The Alpha-Netics Rapid Reading Program - Owen D. Skousen
The Alpha-Netics Rapid Reading Program - Owen D. Skousen
THE ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
Copyright November 1986, May 1991
Owen D. Skousen
AlI Rights Reserved
PUBLISHED BY
MEDIA ARTS INTERNATIONAL
1875 CAMPUS COMMONS DRIVE, SUITE 200
RESTON, VIRGINIA 22091
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OUR THANKS TO:
NARRATOR - James F. Hennig, Ph.D., a nationally known speaker, seminar leader, and business
consultant. He combines a wealth of practical experience as a business man, major college athlete
(University of Wisconsin 1962 Rose Bowl Football team), and educator, with a Masters and
Doctorate degree from Purdue University. Dr. Hennig has written a very effective and popular
Time Management learning program and is a contributing author to a newly released book, The
Management Team. He hosts his own T.V. talkshow, and is a frequent guest on other T.V. and
radio shows.
ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
AUDIO-TUTORIAL
WELCOME!
You are about to enjoy a new experience in reading and learning. This program is capable of
opening wide the door to an entirely new learning world for you. How far that door is opened
depends on you.
This program can and will develop new skills for you: skills that increase your reading speed
dramatically, increase your reading comprehension, develop better recall ability, and create a
greater awareness that, very simply, makes you a better learner in all areas.
You must understand that a skill, and reading is a
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STEP TWO: Plan your progress carefully; set the time, day by day, that you will practice with
the program. Beforehand, develop a plan that will ensure that you complete the program by
a specific deadline.
STEP THREE: Taking the first two steps will create a burning desire for the attainment of the
skills.
Desire
is
the
greatest
motivator
of
every
human
action.
Desire
implants
Success
STEP FOUR: Never doubt that you will develop the skills you desire. Never give mental recognition
to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths instead of your weaknesses, your power
instead of your problems. This will develop Supreme Confidence in yourself.
STEP FIVE: Develop a dogged determination to follow through with your plans, regardless of
any obstacle, criticism, or circumstance, or what anyone else may say, think, or do, until you
have satisfactorily reached or surpassed your skill development goals.
Make this well-known statement an affirmation working for you: Opportunities never come
to those who wait - - they are captured by those who dare to ATTACK!
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INSTRUCTIONS AND
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS PROGRAM
Over the years, the most effective ways of teaching and learning have been sought. Every method
attempted has had some strong points and some weak points. Putting the best available methods
of teaching and learning together has been the goal of every parent, school, marketing
organization, sales force, and individual or group that has information, beliefs, or ideas to
communicate or sell to others.
The ALPHA-NETICS RAPID READING PROGRAM incorporates the most effective of the known
teaching methods. It is important that you understand that even if the program may be a perfect
teacher, you will not be taught unless you want to be. If you do as the program instructs, you
will amaze yourself at the rapid and substantial increase in your basic reading and learning skills.
You are the most important and critical part of the program.
To begin using the program, simply follow the directions from the recorded text, but before you
start, turn to page 6 and thumb through Parts One through Five, the Addendum, Work Section
and Record Section. Become familiar with the physical contents of the program. Take enough
time to recognize its different parts.
The repetition of key ideas in this program is purely intentional. These ideas are vitally important
to the degree of success you will have with this program.
After this perusal, return to page 6 and then proceed as instructed by your cassette tutor. Make
sure you do your part. Assign a certain part of every day for four weeks to spend on the program.
The program will do its part. You do yours!
NOTE:
Under ideal conditions the program was designed to be completely covered in four weeks. It
does not matter if you take longer. The important part is that you do use the program properly.
FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS GIVEN.
Parts One through Five are all directional and instructional. Part Three, for example, teaches
relaxation techniques that allow you to read and learn comfortably without tiring. Use these
parts often in review and when seeking information regarding directions or instructions.
The actual development of new skills begins in the Work Section. This section is broken into
practice sessions labeled Week One through Week Four. You must be prepared to spend extra
time in the beginning listening to the first five parts, but you will spend your time as directed
in the Work Section.
HOW TO BEGIN:
(I) Start by listening to and reading Part One. Then, (2) listen to and read the Introduction of
the Work Section, side B tape 2. Then, (3) begin practicing as outlined in the Week One Practice
Schedule. (4) By budgeting your time, go through Parts Two through Five as quickly as you can.
(5) It is up to you to divide your time properly. But remember, practice is the key.
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understanding. As you do this, you will find it easier to learn new concepts and new vocabulary
because you can do it so much faster and because your general awareness will increase.
The general description and techniques of practice will be given in the text of the program. The
detail of the day-by-day practice will be found in the Work Section.
Anyone who can read - slow or fast - can learn to read and understand faster. Be diligent. Its
worth the effort.
