How to Improve Reading Speed If You Have Dyslexia

Dyslexics can increase their reading speed by practicing more frequently, avoiding subvocalization, improving their visual span, and expanding their vocabulary.

It may surprise you to learn that those who have dyslexia have a higher probability of becoming proficient speed readers. In his book “Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World,” Jeffrey Freed argues that children with dyslexia are good quick readers in addition to being exceptional problem-solvers.

Most of us have a left-brain dominant brain. Thus, slow reading typically occurs there, whereas fast reading happens in the right brain (people with dyslexia are right-brain dominant). Because of this, speed reading is attainable and enjoyable for those with dyslexia.

It goes without saying that fast reading is essential to manage academic tasks and going through your extensive resources (which must be done in a short period of time). 

This article will discuss what dyslexia is, how it can affect your reading speed, and what people suffering from it can do to improve their reading speed.

Read on to learn more.

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is characterized by significant difficulty decoding words quickly and accurately (the inability to decode written words and the difficulties of matching letters to their intended sounds). It is a learning disability characterized by having difficulty reading at a level that is appropriate for one’s age. 

The severity of the effects varies between individuals. Spelling, reading rapidly, writing, “sounding out” words in one’s brain, reading aloud, and understanding what one reads are just a few of the potential issues. 

These issues are frequently initially identified in school. The challenges are unintentional, and those with this condition have a normal desire to learn. 

The interplay of genetic and environmental variables is thought to be the root cause of dyslexia. Some cases are hereditary.

Dyslexia is sometimes referred to as “acquired dyslexia” or alexia when it results from a stroke, dementia, or severe brain injury. 

The fundamental causes of dyslexia are the variations in how the brain processes language.

A set of memory, vision, spelling and reading skill tests are used to diagnose it. However, it is good to note that dyslexia is distinct from reading challenges brought on by unsuitable instruction, lack of learning opportunities, or issues with hearing or vision.

About 15% to 20% of people in the population exhibit some dyslexia symptoms. Even though the prognosis is frightening, there are strategies to help with language and comprehension. 

One highly recommended place to begin is by learning how to speed read.

How does dyslexia affect your reading speed?

A learner with dyslexia finds it challenging to decode or sound out words and recognize them. It is therefore challenging to read fluently. Additionally, a lack of phonemic awareness may contribute to the spelling difficulty associated with dyslexia and reading difficulties.

Students with dyslexia may find it difficult to hear the subtle differences between each sound in the language because it may take them longer than other students to make the connection between the sound and the combination of letters. Students’ reading skills can improve when they hear and form these sounds.

According to the Simple View of Reading by Gough and Tunmer, reading is the outcome of decoding and linguistic understanding. Recognizing the words on a printed page is known as decoding. 

The abilities and mechanisms required to comprehend languages, such as vocabulary, background knowledge, focus, and memory, are referred to as language comprehension. 

The two elements of reading fluency interact and depend on one another; if either one of them is weak, reading comprehension as a whole will suffer. 

A reader who has trouble decoding won’t be able to understand a text, and a reader who has trouble understanding spoken language won’t get much of a reward for their effortless decoding.

Poor word recognition by the reader, which makes it challenging to focus on meaning, is most likely the root of poor reading comprehension. 

It should be improved to at least the listening comprehension level by explicit and methodical training in the dependable reading material and spelling patterns of written language.

Can you become a speed reader if you have dyslexia?

Certainly! Several studies have shown that people with dyslexia can improve their reading accuracy by increasing their speed. Compared to the conventional recommendation to read more slowly and sound out words, encouraging people with dyslexia to read more quickly leads to better development. 

It’s possible that speed promotes automaticity when it comes to word recognition.

As their brains are often designed better for holistic, big-picture thinking than minute details, some people with dyslexia actually discover that they absorb information much better when they don’t bother to read every word and swiftly take in the idea of what they are reading.

Tips to improve your reading speed when you have dyslexia

Although dyslexia may provide you with several obstacles, some techniques have been developed to help you overcome these obstacles. 

Conventional wisdom holds that the best method to understand a paper is to read it slowly and deliberately. 

This may be the case when reading a book for pleasure, but dyslexia experts contend that speed reading is crucial to comprehension when reading for knowledge and understanding.

Many dyslexic people read less quickly than the typical 200–250 words per minute. You can assess your average reading speed by counting how many words you were able to read in one minute while reading a piece of unknown literature. 

In addition to limiting how much you can read, reading slowly also makes comprehension difficult.

When you read or scan text, your eyes carry out two jobs that affect your reading speed and understanding. Jumps, also known as saccades, happen when your eyes move quickly from one word to the next, and fixations, also known as pauses, happen when your eyes remain fixed on a word as you analyze it. 

