Do you frequently go back over material you already
read? At times, we all do. But if you have the habit
of constantly flicking your eyes back to a word or
words you already read, then you are an excessive
regresser!
I believe the habit was started by our
well-meaning reading teachers who said you had to
understand EVERYTHING you read. So, going back over
what you read seems like the way to ensure good
comprehension.
Re-reading out of habit, however, not out of a
conscious need to understand, wastes your time,
makes your eyes tire easily and ironically doesn't
always ensure good comprehension. Go figure!
Try this: Place a blank 3 x 5 white card
(or the blank back side of a business card) ON
TOP of the words covering the text you already
read, leaving exposed the words yet to read. This
will force you to push your eyes down the page and
help you resist the urge to re-read unnecessarily.
Use the narrow side of the card for narrow
columns and the wider side of the card for wider
columns. If the column width is very wide, then tape
two cards together. When you take a break from the
material, use the white card as a bookmark!
Focusing only on the words you are reading
enhances your concentration, builds comprehension
and helps you keep your place.
Important Note: Placing the card UNDER
the line of text is great for beginning readers and
those who are learning how to decode words but NOT
USEFUL for other readers!
Added Tip - There are several ways you can
implement this idea while reading on-screen. All the
details are inside our eBook "Read More Faster, On-
Screen" by Pam Mullan.
Click here for "Read More Faster, On-Screen"
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