BEGIN THE STUDY OF YOUR PROGRAM
BY CONTINUING TO LISTEN TO
SIDE A OF LESSON TAPE 1
(PART ONE)
THEN - PROCEED AS INSTRUCTED
The lesson tape is a recording of the script. You should listen and read at the same time as much
as possible. Write your notes and observations on the page you are reading.
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ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
PART ONE
-6-
tension and to automatically relax when you begin to read. At any time or place, you will be
able to relax, and feel completely relaxed and tension free. You will be instructed in basic tension
- relieving techniques so you will be able to relax anytime, anywhere. At the end of this part,
you will be tested again. This second test will be taken after a brief practice for the purpose
of showing you how immediately effective the practice is on your performance. You will be given
exercises that are designed to develop the ability to see faster. The concept of the program
is to teach you to read by sight rather than by sound, If you learn to see the print as fast
as you look, your reading speed will be restricted only by the speed at which you can see. Right
now, your reading speed is restricted by the speed at which you can speak. It is imperative that
you quickly develop that ability to see fast.
In PART THREE you will continue developing the skills you have started learning. You will be
given practice instructions and shown how to properly prepare a book for reading. The
development of proper eye movement and how to use the hand is shown. You will begin your
practice and take a second reading test.
In PART FOUR you will learn that hand in hand with relaxation is the ability for you to program
your subconscious. This ability is essential to developing new reading skills and learning habits.
The three reading skill areas - seeing, understanding and remembering - are discussed. You
will be taught a self-testing process for understanding and concentration, as well as techniques
for practicing understanding and remembering.
In PART FIVE you will learn to apply the skills you have learned to your regular reading. An
exercise for developing a greater vocabulary and understanding of words is included in this part.
You will continue practicing to further develop your understanding and remembering skills and
you will be given practice exercises to increase your reading speed. You will also be introduced
to the Timed Intervals Tape.
PART SIX, or the ADDENDUM AND WORK SECTION, explains how, and then helps you, to
develop a regular reading plan and to maintain your newly developed skills. Goal setting is
essential to reaching any objective. Personal motivation becomes a force in our lives only when
we can clearly define the goal we are striving for. This section teaches you how to set goals
so you will be motivated to maximize your use of this program.
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2. PRACTICING. Ideally, you should practice twice a day for 30 minutes. If you cannot do this,
adjust the program usage and record-keeping to fit your own time availability. Consistency in
using the program is most important, no matter how briefly you use the program each time.
At this time, take out the record keeping chart. Open the chart and look at it. Put it where you
can easily reach it and use it, then come back to this point. DO IT NOW!
Note that there is a space to record your practice scores for twice-a-day practice. There is also
a space to record your relaxation practice in Session 1 and when you practice the programmation
exercise in Session 2. Keep the record chart handy. Dont leave it in the manual unless you take
it out before every practice session. Be sure to record your practice times and your test scores
(progress). A suggestion would be to keep the chart, folded, as a marker in your practice book
or the manual. Do whatever is necessary to ensure that you accurately record every time you
practice.
Progress through the program as you are directed, step by step. Spend as much time on each
step as you need, to learn that step. Continuously practice each step as you go through the
program, as you are instructed. This is your program, to be used at your pace.
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21
30
40
52
60
70
79
89
98
109
118
127
136
147
155
166
176
184
193
202
210
214
225
236
246
257
267
276
288
297
307
318
325
334
344
Number
of Words
356
367
376
378
of evil.
388
398
407
our
416
426
436
448
455
467
475
486
public
libraries,
our
schools
and
the
books
we
just read the books theyve already got in the house theyd be started on the most exciting of journeys:
,
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Corp.)
STOP!
Take the number at the beginning of the last line you fully read. Add the number of words you
read in the line you put your finger on when you heard: STOP Take the sum of the two numbers
and multiply by two. (You read only 30 seconds.) DO IT NOW!.
This is your starting speed in words per minute (wpm). Now, take your Record Chart from the
place you keep it, and in the space provided in the upper left hand corner, record your starting
reading speed. When you have recorded the score, you will be given information regarding the
reading process and learn why you are not reading much faster and better. DO IT NOW!
TRANSLATION
When you start to read, you look at one word until you actually hear yourself say, or translate,
that word. That is the way your subconscious was taught to recognize the word you were looking
at. We call this translation.
In order to translate, you had to look at, or focus on each word. This may be a very quick focus
but, nevertheless, it is focusing. We call this fixation. While focusing, or fixating, you translate.
Only after you hear the translation do you understand what you are looking at. It is not
uncommon, when a person reads, to see their lips move, or their vocal chords contract as if
they were reading out loud, or speaking out loud.
It is very interesting that the only thing you look at and dont recognize by sight is the printed
word. The reason you do not recognize the printed word by sight is because you were taught
to recognize the printed word by sound. This was the only way you could learn the sound of
the word. It is not the programs intent to criticize how we were all taught to read, only to make
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a point. In order to recognize something it is not necessary to hear, it is only necessary to see.
Consider everything you see and look at: color, size, shape, movement, male, female, dog, etc.
