efficient reading
TRANSCRIPT
EFFICIENT READING
By: Kristy Young Malezky Hernández Edwin PittyFinal
Project
III
Trimester
What is your Reading Rate?
It is the speed at which you read and comprehend the
words in a text.
What is an Average
Reading Rate?
Adult average reading speed
250 words
per minute
70 % compre-hension
They vary according to the difficulty of the
material.
Tips and Suggestions for a Better Reading
How Can You Increase Your Reading Speed?
Be Aggressive! Attack!When reading, strive towards understanding rather than compliance.
Don’t be a
passive
reader
Look for meaning
Get involv
edBe Active!
Drive for the main idea
Have a strong intellectual curiosity
ConcentrateThe faster you read, the harder you must concentrate.
External Distractions:
Physical things
Internal Distractions:
Your own thoughts
Use visualizing to
improve concentratio
n
Steps to stop them
Keep on reading, no matter what
Pay more attention to the text
Only regress when reading a complex subject
Regression: The act of going back and rereading what you
have finished.
STOP REGRESSIONS
Expand FixationsFixations are the frequent stops your eyes make.
They last only for a
fraction of a second.
To expand them, read
phrases and thought units.
The average
reader can see
approx. 2.5 words per fixation.
Vocalization: Moving your lips as you read. It takes additional time
and is a sign of an immature reader.
It is sometimes involuntary; a trick to avoid it is to place a slip of paper in your mouth.
AVOID VOCALIZATION
Subvocalization: A voice in your head that reads out loud for you. It’s necessary for diffi cult
material, although fast readers are totally visual and don’t need it.
Reinforces the words and gives you better reading comprehension.
AVOID VOCALIZATION
Use a Pen as a Pacer
Helps you set a rhythmical pace for you
reading.
Preview Before Reading.
Looking over the material and
thinking about what you need to
accomplish.
Think about the title and glance
over the material for key words and
phrases.
Read the Boldface and Italic type.
Decide what you think the selection
is going to be about and what
you want to know when you finish it.
Activate your Schema.
Set a time Goal for an Assigment
Estimate the approximate
number of word per page.
Calculate the time it’ll take
you.
Make a Realist goal.
Count the number of pages you
need to complete.
“IT WILL HELP YOU SPEED UP YOUR
READING AND IMPROVE
CONCENTRATION”
Be Flexib
le
Don’t read
everything al the same rate
Select the
appropriate speed Adjust
your speed to
your purpose.
PRACTICE
Practice faster reading techniques every day.
Efficient reading strategiesSkimmingSometimes you need to get the general idea or gist of a text. The way to do this is not by reading every word. Few text books were written with your specific course in mind. So you need to adapt the material to your particular purposes, given the course and the task at hand.
Skimming is the sort of reading which would be appropriate if your tutor asked you to read several books and articles for the next tutorial. She would not expect you to be able to recite it word for word, but she will want you to be able to discuss the issues raised.
ScanningYou skim read material to get the general picture. To find out precise information you will need to practise the technique of scanning. You may need to find out specific details of a topic for an assignment or a task that your lecturer has set.
There is little point in skimming a whole book for this purpose. You should identify a few key expressions which will alert you to the fact that your subject is being covered. You can then run your eyes down the page looking for these expressions - in chapter headings or sub-headings, or in the text itself.
Efficient reading strategies
Detailed readingSome subjects such as law subjects and literature, for example, require a very detailed understanding from the student. This kind of reading is always more time consuming, but can be combined with skimming and scanning for greater efficiency.
If it is a photocopy or your own book, take full advantage by underlining or highlighting and using the margins for your own comments or questions.
Efficient reading strategies
Bibliography
Chapter 8 – Efficient ReadingBrenda D. SmithBreaking Through 8th Edition – Pearson Longman
Web Referenceshttp://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/quickrefs/12-efficient-reading.xml
Tryeciak, J and Mackay, ES 1994, Study skills for academic writing, Prentice-Hall, Hertfordshire, UK. Smith, M and G 1990, Study skills handbook, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Fairbairn, G and S 2001, Reading at university, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Goatly, A 2000, Critical reading and writing Routledge, London, UK. Arnaudet, M and Barrett, ME 1984, Approaches to academic reading and writing, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.