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10 myths about speed reading, or What parents and teachers need to know about this skill

Speed ​​reading has become fashionable. You've probably seen ads like "Speed ​​reading in 72 hours", "Teach your child to read fast", "Speed ​​reading is a necessary learning skill". Neuropsychologist and founder of the project "Children ready for the future"  Anna Polishchuk  gives the most popular prejudices about speed reading and explains how to teach a child to read fast. You will learn how long it will take to master this skill, whether it is worth giving the child to group classes and in which cases speed reading can harm development.

1. "Speed ​​reading is the ability to read fast"
Yes and no. Skills are unambiguous. But speed reading is a technique of reading about oneself, not aloud. Higher performance of this technique is not available until the child learns to read aloud well, above a certain norm. First you need to learn the technique of reading aloud, then decide how much the child is ready for speed reading.

2. "We will teach you speed reading in 72 hours!"
This is the main myth. The structures of the brain and the neuropsychological factors responsible for learning processes are not formed so quickly. New complex neural connections, if not fixed, are leveled very quickly. It will take at least three months of regular practice to master speed reading.

3. "Speed ​​reading can be mastered once and for all!"
Unfortunately no. Many people do not know about it, but they will definitely face it as a result. Speed ​​reading is a skill, but not like cycling. It needs constant support. Without training, the speed will gradually decrease, and the quality of what you read will "flow through your fingers."

4. "You can give a child to speed reading, there he will be taught to read!"
If the program is individual, then yes, it is possible. If it is group work, then there is a risk of missing important parameters in the development and formation of this skill. And get a dislike for reading at all. Forever. It is easier to teach a whole child "from scratch" than to relearn it. Be responsible in choosing where and with whom your baby will first learn the primer as a system. Working version: minigroups up to three people.

5. "The future is fast-paced. Everyone can read fast! ”
Many children are contraindicated to learn speed reading. A speed reading teacher is not a doctor, nor a speech therapist, nor a neuropsychologist, so he is not always able to distinguish the individual characteristics of the child from developmental delays that hinder the development of the skill. Increasing and accelerating the reading speed without taking into account such difficulties will consolidate the problems that the child already has.

6. "Here I will learn, then I will read Tolstoy, and for now ..."
At high speeds, reading becomes clear, accentuated, the eyes learn to "snatch information", but, unfortunately, all the charm of fiction remains inaccessible. All the subtleties of the descriptions, the beauty of nature, the details of the costumes, the translucent light - the brain, most likely, will not hold. The dry residue will turn out. Logic without embellishments. That is why you need to know exactly what literary genre you plan to read and whether you need speed reading in this case.

7. "The child reads poorly. Regular training in speed reading will help him solve the problem "
Also a misconception. To solve the problem, you need to understand its cause. If the child has dyslexia, then the path of correction will not be like a lesson in speed reading: here the reading itself will not be so much - first work with the image of the letter in all modalities and return to basics.

8. "The child reads well, but can not accelerate. Speed ​​reading will help "
When a child has already technically and understandingly mastered the skill of reading, but can not accelerate, there is a reason for this. And it can be anything: from poor eyesight (undiagnosed) to difficulty with the articulatory apparatus and breathing. Here you need to deal with a speech therapist, neuropsychologist or neurologist. And then act on the recommendations of experts. Speed ​​reading does not solve all problems.

9. "I'll go to class, let me be taught!"
That a child will learn only in lessons is a myth. Without regular, daily training at home, the skill will take an infinitely long time to develop or will not be mastered at all. If your child is going to learn speed reading, be prepared to find time for home reading and exercise. Otherwise the money will go nowhere.

10. "I will learn to read diagonally"
Diagonal reading is just one of many ways to work with text quickly, and it is quite difficult. To approach it, you will first need to master the basic exercises for concentration and eye work, many techniques for fixing the gaze and memorization, practice translations of constantly growing texts, correctly translate the information, be able to process different styles and flows of information, and already then you can "take the diagonal."

Speed ​​reading is a long way. I do not advise looking for easy ways, in the case of speed reading, they will definitely not lead there.