You recognize instantly, on sight. You look at large panoramic views and at a glance recognize
so many details that it would take many minutes to explain in words what you saw in that glance.
That is the way you learned to see and recognize everything, except the written word.
The process of reading, as you learned it:
REGRESSION
Another reading habit that slows your reading speed is regression. The average person regresses
an average of about eleven times for every hundred words. You regress when you read a few
words and then jump back, reading a few more and jumping back again, then re-reading, etc.
It is similar to a person climbing a hill by taking three steps forward, then sliding back two.
Verbalization immediately restricts the speed at which a person can read by the speed at which
they can speak. This is usually around 200-400 wpm.
We have designed a very simple regression diagnostic tool that can demonstrate the number
of times you regress as you read. It is the 3x5 card, with a little hole. You will need someone
to help you use this diagnostic tool.
NOTE: It is not necessary for you to know how many times you regress when you read, only
interesting, and it makes it easier for you to see and understand the problem more clearly.
You use the tool by having a helper hold the card steadily in front of his/her face, with the
print facing you. Get close enough to the card to be able to read the words printed on the card.
Your helper will be looking through the hole directly at one of your eyes. At your helpers
command, read the words on the card as you normally read. Your helper will count the number
of times your eyes stop moving forward and regress.
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For your interest, in seeing how this number decreases as your skill gets stronger, record the times
you regress as you regularly take this test. The more you practice, the fewer number of times
you will regress.
READING IS A SKILL. It is a primary skill because it is taught in the primary years of life.
This skill became a habit through repetitive use. The more the habit was used, the more deeply
ingrained and stronger it became. The average adult, regardless of education, reads at about
a sixth grade level. Even though knowledge increases and understanding of more complex materials
increases, the primary skill stays at basically that level.
Poor reading habits make reading tedious. Imagine yourself trying to speak a foreign language
that you do not know well. You must translate every word you hear in order to understand. Trying
to speak in one language and mentally translate to another language is difficult. Only when
a person can speak and think in the same language is clear understanding and rapid
communication possible. This is also true with reading. Only when a person can stop translating
will the reading skills of speed, understanding and remembering be increased.
Normally a person:
SEES - UNDERSTANDS
If we were to read ideally, we would be able to read at the speed at which we learn to see.
Reading would be smooth and automatic and so exciting.
To enable you to understand understanding by sight, at the command, turn the next page and
take a quick glance at the picture. Just flip the page over and back. DO IT NOW!
Do you know what you saw? How did you know it was an airplane at first glance? Because
you were told, when you were young, what an airplane was. It might have been the first, or
the tenth, or the hundredth time you were told, that the fact was permanently recorded in your
subconscious. You are merely pulling out the information, or recognition, much as a computer
operator retrieves information stored in the computer. If the information has not been put in
the computer, it cannot be located and brought out. If you do not know or do not have a
knowledge of something you cannot recognize it. If it is something you have knowledge of, it
can be recognized, even the written word.
When you read and recognize, you are literally drawing from your memory. The meaning of
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the words have already been learned by you, and recorded in your subconscious. Only when
you hear the sound of the word do you recognize the meaning. When you saw the airplane,
you keyed the recognition, or understanding, by the sight. The two methods of recognition are
different only because they were taught differently.
You cannot simply ignore something you have learned, especially something like a primary skill
that has become a very deeply ingrained habit. If the habit is to be changed, another skill has
to be learned to take its place. Your subconscious simply does not have the knowledge to read
differently.
With this program, you will learn to recognize the written word by sight, just as you recognized
the airplane.
As you develop your new skills, you will recognize the words and the meaning as easily as you
recognize the different details of a landscape.
If you are not a doctor and are not familiar with what is written in a medical journal, you will
not understand what is written in one, even if you have acquired these new reading skills. Trying
to read the medical journal would be the same as attempting to read a book written in Russian
without prior understanding of Russian.
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(Illust. No. 1)
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ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
PART TWO
SPECIAL NOTE: Effort and commitment are essential to reaching a goal. To achieve your rapid
reading goal, you must make this program a top priority in your
estimate the value of practice. It will be easier if you set up a specific time of day to practice.
Put that time down in your daily schedule and do not change it. Otherwise, it becomes easy
to let your practice slide. Every time you are alone, pick up the program and PRACTICE. The
more you do, the more quickly your reading skills will develop. The better your reading skills
become, the easier your practicing will become. If you keep a strict practice schedule for only
four weeks, the skills you develop with this program will be worth more to you over the rest
of your life than anything e/se you will ever do. All the growth and enjoyment begins with your
setting
Practicing twice a day is ideal and will guarantee your success in developing new reading and
learning skills. Before you set your time schedule for practicing, go through the practice
instructions. Then, you will be ready to begin your daily practice schedule. Because the initial
instructions are important and will be very helpful to you, refer to them as often as you may
need to.
In the next session, you will learn how to practice using the easy-to-read book. If the book is
new, prepare it as explained in Part Three.
