a little faster than is comfortable.
- Avoid pronouncing each word to yourself as it makes your rate in silent reading as slow as if you were reading aloud.
- Avoid pointing to words with your finger as you read. The eye is quicker than the hand when the job is reading.
- Keep your eyes moving forward as the poor readers glance back along each line much too often.
- Read phrases, not separate words as your eyes move in jumps across the line.
- Occasionally, figure out your speed and check your progress.
- Adjust your reading speed to the difficulty of what you are reading. To check, read a scientific explanation of jet propulsion more slowly than a story like A Tale of Two Cities.
