Vocalization - The Biggest Hurdle In Speed Reading
Vocalization is the act of pronouncing words in our mind while reading. It is a common habit among people, especially those who are just starting to learn how to read. However, when it comes to speed reading, vocalization is one of the biggest hurdles that can slow down the reading pace.
Speed reading is a skill that is highly valued in today's fast-paced world. It enables people to read and comprehend large amounts of information quickly, making it an essential skill in various fields, such as academics, business, and research. However, to become an efficient speed reader, one must overcome the habit of vocalization.
The problem with vocalization is that it slows down reading pace significantly. When we pronounce every word in our head while reading, the mind becomes preoccupied with trying to process each word individually. As a result, the brain's ability to analyze and comprehend the material is reduced. This process can hinder readers from getting the full gist of the text, making it challenging to retain essential information.
To overcome vocalization, one must approach reading in a completely different way. Speed reading requires the reader to shift from using subvocalization to visualizing words and phrases at a glance. Instead of pronouncing words, readers must learn to absorb large amounts of information using their eyes and their minds without actually vocalizing the text.
One of the techniques commonly used by experts in speed reading is called "chunking." It involves grouping a set of words together and recognizing them as a meaningful phrase quickly. This process enables the reader to memorize more information and extract meaning from the text without the need to vocalize. By grouping words together to form a phrase, the reader can comprehend the whole sentence's meaning in a few glances.
Another technique used by experts in speed reading is called "skimming." Skimming is the art of quickly scanning through a text to identify its essential elements. This technique is used to identify keywords, headings, and subheadings, which help to give an overall understanding of the text's main idea. Skimming does not involve vocalization of every word; instead, the reader employs a visual process that allows them to retain the most important information quickly.
There are also computer programs and apps available that help train readers to read without vocalizing. Such programs use a flash card system that flashes a word or phrase on the screen for a brief period, typically around 200 milliseconds. This time is too short for the reader to pronounce the word, so they must learn to visualize and absorb the information visually. As the user becomes accustomed to the speed, the program gradually increases the speed of the flashcards, further training the reader to recognize and absorb information without vocalization.
Another hurdle that vocalization creates is people tend to read at the speed they speak. This habit can cause readers to read slowly, resulting in poor comprehension and retention rates, especially when reading large documents or books. To overcome this issue, people should consider breaking the reading habit and focus on reading faster without vocalizing the text.
In conclusion, vocalization is a significant hurdle for people who want to improve their speed reading skills. It is essential to develop new reading habits that do not involve vocalizing the text. These habits can be developed by using various visualization and skimming techniques and computer programs that help train readers to read without vocalization. By overcoming the habit of vocalization, people can become more efficient readers, with better comprehension and retention rates, which can significantly benefit their academic, professional, and personal lives.