READING
CONDITIONS
When you are preparing to read, take your reading conditions into consideration first. The greatest
cause of tension in readers is the condition under which they are reading. Poor light, glare or
poor posture, all create tension while reading. When you read for just a few minutes, and feel
tired or sleepy, it is usually a result of eye strain and tension caused by poor reading conditions.
Eliminating tension by eliminating poor reading conditions must be your top priority.
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You should always create as near to ideal reading conditions as you possibly can. The ideal reading
position is seated in a comfortable, firm chair with the book on a table or desk, tilted slightly
toward the reader. The room should be well lit, with the reading area lighted even more directly
than the rest of the room.
When you begin to practice as instructed, you are going to be doing things that are contrary
to your primary habits. This will begin to develop tension. As you push yourself across the printed
page and you are intentionally trying not to see the words, you are going against your normal
reading habits. To avoid building tension, you must make every effort to relax. This effort will
make your learning easier. Your biggest road block to learning these new reading skills is tension.
There are two types of relaxation: Dynamic and Passive. When muscles are completely relaxed
and simply dormant, it is called PASSIVE RELAXATION. When the muscles are relaxed, but moving
smoothly and easily, it is called DYNAMIC RELAXATION. The latter is best illustrated by an
athlete running easily in a relaxed manner.
This same dynamic relaxation, used by athletes, must be used in the reading activity. All barriers
to relaxation must be removed. No tension of any kind should be felt. As you practice and progress
through the program, you will learn to relax and your eye movement, while reading, will be easy,
smooth and natural. The more you practice, the more easily and the more quickly it will be
learned.
The most important step you must take in developing your Alpha-Netics Rapid Reading skills,
is learning the skill of relaxation. It is a skill, and like any other skill, it can be learned with
practice. You will be given passive relaxation exercises to help you develop the relaxation skill.
Once you learn it, you will be able to relax at any time, and in any place. If you can relax this
way, you will be able to function more effectively with dynamic relaxation exercises. It is important
that you understand and be able to function with dynamic relaxation.
There have been many varied and interesting experiences with people using the relaxation exercises
taught by the program. Readers have stated that they could only read for a few minutes before
their eyes became tired and they became sleepy. After using the program and learning the
relaxation program, they can now read for indefinite periods of time. Others have stated that
the ability to relax is so important to them that learning the relaxation skill alone was worth
more than the total amount they paid for the program.
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When reading and becoming involved in other skill activity areas, the area most singly affected
by tension is that of the head. The head area will be used to demonstrate tension. You will be
asked to tighten muscles in different parts of the face and head to simulate and demonstrate
tension and then relaxation.
Once you learn to recognize tension and then learn to release it through relaxation, you can
do this at any time, in any place. You can begin to eliminate your tension headaches, and
generally feel better when you start to get up-tight. It is important that you do the relaxation
exercises now.
RELAXATION
EXERCISES
Starting this exercise, you should be in a location and position that is comfortable and in which
you can totally respond to the directions you will receive. Sit or lie comfortably and relaxed.
Keep your eyes closed. There is nothing to look at, or read for the rest of this exercise. With
your eyes closed, think only of what you are hearing. Pay attention to the muscles around the
areas we talk about. If you need time to get into a comfortable position, turn the recorder off
and when ready, turn it back on. DO IT NOW!
THE HEAD
Start at the top of your head. Raise your eyebrows. Push them right up toward the top of your
head. Push hard. Hold it. Push harder. Hold it there. Feel the tension tighten in the muscles in
the forehead and scalp area. Now, gradually and slowly, lower your eyebrows. Smooth your
forehead. This tension created by raising your eyebrows extended back into your scalp area. As
you relaxed, the entire top of your head relaxed. Pay attention to the top of your head gaining
tension and then releasing it as you repeat this exercise.
Raise your eyebrows high. Push them right up to the top of your head. Push hard. Notice the
tightness all the way back over your head and to the rear of your scalp. Keep pushing. Hold it.
Hold it. Now, very slowly, slowly, begin to lower your eyebrows. Gradually and slowly. Smooth
your forehead. Totally relax that area. Pay special attention to how good it feels. Relax. Relax.
Could you feel the tension begin to leave as soon as you began to relax?
BROW
Drop from the scalp to the forehead. Push the forehead down into the eyebrows. Form a very
tight and terrible scowl with the eyebrows and forehead. Push eyebrows and forehead together.
Hold it there. Hold it. Very easily and slowly, relax those tight muscles. Let that scowl go. Slowly,
slowly. Feel the tension leaving. Smooth your brow. Relax. Relax. You felt the tension, now feel
the relaxation.
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EYE CUPPING
Another exercise to help relax tired, smarting and hurting eyes is called cupping. This is done
by cupping your hands and placing the hands over your eyes. Rubbing your hands together, palm
to palm, rapidly makes your hands warm, and feels good as you cup your eyes. Rest the heel
of your hand on your cheek bones. Push lightly. Do not put any pressure on the eyes or eye
lids. With the cupped hands over the eyes, consciously relax all the eye and eyelid muscles.
