Speed reading courses are a really good investment if you want to upgrade your reading techniques and tactics. Be sure you are investing in a course that does more than increase the number of words you read per minute. Your first goal should always be to improve your comprehension. Reading speed is nice… but understanding what you read is always more important.
It seems that everything has to go faster and faster these days. We have almost all the information ever created in our back pocket. Yet, this doesn’t seem to be enough for many people. We need to be going through all this information faster. The same applies to reading books and studying. Why should we waste time reading and taking in new information? Why can’t this be done faster?
Well, I am all for that. I do feel most people waste time when studying. This not only has to do with their reading speed. As students, most of us waste a lot of time. By learning how to make better use of our study sessions, we can study more effectively. This leaves us more time to enjoy with our family or to do a little more studying
(Also read: What are the 5 advantages of mind mapping for students)
To become more effective learners, you can take part in a speed reading course. These help you to read faster. Because if you can read faster, you can go through more books in less time. And that is the skill most of us want to have, right? Reading faster so we can spend more time doing other things.
But should you invest time and money in speed reading courses? Let’s find out…
Study Routine: Smart Reading
t Reading
Learn to read and remember in half the time you used to.
Are Speed Reading Courses Effective?
Learning to read better is always good. Creating better reading skills is a very good investment. Of course, it depends on what you learn. Most speed reading courses are teaching the same things. You learn how to read faster, improve your memory, and take better notes. Most of the time the note-taking part is talking about mind maps.
These courses or training programs work for most people. The reason for this is because of the poor reading and learning tactics most people have. Let’s face it, most people don’t improve their reading skills after they learn how to read. You may also be using the same reading tactics as you had when you were starting in high school!
(Also read: Is speed reading worth it?)
In this regard, I would say that speed reading courses work. They give you the tactics and techniques to read faster. The memory and mind mapping parts are often nice extras. Especially memory training is nice to do. It shows you how easily you can improve your memory! On the one hand, this is great to see. On the other, you will soon realize that you have wasted so much time and energy. All this time you were using rote learning words for Spanish or French…
The problem with most courses is the time after you finished the training. This is the time you should be using the techniques. You learn how to become a better reader in real life! You can watch a movie about becoming a baseball star. This doesn’t mean you have become one! You still have to practice a whole lot!!! The same goes for speed reading. Without practice, you will not become a speed reader.
Study Routine: Smart Summarizing
Is Speed Reading A Waste Of Time?
Is speed reading even possible? Or is it just a fancy way of skimming a text? Reading faster than the average person is most certainly possible! You can become a speed reader. This does mean you have to practice. Speed reading is not a waste of time.
(Also read: Is speed reading a talent?)
Reading is a skill. As with most skills, you have to put in the energy to become better at it. Fortunately, you can quickly increase your reading speed. Not just by reading the words faster. Focus on getting more of the information into your brain using reading tactics. Sure, you can double or even triple your reading speed. You “see” twice the number of words per minute this way. But does that mean you can recall or even remember what you read?
A smart speed reader focuses on more than words per minute. Don’t take a speed reading course to read a book in an hour… leaving you clueless about what you read.
(Also read: is it better to read fast or slow)
A good speed reading course helps you to increase your comprehension first. Speed reading in this regard becomes smart reading. Focus on that first before you put all your energy into reading 1000 words per minute.
I am so happy that you now know that speed reading is a skill. And it is one that you can learn to master. Imagine that you can read only 25% faster. This may not sound like a lot. Combine this speed with a higher comprehension than you have now. You may be able to slice your study time in half! Start reading smarter. You will enjoy it immediately!
Conclusion
Speed reading is a practical skill. An even better skill is reading more efficiently. This means you learn to read perhaps faster, but at the very least you learn to comprehend more. Even if you spend the same time reading, you will learn more in that time.
Are you still interested in learning to read faster? There are many speed reading courses out there. Be sure that you don’t fall into the trap of only increasing your reading speed. This is an empty metric. Sure, you can learn to read with 600, 800, or even 1000+ words per minute. But what does that tell you about how well you understand what you read? Are you able to recall anything valuable?
Know that reading faster isn’t that difficult. You can learn to read faster by simply reading more. In that case… you are in luck! You are already reading for your studies. This means your reading speed is already increasing. Start with that. Be intentional when you read and study. And if you still feel you should be reading faster, have a look at one of the many courses out there.
Study Routine: Smart Reading
(small plug… you can also support me in my work and join my Studying Made Easy training. This training helps you to become a more effective and efficient learner. Or you can start by creating a better Study Routine. For just a few dollars, you can buy my “How To Become A Smart Reader” Manual).
