Ask HN: How did you learn to read fast(er)?

4 pointsoAlbe5y ago3 comments

I consider myself below average when it comes to reading speed. getspread.com says right now that I am a 243 WPM (Words Per Minute) reader, and I've never seen that number go over the 250 WPM mark for myself.

Granted the test might be flawed, but it's at least somewhat of an indication I guess.

Despite reading a lot, although mostly articles, I can't seem to improve my reading speed in any way. I personally know people who can read well beyond the 600 WPM and even into the 700 WPM easily, but whom are not able to explain to me (let alone teach me) how they do it. It seems to be somewhat innate.

How do I train myself to at least get into the 400 WPM range?

Are there any courses or training material out there that worked for you?

Were you a slow reader like me who managed to become faster?

3 comments

3 comments · 3 top-level

MilnerRoute5y ago

I've heard brains have a "plasticity" -- so they adapt to whatever activity you do most. I guess this makes me think that if you do more high-quality reading, your brain will naturally adapt.

My problem is I tried to increase my retention, which for me meant stopping and thinking about what I'd read. This obviously slowed down my words-per-minute -- but I do feel like I developed good recall. Maybe the trick is learning not to sacrifice one for the other.

About limiting distractions: I switched from reading on my Kindle to books. Having one dedicated hard copy of a single work which I'm committed to reading sort of "re-frames" the activity. Sometimes (before the pandemic) I'd go off someplace peaceful where there were trees and empty spaces, and then break out my book.

I also decided it was more important that I enjoy the act of reading every page than to focus on how many books I finished. Maybe another approach to your problem would be to re-visit your original question. I'm hope I'm not being dismissive here, but what is it that you're trying to accomplish with a higher WPM? (It seems like at least some of that could be accomplished by, for example, freeing up more time for reading, even at slower speeds.)

joubert5y ago

For me:

a) Read very long form (books)

b) "Flow" over the text, extracting meaning without anchoring on specific symbol combinations (words, phrases).

c) Remove distraction. Re-center when mind wanders. Meditation practice can help.

d) Don't branch off when you encounter a new concept. For example, don't look up an unfamiliar word in the dictionary or concept on google/wikipedia.

e) Repeat (a)

cf100clunk5y ago

In my early twenties I read that the human eye naturally tracks laterally in a jerky motion and that using a cursor helps train the eye to follow sentences smoothly over a book's pages. It was postulated that the gaps caused by the jerkiness were sapping the speed of information intake and that the smoother motion allowed larger batches of information to be "gulped". I began using a simple coffee stir stick. After a few months of initially difficult adjustment my speed reading superpower was born, which served me very well through university and my career. I recall sadly that my early school teachers used to scold kids who used their fingers, pencils, etc. to read. Those kids were onto something and lost a valuable life skill, I think.