Close your eyes lightly and relax. Hold your hands over your eyes for a few seconds as you fully
relax the eye area. Remove the hands and then repeat the cupping again. Any time you feel
tension building around the eye area, cup the eyes for a quick relief. Visualization is very important
when you are relaxing. Think of every muscle you tighten as being drawn as tight as a bow string.
When you begin to relax, think of the muscles becoming loose and flabby as you begin to relax.
While cupping your eyes, think of them as soft balls of cotton. Think soft and limp. You should
practice cupping your eyes now. Think soft and limp. Then return to this point. DO IT NOW!
It is always a good idea to cup your eyes every time you begin reading or studying. From time
to time, while reading or studying, if you will pause, relax and cup your eyes while visualizing,
your ability to concentrate will increase. Immediately after cupping, your eye vision is most acute.
That is because your eyes are more relaxed. Eyes free from tension and relaxed, not only feel
better, but see better. Cupping is good exercise to use, often.
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TOTAL
RELAXATION
As you were told earlier, you are taught passive relaxation (when muscles are not moving and
totally relaxed) so you can more effectively function with dynamic relaxation (when muscles
are moving, but freely and easily, without tension or strain). You will be taught how to relax
the entire body. If you dont learn to relax every time you read or study, it will be difficult for
you to concentrate, remember or even learn. Knowing how to relax is the most important step
you must take. You should go through the relaxation practice at least twice a day, even if it
is at a. time when you are not normally going to practice with the program.
RELAXATION is a skill you must learn through practice. You do not need the program or even
the relaxation cassette with you when you go through the exercise. The importance of relaxation
cannot be stressed too strongly. Everything related to reading and learning, the ability to
concentrate, study, remember and even move smoothly, is greatly affected by tension. There
is only one way to relieve or eliminate tension - RELAXATION.
When you begin this relaxation exercise, it is important that you are as comfortable as possible.
You should not have any outside distractions from people, radio, TV or from any other source.
Your clothing should be loose. If you are wearing garments that are in any way snug, they should
be loosened. Take your shoes off, and even your stockings, if you feel freer without them. If
you are wearing a watch that has a tight band, or a bracelet or necklace that is tight, take it
off. You need to be as unencumbered as you can possibly be. Especially the first few times you
go through this exercise, sit in an upright position. Later, you may lie down, or assume any other
comfortable position from which you can go through the exercise practice. It is a good idea
to turn the lights down or even off.
Mental and physical tensions are usually created by outside activities or actions. These create
the tensions within. It is not often that you will be able to control the outside activity that causes
these inside tensions. You can learn to control the effect they have on you inside. The relaxation
exercise you will be taught uses a number of different techniques to do this. One of the most
important, and most powerful, is the use of visualization. Acting as if is a very powerful and
useful force that you can command and use at your discretion. The power of suggestion and
expectation is applied. Self-fulfilling prophecy is used in getting you to see and even feel, before
you start, what the achievement of your goals or objectives is like. You will practice deep breathing
exercises and learn to relax your muscles, progressively, one area at a time, just as you were
taught to relax the muscle areas around the head.
As you did with the head muscles, you should actually tighten the muscle groups to create tension,
and then relax them to feel the tension leave.
You will be instructed to pay special attention to the feelings you get when the tension comes
into the area and then how good it feels when that tension leaves. Follow directions carefully.
Pay attention to the tension, notice it. Pay attention to the relaxed, free, feeling. The object is
i
to recognize when tension begins, in any part of your body, so you can quickly respond and
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ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
PART THREE
PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONS
Most people have an erroneous conception of Rapid Reading and reading at high speeds in general.
You will learn that in this program, as you are taught Rapid Reading, you are also increasing
your understanding of what you are reading; you will develop the ability to better remember
what you read; and because of the nature of the way you are taught and the way you learn,
you will become a better learner, in all areas. This is what Rapid Reading and learning means.
The misconception many people have is that it is impossible to read any faster than they can
speak, that anything faster is skimming and/or spot reading. This conception would be true
if there were no other reading skill available to learn. You are at this point now. You are restricted,
at this time, to reading only as fast as you can pronounce the words as you see them. If you
try to read faster than you can speak, or sound the words, you will begin skimming, or spot
reading, and lose a great deal of the meaning of what you are reading.
Another misconception about reading is that in order to better understand and generally enjoy
what is being read, reading must be slow and methodical. This, of course, is not true. As reading
speed is increased, concentration on what is being read must be increased. This increased
concentration, alone, will increase understanding, and with better understanding will come greater
enjoyment. Developing an increase in understanding is a skill development process. Some will
develop this skill faster than others, just as some will develop the total skill of Rapid Reading
more quickly than others.
