| Would you like to improve your reading | | | | spend a couple of minutes. New memories are more |
| comprehension? Do you find yourself reading and | | | | easily recalled if they are connected to other older |
| re-reading a sentence or paragraph and still not | | | | memories. This process in effect is like opening the |
| remembering what you just read? Do you find that | | | | filing cabinets of your mind. |
| you can read and entire article and take nothing | | | | Now you're ready to read the paragraph and start |
| away from it? Do you find yourself day dreaming | | | | filing the information. However before you start you |
| when needing to read technical information or study? | | | | need to understand the process. You will be reading |
| Then this is for you. | | | | as fast as you can. Not speed reading. You will just |
| You can improve both memory and comprehension | | | | read at a fast pace taking in the thoughts as they |
| with some simple changes in how you read and | | | | appear in the text. You will only read once. |
| following four steps. There is one catch. You will have | | | | You will only read one paragraph at a time and you |
| to take the time to learn how to and practice this | | | | will cover the paragraph you just read with the index |
| method. This is not speed reading. This is training | | | | card on completion. You will not have a chance to go |
| your mind to work the way it is designed. | | | | back. Resist any temptation to do so. |
| Working the learning curve to improve reading | | | | 2 Once you read the paragraph, mentally review |
| comprehension can be a road block or a speed bump | | | | what you read and summarize it in one sentence. As |
| depending on how you look at it. So before you look | | | | a clue to help you with this, you can generally use |
| at how to improve reading skills, consider why you | | | | the subject sentence as the one sentence. As you |
| should undertake the challenge. | | | | advance you will come up with more complex |
| To put the challenge into perspective consider a | | | | sentences including numbers and even statistics. |
| motivational story based on a 2000 year old proverb. | | | | As you do this, you are starting the clock of your |
| It was about two men wanting to see who the best | | | | short term memory. It should last for about 20-30 |
| lumber jack in the world was. So they held a contest | | | | seconds. That is long enough for you to go on to the |
| to determine just that. | | | | next paragraph and do the same. |
| The contest rules were simple. They were to start | | | | You are also forcing your mind to focus on what is |
| cutting at first glimpse of sunrise and stop at the last | | | | being read. At the same time it is remembering the |
| shimmer of sun set. No help, just man against man. | | | | sentence you just formed. It will not have time to be |
| At the end of the day one man was a clear winner. | | | | distracted for at least 30 seconds. This in effect |
| The loser just couldn't understand why he lost. He | | | | closes the other filing cabinets that you might be |
| noted how the winner stopped to take breaks and | | | | tempted to process at the same time of the reading. |
| refresh himself whereas he worked nonstop. The | | | | Our mind can process much more than we take in |
| winner was truly was the best. | | | | reading. Unless we turn off the other processes it will |
| Wanting to learn the secret of the winner and how | | | | be nearly impossible to improve reading |
| to improve, he started asking questions of his | | | | comprehension. |
| competitor. How did he do it? | | | | On completing the first paragraph, covering it over |
| "It was really quite simple," the winner explained, "I | | | | and reciting the one sentence summation, move on |
| did stop for breaks. The secret of my success that | | | | to the second paragraph and repeat the process. |
| made the biggest difference was that while I was | | | | 3 Now go back and repeat the first sentence and |
| resting, I also sharpened my saw." | | | | add to it the second sentence. |
| The lesson is simple. We can sharpen our saws and | | | | You're ready to move on to the third sentence |
| improve our results or we can just work harder and | | | | continuing the process. |
| have diminishing results. To sharpen our saws will | | | | Continue on with each additional paragraph, producing |
| require letting go of the work we want to accomplish | | | | one sentence for each next paragraph and then |
| with the end result of being more efficient at | | | | progressively repeating all the sentences from the |
| producing that work. | | | | first to the last. |
| So how do can you increase the efficiency of your | | | | 4 On completion of the article, summarize the entire |
| reading comprehension? You need to learn and then | | | | article. Initially it will take you longer than usual to |
| practice the four step process. | | | | complete this process. Once you learn it however, |
| To start the process, get a piece of paper, an index | | | | you will find you can cut your reading time by 20 to |
| card works best. It should be blank. Also get a place | | | | 50 percent. More importantly, your improved reading |
| free of distraction or any other sensory input. No | | | | comprehension will enable the recall of what you just |
| music, no talking, no noise. Get a chair that is slightly | | | | read. |
| uncomfortable. | | | | For an even greater imprint on your mind, tell at least |
| Next get something that would be fun to read | | | | two people what you read. Give them a verbal |
| however it should be informational writing. | | | | summation of the entire article and eventually a |
| 1 First read the title. Then read the subheadings. | | | | summation of the entire magazine or chapter. |
| Quickly think what you know about the subject. Only | | | | |