If you are like most people, you want to improve reading speed and comprehension. Many believe that reading faster will automatically reduce your comprehension. The mechanical approach to speed reading used by almost every program does cause a reduction in comprehension. However, a psychological approach to speed reading rather than a mechanical one can improve reading speed and comprehension. Let me show you how.
Understanding or comprehension should always be more important than reading speed. One of the best ways to improve comprehension is by having a purpose. Purpose engages the unconscious brain and helps it focus precisely on what it needs to learn. This works even at very high speed. Let me prove this to you.
Imagine you are at the mall around Christmas time. There are tens of thousands of people mulling about. Suddenly, you spot your best friend. You go over to them, and say hello. In order for you to see your friend, your brain had to look at all the other thousands of faces. The faces of strangers were not important to you, so your brain ignored them. When a familiar face appeared, one that is important to you, your brain made you conscious of them so you could take an action.
This same mechanism can be put to work while speed reading so you can improve reading speed and comprehension. By previewing a chapter before you start reading in earnest, your brain will be able to see what is important. You focus upon learning what is important, and your brain will spot this information even at high speed – just like shopping at the mall. Your brain can find important information in a crowd when it has a purpose or goal. Try it, and you will be amazed at how much faster you can read with excellent comprehension.