Speed Reading is a collection of reading methods that aid in increasing reading speed without affecting retention or comprehension. Speed reading recognizes that reading can be done with various speeds depending on the method used. The term 'Speed Reading' was coined by Evelyn Wood in the 1950s. The remarkable school teacher became interested in researching the basis for some individuals being faster readers than others. Through her helpful discoveries, many Speed Reading programs such as Reader's Edge, 7-Speed Reading, Speed Reading 4 Kids and Damn the School System - Full Speed Ahead have proven beneficial for many readers, including those with ADHD and dyslexia. There are many programs that are available that teach different fundamentals; however, whilst some are better than other, it is important to acknowledge that each individual reader experiences different results. However, for those that are not experienced with the methods of Speed Reading; the question remains, which is the best speed reading

program?

The History of Speed Reading

With the support of the tachistoscope, the experts in the U.S. Air Force were able to calculate reading speeds. The Harvard Business School followed the research in producing the first film-aided course that is designed to widen the reader's field of focus. In turn, the reading speed of the individual was supposedly increased. However, last results were yet to be demonstrated through this procedure. Nevertheless, in the 1950s, Evelyn Wood managed to demonstrate a better approach to increase reading speed. Whilst reading, Wood discovered that the sweeping motion of her hand moving across the page got her attention. She used her hand as pacer and dubbed it the "Wood Method". The "Wood Method" was later renamed "Reading Dynamics" in 1958.

With the amount of research psychologists and educational experts have place on Speed Reading, it is found to be based on three methods: Skimming is where the reader visually searches the sentences of the text for clues to the meaning, Meta Reading is to help guide the readers' eyes by using a finger or pointer to guide them through the text; thus, making reading easier and faster, and Schematic Processing which involves brain mapping. Superior Speed Reading programs consist of at least one of these methods.

The Best Speed Reading Programs

With the aid of technology today, there are several programs designed to assist in developing Speed Reading. The programs with the best reviews are Evelyn Wood's Reading Dynamics, The Reader's Edge, and 7-Speed Reading. According to AWeber Communications, the Speed Reading software programs ranked as the top three are: The Reader's Edge, AceReader Pro and Speed Reader X. Thus, the choice appears endless.

Nevertheless, it is quite safe to trust the view of Evelyn Wood. Her program was one of the first to highlight Speed Reading; not to forget, she was the first person to define Speed Reading. Her program, Reading Dynamics, is designed for people of all ages. Furthermore, it has shown an increase rate of 2 to 10 times faster than the normal paced reader. Moreover, customers have shown an increase in the level of comprehension in comparison to their initial reading rates. Wood's program has proven successful with many famous speed readers such as Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.

Another one of the popular Speed Reading Programs is the Reader's Edge. Not only is the program recommended by families, it is also ranked as the highest for several companies. The program was written by Richard Sutz; however, the author did work closely with Evelyn Woods. Therefore, results of the program might be similar to that of Evelyn Woods. Nonetheless, results show that the Reader's Edge program guarantees the reader to double reading speed.

An additional reading program that is deemed to be one of the best is the 7-Speed Reading program on 17 sites, such as Editor's Choice and Editor's Review. This program has a holistic approach. The idea behind the reading faster is to maintain healthy eyes in order to increase reading speed. In addition, the program comes with a 12 month money-back guarantee.

Debatable Speed Reading Programs

Most of these programs appear to be legitimate. However, programs such as Photo-Reading have being questioned on their theories. Photo-Reading is based on the human brain being able to process visual acuity than written information. NASA recently disproved the fact that the program has had any benefits if any on readers. However, Paul Scheele (co-founder) has found an alarming 96% success rate. Therefore, it is difficult to make a decision to invest.

With the number of Speed Reading programs out there, it is rather difficult to decide on the best one for yourself. Nevertheless, the programs listed above have shown guarantee of helping the reader at least double his/her speed. Not only have these programs shown positive test results; they are also available for various ages and many have money-back guarantee. Furthermore, these programs are affordable.

Do not be fooled into programs that claim to have high success rates. Most of these programs are scams and are rather expensive. Researching well into the program before venturing to invest is beneficial.