These two misunderstandings and misconceptions prevent many people from trying to improve
their reading skills. Others who have these misconceptions and begin to use the Alpha-Netics
Rapid Reading Program, have a difficult time until they mentally accept the fact that their reading
skills can be improved. It is because of the need to mentally accept this fact that there is much
detail and repetition in the program.
A very important point that must be known and accepted by everyone desiring to increase their
reading speed is that when beginning to increase the skill, it is necessary to temporarily lose
understanding. When beginning to replace a primary skill habit, there is going to be a great conflict
in the subconscious mind. The mind is being asked to do something it knows it cannot do. It
hasnt learned how. It has no information it can use to do what it is asked. In order to teach
the mind, the program presents skill exercises that, if used and practiced, give the mind new
knowledge and direction. In other words, a new skill is taught by the program and learned by
the subconscious mind. Making a change in a skill habit that has been there longer than any
skill, except perhaps walking and talking, is very difficult. In order to overcome the difficulty,
the total reading and learning skill is taught step by step. Each individual step, or smaller skill,
is not difficult to learn. To some, these individual skills seem totally unrelated to the final reading
skill. However, learning these initial steps, one at a time, is necessary.
It is very important to know that when practicing begins, it is necessary to push faster than the
normal reading speed. If this is not done, it is just reading and READING IS NOT PRACTICING!
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If a person wants to learn to read fast, they must practice fast. At first, it is just learning faster
movement. As movement is learned, understanding automatically will be lost, only to be regained,
better than ever, when the movement skill is learned, and then mastered.
SEE - UNDERSTAND
In order to strengthen a skill, it is necessary to push yourself to your limits. EXAMPLE: If you
can do 50 pushups and want to increase your ability until you can do 100 pushups, you dont
do 25 then quit. If you are interested in increasing your ability, you must do 50, and then add
as many more as you can force yourself to do. You may start doing only 51, then 53, 65 etc.
Only by pushing to the very limits and then beyond, little by little, can the dimensions of ability
be stretched. Never forget that reading is a skill. It is governed by all the natural rules that govern
skills. As you begin to push yourself, you will lose understanding. When you practice, you are
not reading! You must accept this. Do not worry about anything when you are practicing, except
the single skill you are told to develop. In the beginning, the skill you learn first is the skill of
eye movement. Dont be concerned with anything else, until directed to do so. As the ability
to move your eyes grows stronger, your understanding begins to come back to you, better than ever.
Many people who read and write a great deal, and even many who read and write as an
occupation, have described their efforts to read faster than they normally read. They explained
that as they push themselves to go faster than they normally read, they become frustrated because
of a great reduction in understanding and the greater occurrence of regression in the attempt
to increase their understanding. Regardless of how they tried, they were not able to read any
more in a given period of time than they normally did. In nearly every case, the attempt to read
faster resulted in skimming.
Now, you are going to begin learning the new reading skill. This is a new skill, to you, and it
may not be easily learned. It will not be learned at all, IF YOU DO NOT PRACTICE. It may
not be difficult for you to learn, IF YOU DO PRACTICE.
You must learn to look at the print on the page correctly. Forget about understanding the text
and concentrate on eye movement. If you dont do these things, you are just going to become
a better skimmer, not a better reader. The better you learn to see the print, the better your
understanding will be. Movement first. Seeing second. Understanding third.
-26-
EYE MOVEMENT
Always remember that you are taking one small step at a time to reach your reading goal. The
first step is the development of the first small skill. As you learn the first skill, it is easier to
learn the second skill. Many times the learning of one skill will automatically teach most of
the next skill to be learned. The first step, or skill, to take and learn, is eye movement - learning
to move the eyes across the print. You must push your eyes faster than you can normally see.
In other words, you will not see the individual words as you learn this movement. You will be
moving faster than your eyes are taught to see. If words keep stopping the smooth flow of your
eyes across the print, turn the page upside down. It doesnt matter what you are looking at, only
the movement counts. If you can get a book written in a language you dont understand, you
might consider using it. Your eyes must learn to flow smoothly across the page and line per line,
down the page. As you master the eye movement, the print will become recognizable at the
faster movement, then the understanding will come.
The first bad reading habit you will break as you begin learning eye movement, is the habit
of fixation and convergence, or seeing one word at a time. The top figure (Illust. 2) illustrates
what happens when you read normally. The bottom figure illustrates what begins to happen
to your eye direction as you develop the movement skill. When you develop far vision: you
dont have to move your eyes as far and still you see more. As you begin to develop these skills,
you cannot simply tell yourself to do these things. Your subconscious will begin to do these
things automatically, in response to your command to see faster, and after a great deal of practice.
Convergence
Distant Vision
Seeing words
I
Rapid Reading
(Illust No. 2)
-27-
FIXATION occurs when your eyes converge and then focus themselves, without movement, even
briefly. This will disrupt the flow and make it impossible for the eyes to move fluently over the
print. Fixation is part of all average or normal readers habits. It is not an easy habit to break.
