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…

CONFLICTING VIEWS CONCERNING READING RATE ARE PRESENTED. THE CLAIMS MADE BY PROPONENTS OF DIFFERENT METHODS OR PROGRAMS AND THE USE OF MECHANICAL DEVICES TO INCREASE READING RATE ARE MAJOR ISSUES. CLAIMS ARE MADE THAT MOST EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ARE MERELY DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES, AND THAT OTHERS LACK PILOT STUDIES AND ADEQUATE CONTROL GROUPS. RELATED…

An overview of significant research studies, bibliographies, historical reviews, definitions, and commentaries on speed reading during the past 60 years is presented in this paper. The first part of the paper considers the concept and definitions of speed reading, and summarizes research from the l940s and 1950s--including discussion of eye…

A study was devised to determine whether internal reading flexibility would be manifested by individual proficient readers, operating in the "rauding" mode (typical reading manner), and observed in a natural setting reading passages from textbook materials. Reading times were examined using both number of standard words and number of…

The latest thinking on reading rate and flexibility is discussed in this paper. Included are highlights of the recently completed reading rate portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The current state of knowledge is assessed and promising research and useful writings in English and Spanish are cited. (Author/WR) Aspect of…

Describes a study conducted by Ron Carver that compared the reading rate and comprehension of speed readers with superior readers. (HOD)

The Modified Packard method of discourse analysis, based on eight functional aspects of discourse relationships--elaboration, reason, comparison/contrast, temporal, emphasis, coordination, subordination, and superordination--was applied to the open-ended recalls of randomly selected honors students trained in the Evelyn Wood method and to a…

A study made with three specially selected groups of students reading similar material revealed that there was little difference in speed and comprehension between reading printed material in books or on microfilm. One test group was composed of students trained to read in thousands of words per minute. (Author)

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)

Fast and average readers were tested on four tasks. Fast readers appear to pick up more information per fixation on structured textual material, and had a greater span of apprehension for unrelated elements. Results disagree with the view that reading speed depends solely on ability to infer missing information. (CHK)