Fast readers tend to take in groups of words in each fixation before moving on to the next cluster, whereas slow readers frequently jump and fixate for extended periods of time. Hence, they are reading groups of words rather than individual words.

Here are some pointers to help you master the leap and fixation tendencies of quick readers if this describes you:

Preview the text before reading it

Before beginning to read, preview the text. This is one of the best dyslexic reading techniques. It will give you a general understanding of the text’s subject and what to anticipate before diving into the specifics. 

You should read the chapter headings and the topic sentences (initial sentences) of paragraphs, search for graphs, figures, and charts, and note any bolded words or sentences when previewing the text. 

Going straight to conclusions and reading them without reading the entire text is also helpful.

Break it down

If you can believe it, the secret to reading more quickly and effectively is to attempt to read less text. 

Those who struggle with dyslexia can have short attention spans and lose interest after reading for a while. Instead of forcing it, divide the text into manageable chunks. 

You won’t feel as frustrated or overburdened this way. Every time, put this into practice because that is the only way to improve.

Utilize your peripheral vision

Taking in groups of up to 7 words at once is actually possible while maintaining comprehension of the main idea of a phrase. 

Make a conscious effort to skim words in groups as you quickly move your gaze forward.

Avoid regression

Avoid back-skipping by continuing to read instead of going back and rereading the same phrases and sentences. 

The context is typically a tremendous aid when figuring out what words signify.

Trust your vocabulary and context awareness

Ineffective readers frequently back-skip because they do not understand or miss a word—backswiping results in increased fixations and time loss. 

Context and job expertise ought to compensate for “missing words” if you make an attempt to keep your eyes moving forward.

Reduce distractions

This one is simple! Turn off your phone, go somewhere quiet to read, and turn off your social media accounts. 

Listen to some slow, lyric- and advertisement-free pieces of music on YouTube to “induce alpha states for learning.” They provide an unobtrusive background noise that will help to block out more distracting noises.

Create a schedule

Additionally, you should plan your reading time so that each session lasts at most 45 minutes. Cut the sessions short if you start to lose focus. 

There is no purpose in spending eight hours reading a book while feeling hopeless about learning nothing more than when it was taken up. 

You will be able to stay on task and get the most out of your reading time with short, concentrated sessions.

Suppress your inner voice

Subvocalization, or reading in your head, is an essential step in the reading process, but if you pay too much attention to it, the voice may become a pacemaker and control how quickly you read. 

Try to push your inner voice further into your subconscious to help you read more freely while still assisting understanding.

Use a pencil to direct your gaze

For dyslexic readers and anyone trying to improve speed reading, it’s interesting to know that the eyes move more fluidly when they are led by a pencil (any pointy object will work!), as opposed to when a finger guides them. 

Try to prevent the common mistake that many individuals do while using a finger to point at words one at a time. 

The ability to smoothly move a pencil along the lines helps the reader to read the surrounding text peripherally. For a dyslexic reader, this more closely resembles how non-dyslexic readers actually read.

The link system

Creating a word bank as a memory aid is another powerful method to improve your reading. This is especially helpful for people who have vocabulary problems. 

Make connections between words and commonplace items as you go. With this better practice, you can be imaginative by creating stories based on words. 

Be innovative

Put together a list of words you would like to remember, for instance, and then create a tale or dialogue using every word on the list.

Imagine amusing and unlikely scenarios. Make sure to underline any unfamiliar words on the page. You should then practice telling yourself or someone else your story. 

After completing this exercise, you will find it much simpler to remember, pronounce, and write the highlighted words correctly.

Create tactics and go back to them for review and revision

Remember that just because a tactic worked for your friend doesn’t necessarily indicate it will work wonderfully for you or your learning style. Even though it takes time and work, setting objectives and making plans is worthwhile. 

Errors are significant sometimes. 

Don’t berate yourself if you don’t succeed in a planned strategy. Draw wise judgments, make the necessary corrections, and then continue!

Takeaway: Dyslexic people can also become speed readers

The idea that someone with dyslexia should read more slowly and sound out words is a prevalent misperception. 

People with dyslexia think in pictures, so moving more slowly gives their minds more time to focus on those images. Their ability to remember or comprehend a text becomes more difficult. 

Reading more quickly prevents the mind from conjuring images to connect words with. The brain now has a better opportunity to increase its focus and comprehension capacity.

People with dyslexia can speed up their reading, writing, and comprehension with patience and effort. The first step in speed reading is learning the basics. 

A speed reading course is a perfect solution for students and professionals struggling with dyslexia symptoms. Click here to learn more about our Foundation Course in Speed Reading.