While reading, any word that is not easily understood, or one with a special meaning or interest,
causes fixation. The only way to break the fixation habit is to learn proper eye movement. At
first, this may cause some tension and strain because the rapid eye movement is not a normal
or natural part of your present reading habit. Concentrate on the eye movement. Look at the
print as you go across the page effortlessly and move your eyes easily. Take one small step at
a time in learning the skills.
The new eye movement is not entirely new to you. You already move your eyes across the page,
but more slowly and with fixation. You will learn to move faster and without fixation.
When you begin your practice, think how you move your eyes over a landscape scene, like the
Grand Canyon. Move your eyes smoothly from left to right, seeing all the color, size, shapes,
movement.and grandeur in general. Dont stop to examine any one part of the view, just move
your eyes smoothly across the scene. Move your eyes across the page looking at the print in
the same manner. Do not look at any one word more than another. Move all the way across
the page, smoothly. Understanding what you are looking at will begin to come to you.
As the skill becomes stronger, your ability to relax and concentrate will make your understanding
even better than it ever has been. This is the point at which your reading speed is going to be
restricted only by the speed at which you can see. YOU determine your own reading speed,
understanding and enjoyment by the degree of development of your eye movement. Practice,
practice, practice.
BOOK
PREPARATION
Every book owner and every book reader should learn to care for the books they use. Books
are the source of all stored knowledge and history. If cared for, these wonderful instruments
will last for lifetimes. Every new book should be properly broken in before it is read or used.
Breaking in a book is easy.
Open the book and lay it, with the spine down, on a table or desk top. Hold the pages upright,
with the cover of the book and the spine lying flat on the table. Starting at the front of the
book, take about 20 pages at a time and lay them down flat. Run your fingers gently, but firmly,
along the inner edge of the book (See Illust. 3). Be firm, but gentle enough not to break the
glue at the spine. Continue through the entire book. Repeat the process. This time, start from
the back of the book and go forward, with about 30 pages each time. With the book properly
broken in, you are ready to read.
-28-
Book Preparation
(Illust. No. 3)
Illust, 4 & 5.
(lllust. No. 4)
(Illust.
No 5)
As you read the left-hand page of your open book, put the middle finger of the hand you are
using to turn the pages under the upper right-hand corner of the page to be turned next. Make
sure your hand or arm does not obstruct your vision of the print on either of the pages. As you
read down the right-hand page, automatically begin lifting the corner of the page you are holding.
Smoothly and quickly, as you read to the bottom of the page, turn the page and return your
hand to the upper right-hand corner of the right hand page. Learn to do this. Open your book,
lay it flat on the table or desk and practice turning pages in this manner until you feel comfortable.
Practice until you can do it smoothly, then return to this point. DO IT NOW!
-3l-
IMPORTANT
As you begin to practice, you will have a beat to follow. This beat will help you develop the
fluid, smooth movement. In the beginning, use your hand to keep time with the beat. Do not
lag and do not go faster than the beat. Move your eyes with your hand. Sfay with fhe beaf. The
smoother your eyes move, the better you will be able to see; the better you will understand;
and the more effective and faster reader you will become. As you move your hand and your
eyes, learn to relax. Keep your wrist relaxed and loose. If you dont, your hand will tire. Let the
middle finger, or tallest finger in your hand, be the main pointer, If you have a problem keeping
up with your finger movement because you keep getting hung up on words, look at the finger,
not the print. Actually, watch the fingernail. Dont even look at the print. You are learning your
first step, eye movement.
If you watch your fingernail, or the print, as you move across the page, the print will become
blurred, and perhaps, very blurred. This is supposed to happen. Dont be concerned. As you gain
the ability to move your eyes, the words will begin to become clear. If you try to make the print
clear up before you learn the movement, you will begin to strain. Relax. Let your skill development
occur one step at a time. Let the print c/ear automatica/ly.
It is important that you first develop the smooth, fluid movement across the page before you
go on. Spend as much time as you need on this part before you continue. If it is difficult to
move your eyes, use your hand. But, as soon as you are moving well, stop using your hand and
go back to the print. There is no harm in using the hand to pull your eyes along, but as your
skill increases, you will be restricted if you continue to use the hand. Learn the first step, then
begin the second. Continue practicing as much as is necessary to get you moving smoothly across
the print. Later on in the program, you will be taught how to practice without the hand. The
key to learning this first step: move
S M O O O O O O O O T H L Y ! !
-32-
INITIAL PRACTICE
So you may begin the initial learning step, pick up your practice book, open it and prepare to
make the hand and eye movement, as you are instructed. When your book is ready, continue,
but do not turn off your recorder. DO IT NOW!
As you receive instructions, you will hear a beat sound in the background. You should move
your hand across the page with each beat. Stay with the beat. Move your hand across the page
with every beat, return your hand quickly and move back across the page with the next beat.
Stay with the beat.
