There are two main facets to speed reading and one is quite obvious while the other is rather less obvious. Reading faster is the obvious aspect to speed reading while the other aspect is less than obvious because it deals with comprehending what is being read and also retaining information. To get the most out of speed reading requires that you achieve both faster reading and also comprehend what is being read because if you only concentrate on reading fast without comprehending what is being read, you will not get any real or tangible benefits.

There are a number of speed reading techniques that need to be mastered before you can hope to benefit from speed reading and only by learning these different speed reading techniques will you be able to overcome problems related to vocabulary and comprehension as well as speed. By combining various speed reading techniques you will be able to focus attention in a more effective manner and what’s more, among the different speed reading techniques you need to include those related to the hand, to cards, and one that is known as ‘the sweep’.

The Hand Method

The hand speed reading technique is very simple and it only requires using your leading hand (right hand for right-handers and left hand for left-handers) and drawing that hand along the lines of text on a page. Rather than moving the hand from side to side, you need to run the hand down as you also read the text. This is a quick method of speed reading and it only requires ensuring that your hand and eyes move in a smooth and single continuous motion.

The card speed reading technique is quite familiar to some people and in this method you need to substitute the leading hand with a card or piece of folded paper that should be placed above a line of text instead of below it as in this way you will be able to prevent you from reading words that have already been read. As you move the card slowly down the page you will stop reading a passage a second or third time and thus get into the habit of speed reading.

There is yet another speed reading technique method and this one is known as the sweep method in which you will need to cup your leading hand and then in a smooth as well as light motion sweep the fingers through a page of text starting from the left and ending at the right edge of the page. The end result is of underlining words on the page and this in turn helps in leading your eyes in a sweeping motion in a quick manner that will ensure that you begin to read faster.

You may also want to check out speed reading training as a means to improve your reading speed and benefit from it because you can then learn how to grasp more information in a shorter span of time. Whichever speed reading techniques you use, you need to ensure that you only choose a technique that you feel comfortable with and which will help you become a quicker reader and without having to face too many difficulties along the way.