Good readers use various comprehension strategies to understand texts. However, many students lack knowledge on how to purposefully and effectively use text comprehension strategies. In this experimental study, the effectiveness of teaching text comprehension strategies on vocabulary and text comprehension at literal, inferential and evaluative…

The aim of this research is to study the impact of speed reading training on reading speeds and comprehension skills of secondary school students. The research has been conducted on 40 students receiving education at the level of secondary school 8th grade in Trabzon province. Experimental pattern with single group pretest-posttest was applied in…

This paper builds on recent research looking at how reading speed measures from a reading rate training course are reflected in non-course texts. In this study, 23 first language (L1) Japanese English majors enrolled in a university level reading class completed 20 speed reading exercises with comprehension quizzes from an assigned textbook at the…

Reading fluency plays an important part in academic achievement at colleges and universities. Speed reading courses, along with repeated reading and extensive reading, are popularly used methods to help students increase their reading speed. Several studies have shown the positive influence of a speed reading course in L2/FL on students' reading…

This study investigated the effects of a six-month course in speed reading in three areas of reading proficiency development: 1) general reading comprehension, 2) knowledge of high-frequency vocabulary, and 3) reading-rate and accuracy. The participants (N = 105) were Japanese students studying English as a foreign language in Grade 10 at a…

Fluent reading is essential for successful comprehension. One dimension of reading fluency is reading rate, or reading speed. Because of the importance of reading fluency, fluency development activities should be incorporated into classroom practice. One activity that meets the fluency development conditions proposed by Nation (2007) is speed…

Eye fixation is a frequent problem that faces foreign language learners and hinders the flow of their reading comprehension. Although students are usually advised to read fast/skim to overcome this problem, eye fixation persists. The present study investigates the effect of using a paper-based program as compared to a computer-based software in…

Discusses methods and research related to increasing children's reading rates to improve their comprehension and self-esteem. Concludes that the improvement of reading rate should be an established component of any reading program. (MG)

As students move through the grades, the demands of comprehending increasingly complex text increase, and some students begin to struggle. What are the differences between skilled and struggling readers? How can educators teach students to become more proficient readers? This Teaching Tip describes research into middle-level students' reading…

Teaching skimming techniques in a college compensatory reading course helped students gain in both speed and comprehension skills. (MKM)

Describes a study that compared the reading efficiency at three different reading rates of five rapid readers and two control groups. Reports that the rapid readers demonstrated superiority in rate and comprehension in free recall situations. (FL)

Examines selected research showing how the components of human information processing limit reading rates. Suggests that speed reading is impossible when the intent is to understand the message communicated by the text. Discusses limiting factors in processes of word recognition, working memory, and comprehension. Discusses evaluative and…

Investigates whether a freshman reading improvement training program will produce gains in reading rate (normal reading rate, not skimming). Finds positive results for the program. (SR)

Effects of a speed reading course on ninth-grade girls were studied at intervals of 3 and 6 months after completion of the course. The Perceptive Reading and Study Skills Course was administered to 94 students, and progress was evaluated using the Nelson-Denny Reading Tests. Results indicated that significant improvements in speed and…