Train Your Eyes: Eyes are able to look at and focus on just over one and a half inches of a line of text but the majority of people who read do not use this to their advantage. Use a ruler while reading to take note of how much space on the page you actually look at while reading and try to view an entire one and a half inches of space. This is a beneficial exercise because it trains the eye to move quickly and see more of the content.
Practice in the Morning: When training yourself to speed read, be sure to practice in the morning as much as possible. The reason that this is important is that studies have shown our brains are better able to concentrate and focus in the mornings. Once you have become a successful speed reader you will be able to read at any time of day but while in the learning stages, mornings are ideal.
Use a Prop: A variety of props can be helpful when learning to speed read. For example, a pointer of some sort such as a pen or pencil will help guide the eyes. This forces the eyes to keep up with the brain and in turn makes speed reading possible. Another helpful prop is an index card or piece of paper to keep the eyes focused on one line while quickly dragging it down the page. This again ensures that the eyes keep up with the brain to become an effective speed reader.
Keep Track of Progress: Another important exercise when learning to speed read is tracking progress. This is because it is hard to know whether you have increased your words per minute speed without keeping an accurate record of where you started and where you ended. Setting goals is a proven way to motivate one to increase their dedication to learning a new task.
Improve Your Concentration: Concentration is vital when learning to speed read. Improve your concentration by removing all external distractions and avoiding multi-tasking. Internal distractions may also be a problem if you are unable to focus on the material. Improving concentration is an effective exercise because speed readers often lack the ability to comprehend material when they are not focused or have not practiced speed reading techniques often enough to eliminate both internal and external distractions.
Avoid Regression: Regression is something that many speed readers do when they first begin to speed read. It is when you “miss” a word then go back to reread that word. It is important to train your eyes and your brain to simply skip the word instead of regress back to read it. Overall understanding can still easily be reached even if you miss an occasional word while reading. Regression is a waste of time so it is vital to avoid while learning to speed read.
Skim or Preview: Skimming or previewing the material prior to reading is an effective speed reading exercise. This is because it provides the reader with an overview of the big picture so they are not as focused on the word for word details as they might be if they did not skim the material first. Take a look at large headings and opening sentences as a way to increase comprehension and improve your reading speed.
Keep Your Mouth Closed: A lot of people read words out loud or mouth the words without intending to do so. This is hugely detrimental to speed readers because it trains the brain to focus on just one word at a time rather than chunking the words as discussed in the first tip. While reading, make a point to keep your mouth shut at all times so you are not tempted to mouth the words or read them out loud.
Do Not Highlight or Take Notes: It may seem quite obvious that highlighting and note taking are not components of speed reading but a lot of people make the mistake of using these tools. If a reading task requires either one of these components then it is not a task for speed reading. Highlighting and taking notes distract the reader which makes it more difficult for them to focus on the aforementioned techniques.
Most of us read quite a bit each and every day. We may read e-mails or reports at work, books and magazines for pleasure at home, and a wide variety of signs, memos, and posts throughout the average day. Keeping this in mind, speed reading can be a cherished skill to possess. Practice the ten aforementioned exercises over and over again as a way to increase your reading speed as well as your overall comprehension of the text. This is a skill that can be used by many people in many different professions but it requires extensive practice and willingness to learn.
Chapter 3- Brain and Memory Games- 10 Numerical Exercises
Numerical exercises can be very useful tools and they have been used for decades. There are several kinds of numerical exercises. These exercises are mainly used to test a person’s ability and overall performance.
First, there are exercises that analyze the long term effect of physical exercise on adolescents. This exercise essentially chooses a number of children between ages 11 and 13 to analyze the benefits of exercise over a prolonged period of time. Hopefully this exercise will teach young people the importance of daily exercise and weight control.
Basically, the exercise analysis proved to have positive benefits on adolescents psychological and mental well being. Many adolescents and teenagers in today's society are overweight. In addition, prolonged exercise can result in higher self-esteem among a select group of adolescents. Therefore, this exercise analysis has many positive results for many people.
The Euler Method was designed to help a student find numerical solutions. This method presents the various differences between numerical quantities and how they are used and applied. The Euler Method focuses on how to reach a specific value of X. This method is useful to those who pursue a career which involves upper level mathematics as well as science. The Euler Method has been used for a number of years.
Improving Test Scores is another example of a useful numerical exercise. This exercise teaches a person that numerical reasoning can be reached only through applying specific strategies and perspectives within a timely fashion. An exercise related to helping improve test scores will challenge concentration and overall mathematical ability. Although, intelligence level normally remains the same it has been proven that test scores of certain individuals can improve over a period of time.
Finding Roots of Polynomials is an example of a numerical exercise geared toward improving a person’s math ability. Essentially polynomials teach us that the real number X is always equal to a. Polynomials have linear factors that can only be found through certain numerical methods. This exercise also experiments with large polynomials and their various applications. Polynomials and their properties are considered to be upper level mathematics. However, basic applications of polynomials are now taught as part of a general mathematical curriculum.
Percentages are a good example of a numerical exercise. Percentages are taught to students as part of a basic mathematical curriculum. Percentages are helpful when attempting to find differences between various numerical quantities. Percentages also help make fractions easier to solve in some cases. Percentages are generally referred to as basic mathematics which is usually taught to students in elementary school.
Psychometric Testing are useful tools which measure a person’s true mental abilities. In order to do well with a test of this nature you must prepare well in advance. A test of this nature should prepare the person to give positive, impacting and effective presentations. Psychometric testing focuses a great deal on personality traits and overall educational abilities. In addition, a great deal of time is spent on the construction of instrument as well as procedures for measurement. This exercise is also designed to sharpen a person’s motor skills and ability.
Thermoluminescence Techniques are used in many dating applications as well as the analysis of TL data. Thermoluminescence is taught as part of a curriculum for students studying for a career in advanced science, research technology and medicine. Thermoluminescence is a form of Luminescence which is characterized by crystalline materials and some minerals. Applications of this nature can be quite difficult and are normally reserved for those who have demonstrated above average performance in mathematics.
Thermoluminescence