It is natural that you do not remember how your parents and people around you helped you learn to read. However, how you have been taught to read is not relevant to how you should be reading as an adult. The slow methodical method may be good for youngsters who are still trying to learn the basics of sentence structure and words, but you need to learn some tips to read faster as an adult to be able to process more information in a short time.

How to Read Faster

Whether you are a student or have already set food in your practical life, learning to read faster is an important skill to develop. Here are some ways to improve your reading speed.

1. Get a Preview of the Text

It is quite the same as viewing a film's trailer to know what to expect when watching the whole movie. Similarly, previewing a text can help you get an idea about what you are about to read. To preview a text, you simply need to scan it from the beginning to the end. Be sure to pay special attention to headings and subheadings. Anything in bold or bullets also deserves your attention. This will help you get a big picture of the text and you will be able to read it faster.

2. Approach the Text Strategically

If you learn to approach a text strategically, you will be able to digest the material more efficiently. Before you start reading, you should know your goals. Knowing the questions you want answered after reading the text will help you proceed in a systemic way. After you have previewed the text, you should also be able to determine the real goal of the author in writing the text. It is possible that your goal is more limited as compared to the author's goal, so you should only be reading the pertinent sections to fulfill your goals.

3. Avoid Reading Every Word

To learn how to read faster, you need to understand how to read without paying attention to every word. Depending on the type of text and its font size, you can easily scan in 1.5-inch chunks. It means that you can easily scan 3-5 words at a time instead of reading every single word. You can increase your reading speed if you decide to scan the text instead of reading it. Using your peripheral vision, you should jump from a chunk to the next. Avoid pronouncing each word in your head while reading because it is only going to slow you down.

4. Use Something to Set the Pace

You can simply use an index car, a pen, or your finger to know your place on the page while reading. This will keep you from losing your place. You can actually improve your speed by changing the speed of the pointer. Just ensure that your eyes always keep up with the speed at which you move the pointer.

5. Be Sure to Practice Regularly

To develop any habit, you need to practice it regularly. The same is the case with learning how to read faster. You should read some text even if you do it for 15-20 minutes a day. Understand that it will take time to improve your reading speed and practice will certainly help make things easier. You may consider timing yourself regularly to track your progress. Be sure to know how many words you read per minute and then compare it with how many you read a couple weeks from now.

6. Redefine Your Attitude Towards Reading

Just by learning and implementing some techniques to increase your reading speed is not going to prove effective unless you also learn to revise your attitude towards reading. It is important to stop taking reading as a chore. You will feel much better when you learn to enjoy what you read. You should be willing to approach the topic with an open mind, and you will notice that you can read quickly irrespective of the subject of the text.

7. Do Not Repeat the Word in Your Head

You will never be able to improve your reading speed if you always sound out the word while reading. Some people move their lips while others pronounce it in their head. Sub-vocalization may be a good technique to help young kids learn to read, but it is never going to help you improve your reading speed. Simply by eliminating sub-vocalization, you can double your reading speed in no time. A good idea is to keep your mouth busy by humming, chewing gum or something else to avoid sounding out words. It is certainly tricky to train your mind to stop hearing the words in your head while reading, but you will eventually learn it through practice.

8. Learn to Slow Down

It is true that your main goal is to learn how to read faster, but sometimes, it pays to slow down a bit. It is never a good idea to skim through a text without getting whatever useful information it is offering. Therefore, it is important to slow down to comprehend what you are reading. Moreover, certain types of texts should not be skimmed through, such as works of fiction, poetry, classic literature, and plays. These texts require your full attention because each word needs to be analyzed completely.