Introduction
Although reading complicated texts can make your brain feel tired, most of the fatigue you experience while reading is actually due to eye strain. This is when your eyes have been overworked and can no longer move along the page at the same speed they are used to.
Check out the science of eye movement (or saccades) by clicking HERE. On this page we will move straight to the technique and tips that will help reduce eye strain and increase your reading endurance: The Eye-Tracking Method.
Check out the science of eye movement (or saccades) by clicking HERE. On this page we will move straight to the technique and tips that will help reduce eye strain and increase your reading endurance: The Eye-Tracking Method.
How To Use This Technique
- Focus Line-By-Line
- Use a reading tracker. Grab a notecard, sheet of paper, or use your hand to cover up the text beneath where you are reading. This is a good tool to help push yourself to read more quickly over time.
- Or, use a pointer/pacer. Use your finger or a pen and place it just beneath the text you are reading. This will increase your moment-to-moment motivation and can also be used to gradually increase your speed.
- Use Your Peripheral Vision
- Narrow your field of scanning. Instead of looking directly at the start and end of each line of text, begin reading each line about 2-3 words in and finish reading each line about 2-3 words before its end.
- Train and increase peripheral reading. Over time, your peripheral vision (the vision just outside your immediate focus) will eventually learn to start picking up these "outside words," increasing your speed and reducing eye strain. If you feel ready, continue to narrow your field of scanning to reduce eye movement.
- Page Scan
- Scan a page or section before reading it. Only do this once you have a grasp on the first two steps. This page scan will serve as a guide to where you should speed-up or slow-down your reading for that section.
Examples
Using Peripheral Vision
Here is a video for you to learn how to use your peripheral vision:
Here is a video for you to learn how to use your peripheral vision:
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Tips And Tricks
- Try not to subvocalize as yo read because subvocalization will slow you down and distract you from the author's main point.
- Remember that need to backtrack or "regress" happens naturally. Don't fight it too much.
Resources
How fast can you realistically read a book ?(YouTube)Click here to see the science behind reading speed.
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Iris Reading: An useful YouTube channel for youThis is an channel which provides free speed reading classes and courses online. Go and subscribe it!
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Show What You Know:
Eye-Tracking Method
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