Speed Reading for Students

What is Speed Reading?

Speed Reading for StudentsSpeed Reading is a collection of skills that help people to read faster with increased comprehension and retention. Simply put, “Speed Readers” are “Efficient Readers.” There is no absolute defined speed at which someone can officially call themselves a speed reader or efficient reader, but it’s obvious and fair to say that some people can read faster than others. It is also fair to assume that people who read faster may utilize methods and techniques that help them achieve the ability to read at higher rates of speed while maintaining or increasing their comprehension and retention.

Can this help my students?

Speed Reading for StudentsIn today’s fast-paced information age, it is simply not good enough to be an “OK” reader. It is more important than ever to possess efficient reading skills. We are deluged with a greater quantity of information than ever before, and we need to process it quickly, not just with paper-based reading, but with the Internet, Web pages, and e-mails. With efficient reading skills, we can absorb more material in less time, increasing our productivity and effectiveness in all aspects of our lives. Simply put, efficient readers are efficient learners. Specifically, efficient reading skills can help with school (i.e. homework and test taking), your career, and everyday reading (i.e. newspaper and book reading). There is no question that learning how to be an efficient reader is a worthwhile effort.

The Problem…

Most of us learned how to read in grade school by reading aloud to the teacher and in front of the class. For many people this was the end of their learning experience when it came to reading. For these people, nobody told them that there are silent reading techniques and methods that would allow them to improve their silent reading skills. Some people pick up these skills on their own, and they are the lucky few that go on to be efficient readers throughout their lives. Many others struggle with slow “read-aloud” reading techniques even when reading silently to themselves.

The Solution…

Efficient reading skills can be learned. Below is a list of techniques and methods used by efficient readers:

  • Minimized Subvocalization – Subvocalization is the act of pronouncing words in your mind as you read. Subvocalization puts a limit on your reading speed. It is physically impossible to read much faster than your talking speed if you are subvocalizing. It is not necessary to “eliminate” subvocalization, but it should be a goal to “minimize” it. Efficient Readers do very little subvocalization while reading.
  • Minimized Regression – Regression is re-reading. Your eyes wander back to re-read text that you’ve already read. It is often a side-effect of slow reading. If you are reading slowly, your mind often will get bored and will wander off to think about something else. As a result, when you catch mind drifting off, you also find yourself backing up and re-reading previously read material. Efficient Readers are engaged in their reading and as result rarely find themselves regressing or re-reading text.
  • Minimized Eye Fixation Time and Increase Eye Re-Fixation Speed – Efficient readers don’t spend a lot of time with their eyes fixated at any one spot in the text. They keep their eyes moving in a fluent motion.
  • Expanded Eye Fixation Zone – Efficient learn to use their peripheral vision to see more than one word at a time.

Software can help.

In the pre-personal computer age, speed reading techniques were taught using tachistoscope machines that flashed text to pace eye movement and/or the use of moving your hand to help pace your reading. Software is now available that is designed to assess and improve reading skills by utilizing eye pacing and tachistoscope technology. Software has the advantage of being able to assess your current reading speed for the purpose of auto-adjusting pacing speeds during training. Software also helps train proper eye movement without using your hand or other pacing devices. Other advantages of software include easy progress monitoring and customization features.

AceReader is helping teachers and students.

AceReader is an award-winning research-based software program designed for the purpose of learning to read effectively, and it has been a leader in the industry for over a decade. AceReader’s primary purpose is NOT to “teach how to read”, but rather “how to read better.” AceReader is referred to as reading improvement software, reading assessment software, online reader software, reading fluency software, vision training software, and speed reading software. It consists of Leveled Reading Comprehension Tests, Eye Pacing Drills and Fun Eye Exercise Games.

For a quick overview and review of AceReader, please check out the following video:



AceReader is designed for all ages. Both single-station and network editions are also available for PC/Windows and Macintosh platforms. With the network edition, students do not need to sit in front of the same computer for each session, and teachers can monitor the progress of all the students from any computer on the network.

A reasonable goal with the program is to double your reading speed while maintaining good comprehension and retention. The winning formula for students is the three P’s – Positive attitude, Patience, and Practice.

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As a special offer from LessonPlansPage, you can purchase the school editions of AceReader with a 15% Discount. You can purchase via Online Secure Order Forms or more typically via Purchase Order.

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