 Full Potential offers training programs to both the general public, and in-house programs for businesses, professional organizations and schools.
We offer skills in:
SPEED READING
Origins
Why you read slowly?
Method
Origins
Speed reading as we teach it is a research-based discovery. People have been reading rapidly for centuries. Boswell noted that Johnson read as fast as he could turn pages. Author H. L. Mencken could read a 250 page book in an hour. US President Theodore Roosevelt read 2 to 3 books a day while in office. John F. Kennedy read well over 1000 words per minute.
Studies of some 50 naturally fast readers revealed the following characteristics: 1) they were able to read down the page, not just from left to right; 2) they read groups of words, complete thoughts, not just one word at a time; 3) they rarely regressed, i.e. Re-read a word or paragraph because they didn't understand it; 4) they used their hand as a pacer for their eyes. These natural skills have been refined and developed into a system for teaching others.
Evelyn Wood made this research discovery when she was working on her Masters Degree in Education at the University of Utah in the 1950's. Evelyn submitted an 80 page term paper to her professor Dr. C. Lowell Lees and then watched in amazement as he read and graded it in less than ten minutes. His untrained reading rate was 2500 words per minute, yet he had no explanation as to how he did it. Evelyn, a school teacher, began to wonder if she could do the same thing and if there were others with similar skills. A two-year search turned up some 50 people from all walks of life, and ages. Collectively, they could read from 1500 to 6000 words per minute, and understand and remember what they had read. Analysing them, Evelyn found that they: 1) read more than one word at a time, seeing words in meaningful patterns; 2) moved their eyes quickly, smoothly, and easily down the page and; 3) they adjusted their speed to the type of material they were reading.
The purpose of reading, is to get the information, feeling, and understanding that the author is trying to convey. With these criteria, the 'naturally fast' readers succeeded admirably according to Evelyn's research. Evelyn then began the challenging task of teaching herself these principles, until she was able to read several thousand words per minute, and along the way had developed a system for teaching others. These skills were then first taught at the University of Utah, in 1959. Most speed reading courses today lend their origins of method to Evelyn Wood's research.
At Full Potential, we have adapted and reformed these teaching methods so that they are now suitable for today's reading requirements including the advent of the Internet, reading of emails and we have included strategies of reading appropriate for those reading from non-fiction texts and research papers. Our focus is on maximising the quality of comprehension while minimising the
time spent due to efficiency attributable to faster reading speed.
Why you read slowly...
From the beginning you learn to read by reading aloud. This is the only way a teacher can tell whether you are able to recognise the words and pronounce them correctly. When you became more practised at reading you were told to read 'silently' to yourself.
At this point the child perceives either consciously or sub-consciously that the process of reading necessitates the internal vocalisation of each of the words recognised, viewing one at a time and progressing at a slow speaking rate.
During this learning stage children may be asked to place a finger on the page beneath each word they are focusing on. This not only limits the focus of concentration to one word at a time, but also initiates the narrowing of the field of vision to encompass individual words. Prior to learning to read a child would have viewed the page with a broader focus, perhaps a single glance or several, rather than intentionally narrowing the focus to one word per glance.
Much research has been conducted regarding how to best teach literacy. It is not our forum or intent to critically evaluate this research. However, it is observed that similar reading problems exist world wide irrespective of the means chosen to train literacy. These methods do in most cases meet their aim, which is to teach literacy. What we aim to do is to introduce a set of strategies and techniques that will enhance reading skills to a more productive level than that generally observed. This training is intended to focus on the efficiency of reading, the quality of comprehension and promote objective analysis of text, in a manner that is both mentally stimulating and enjoyable.
Method
The strategies for improving reading speed and comprehension are based upon the research conducted by Evelyn Wood at the University of Utah in the United States. A completely natural approach to acquiring skills is used without reliance on external devices.
Some practice is recommended for participants to reinforce progress with skills acquired in class. The class will consist of a combination of explanation and work-shopping the various skills in a dynamic group environment.
CONCENTRATION & COMPREHENSION
Concentration
Concentration results from generating a stimulus. It isn't something that can be evoked at will.
Rather concentration results from gaining stimulation of attention to an activity. Our speed reading techniques ensure that stimulus generates a response that evokes concentration, which is needed for effective comprehension.
Comprehension
Comprehension is enhanced with speed reading as we encourage greater stimulus and concentration. Our speed reading tactics enable a broad conceptual vision, understanding and approach to learning. This creates a structured, logical 'big picture' perspective in the mind of the reader.
MEMORY SKILLS
During the course you will also encounter four key memory skills
You will learn how to employ photographic memory (visual memory) to:
1) Learn peoples identity - names and faces and facts;
2) Learn how to remember your daily 'to do' list;
3) Learn how to commit pages of revision notes to memory for exam purposes;
4) Learn how to better remember critical knowledge gained from reading articles and texts.
MIND MAPPING SKILLS
At Full Potential we also teach you, in your Speed Reading and Superior Learning Skills course, a version of mind mapping that we have developed that makes it very 'user friendly', easy to learn and to adopt practically that will assist you with:
1) Taking notes from meetings, lectures, seminars;
2) Draft revision notes for exam purposes;
3) Record structured comprehension from texts, research papers, manuals, journals, literature or other reading matter;
4) Planning the structure of:
a. Report writing
b. Essays
c. Assignments
d. Presentations
STRATEGIES FOR NON-FICTION AND FICTION
Our speed reading skills are adapted for the effective and enjoyable reading of both fiction and non-fiction text alike.
Fiction becomes more pleasurable due to the enhanced stimulus and concentration. Much of our feedback from course participants relates to individuals stating that an unexpected benefit of the course has been a regaining or first time experience of the 'love' and pleasure of reading fiction. Within the program we also consider the depth of analysis appropriate for both fiction and non-fiction.
Non-Fiction reading is made far simpler by adoption of our 'Advanced Learning Strategy'. This strategy enables a broad concept based understanding to be gained, which is then completed with a detailed analysis and finally the building of a structure of understanding. This strategy is critical to anyone engaged in formal learning or with much work related reading to pursue and gain lasting knowledge from.
The executive MBA program at Harvard University has a mandatory unit incorporating similar skills and strategies to those we teach as they realise that in order to succeed with intense study, the most effective learning strategies need be adopted.
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