I am a slow learner. I don’t know why but when I read things I read very slow. For example I am currently reading Marking and strategy (study economics and business) and I read only 3 pages per 45 minutes. It is too slow. I need to read faster, because I have to read 2 chapters a week. The total amout of pages are 80 (the total of the 2 chapters). If I spread out over the week I still need to read a lot. 10 pages per day, but that means 3 maby 4 hours, but I also have other courses that I need to read.
The reason why I am reaching out to you guy’s is, because I realy need help. The way I currently do is not good for my health. Every day making long hours. I study till 4.00 pm and recently I can feel some pain in my heart.
I am trying to read more active, but that is not so easy, because what is active. There is no steps in how to be active it depence on the material you are reading, that’s my oppion.
The way I do is:
I first scan the chapter and then I scan the paragrah.
After scanning the paragrah I try to understand what the paragrah is about and make some questions. I make the main idea into a question or what I find confusing.
Then I read the paragrah.
Afterwards I recite what I just read and try to answer the questions and go back to the text to see if I miss some important informatin.
I record it on paper. After a 45 minute study block I make a mindmap of it and rest for 5 minutes and then I review the mindmap.
I do it all over again.
The problem is when I read, I don’t know but I just read slow. I think because I want to understand it. I have triend speedreading, but then I have to read it over again because I didn’t knew what I was reading about. I couldn’t process it. I try speed reading by reading with my finger but on a pace where I know what I am reading and I also stop to think what I just read and wether I understand it.
How do you guy’s study a book? I am really curious about it, because some people read with ease 80 pages a day.
I hope I get many replies, because I really need it. Many thands in advance.
Welcome. I wont load you up with too many things to read.
The good news. You’re doing everything correctly. Its remarkable, that what you’re doing is “intensive” reading. Its what scholars had to do with manuscripts several hundred years ago - they only had access to a few very valuable books and had to commit the material to memory. So what they read, they really understood.
This is my experience. For very heavy, information loaded material . . . .you really slow down. The danger in reading too fast, is that you loose subtle points, or . . . .the material doesn’t sink in. It becomes gibberish at some point, and then you have to reread it. I think you may not have that problem.
I wouldn’t worry about speed reading. If you can double your existing speed . . . .that would be good.
A lot of reading is redundant. Studies show that people will dwell too long on some words, or back track. This is where guides come in. I’d keep using your finger to guide your eyes. Push it along sometimes, but generally at a comfortable rate.
The other thing. Have you tried reading aloud, and seeing what your speed is? If its the same . . .then you’re subvocalizing as you silently read, and that’s what’s slowing you down. I’ve found that listening to music whilst reading turns off the sub vocalising.
Speaking as a visual learner, I go to YouTube first off
The hard part here is some “tubes” are much better than others
I can always find one or two presented well
Were I using your textbook, I would check out as many Terms at the end of the chapter if presented
I would do this also with the various topics and sub-topics found in the Table of Contents
Remember, Table of Contents is the map of your book
Search on the “most popular ___” <== Enter the Topic and/or sub-topic(s)
Another resource I find interesting is this one that looks at Google searches pass the one million http://in.millionshort.com/
Throughout, put what you are learning in ways you understand and/or use
For example, with economics, many things can be seen within thinking about you owning or you running a basic lemonade stand, or running a household, or doing a personal budget --personalize information
Mindmapping is also excellent Learning Tool, which can be mean and dirty
That is, NO fancy stuff, because only you are seeing what you doing
Now, when you drill deeper for an actual class, the dull flow as with a textbook will make sense
Come to something you missed, then go back to Step 1 above
Most of the time I just dive into it. I start reading and while reading I try to link the knowledge in the book with the stuff that I already know.
In class I do the same. While listening and linking, if I do not understand what the teacher is saying, I ask questions.
Learning this way generates a web of knowledge in my head. And because of that I usually only need to really learn the parts I missed.
Call it active learning if you like.
Also, for me, learning this way makes creating mindmaps obsolete.
This is true for me, I am not advocating against mindmaps.