Does speed reading take the joy out of reading?Written by Melvin Ng
A common enough remark is that speed reading takes joy out of reading. However, is this entirely fair? Would it not be fairer to say that being able to speed read actually increases joy of reading? To answer this, we need to look at some of reasons why we are speed reading in first place!It should always be in forefront of your mind that speed reading is a skill. It is adopted when certain circumstances arise and it is not always necessarily a skill you need to invoke each and every time you read something. An example, if you are curled up in bed reading latest thriller novel, it is unlikely you are going to want to be speed reading. The reason: first, because you have spent a lot of money on novel and so want to make it last; second because part of atmosphere that you have set in which to read is one of relaxation and taking things easy. If we now transfer scene to one where we are reading latest financial report from ABC Company Limited, even if we are doing this in bed, environment in which we are reading has dramatically changed. The need and reason why we read text in these two scenarios is not same. In former we are at leisure. In later we are in professional mode. Clearly in later, where we want to be done with reading and off to sleep, we can adapt out speed reading skills and in former we may choose not to.
| | Which Is More Important, Reading Faster Or Comprehension?Written by Melvin Ng
A common enough remark is that speed reading takes joy out of reading. However, is this entirely fair? Would it not be fairer to say that being able to speed read actually increases joy of reading? To answer this, we need to look at some of reasons why we are speed reading in first place!It should always be in forefront of your mind that speed reading is a skill. It is adopted when certain circumstances arise and it is not always necessarily a skill you need to invoke each and every time you read something. An example, if you are curled up in bed reading latest thriller novel, it is unlikely you are going to want to be speed reading. The reason: first, because you have spent a lot of money on novel and so want to make it last; second because part of atmosphere that you have set in which to read is one of relaxation and taking things easy. If we now transfer scene to one where we are reading latest financial report from ABC Company Limited, even if we are doing this in bed, environment in which we are reading has dramatically changed. The need and reason why we read text in these two scenarios is not same. In former we are at leisure. In later we are in professional mode. Clearly in later, where we want to be done with reading and off to sleep, we can adapt out speed reading skills and in former we may choose not to.
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