As you move your hand smoothly, keep your eyes moving with the middle finger. Dont let your
eyes drag behind your hand. DONT TRY TO READ. The more smoothly your eyes move, the
better you will see and the faster you will read. Stay with the beat.
Relax and keep your hand free and loose. Very lightly touch the page. At the end of every line,
lift the hand very lightly off the page and return it to the left side of the page, down a line.
Stay with the beat. One line per beat. If the print is blurred at this speed, dont try to clear it
up, just move smoothly. The print will clear up by itself.
If you have trouble moving your eyes smoothly, look at your fingernail. Watch your fingernail
as it moves across the page. Follow your fingernail for a few lines until you can move across
the print looking at the print and not your fingernail. Stay with the fingernail as long as you
need to. Practice back and forth until your eyes move smoothly with and without your hand.
Stay with the beat.
It is imperative that you move steadily and smoothly over the print. Use your hand in all your
practices, as well as in your normal reading, until you move naturally and fluidly over the print.
You are moving your eyes at 60 beats per minute, which is 540 wpm, if the lines you are reading
average 9 words per line.
Stop the recorder now and practice following your hand without a beat. Create your own regular
rhythm. Use your practice book. Practice for a few minutes, until the movement begins to feel
easy, then return to this point. DO IT NOW!
-33-
-34-
naturally see and understand them at this speed. just move smoothly. Let your eyes flow with
the print. Dont lag. Smooth.
Co back to your starting point. Now you are moving at 120 beats per minute. Stay relaxed. Keep
your hand and wrist loose and free, lightly touching the page. Move smoothly with the beat.
Dont lag. Keep your eyes moving, dont hesitate. Cover each full line with each beat. Push yourself.
Smooth. While getting used to the faster beat, it may be more difficult for you to move your
eyes across the full line. If this is happening to you, shorten your hand movement. You can shorten
your movement because as you learn this movement skill, your eyes will adjust and you will
see the whole line even though you dont move all the way across. Stay with the beat, dont
lag. At first, it is very important that you move your hand and eyes as much as you can. You
are giving your subconscious instructions. Dont lag. Let your mind adjust to your needs. Dont
just look at the center of the page as you move down. Stay with the beat. Teach your eyes to move.
As we begin to slow down the beat, your eyes will move much more effortlessly than they did
when you sped up the beat. Stay smooth, regardless of the beat.
Go back to your starting point again. This beat is back to 80 beats per minute. Stay with the
beat. On the way up, this was much more difficult for you. Stay smooth. See how much easier
this is already. At this rate, you are reading at 720 words per minute, if there are 9 words per
line in your practice book. Stay with the beat, smoothly.
Once again, go back to your starting point. This is back to the speed at which you started the
practice, 40 beats per minute. This is almost too slow for you, isnt it? This is the speed at which
a good reader will read, 360 wpm (if there are an average of 9 words per line in your book).
Stay with the beat, even if you feel you are going too slow. Later you will learn how to use the
slower beat to increase your reading rate. When the beat stops, you must evaluate your available
practice time right now. You should have at least 15 minutes for this important practice session.
If you dont have 15 minutes right now, come back to this point when you do. Stay with the
beat. Return to this point as soon as you have an undisturbed 15 minutes. It is very important
that you do this practice as soon as possible. DO IT NOW!
PLEASE
FOLLOW
INSTRUCTIONS
EXACTLY
NOTE: Begin this practice session only if you have 15 minutes to complete the practice.
When you are told to do so, remove this lesson tape and put your Metronome Practice Tape
in your cassette player. Keep your practice book on hand. Turn on the recorder and go through
the entire Metronome Tape. The Metronome Tape is only 15 minutes long. It is very important
that you practice at rates as far above your normal reading speed as you can. As you continue
your practicing, you need to be able to focus your attention and practice in the areas that will
benefit you most. At the end of the 30-second comprehension testing period, do as instructed
and mark the spot where you stopped reading. At this time, do not be concerned with your reading
rate. When you have completely gone through the Metronome Tape, come back to this point.
DO IT NOW!
-35-
If you have not gone through the Metronome tape as instructed, go through that tape now, then
return here. DO IT NOW!
It is time to take a second reading speed test so that you can see the progress you have already
made. Before you actually take the second test, practice with the essay on page 37. Remember
to cover every line with a beat. When the beat is too fast for you to see the words, dont try
to see them. Flow over the print, and keep with the metronome beat. Move smoothly. Turn to
the essay page and practice with the metronome beat. When told to stop, return to this point.
DO IT NOW!
Ready? BEGIN! (30 second interval)
STOP your practice.
Go back to the beginning of the essay The Books Could Be Burned and practice again. This
time, use your hand and read as fast as you can. Read fast, but slow enough so you can see
the words and understand them. Use your hand. You will be timed for 15 seconds and you will
be reading without the metronome
-36-
21
30
40
52
60
71
80
89
98
110
118
127
136
147
155
166
176
184
193
202
210
214
225
237
247
257
267
276
286
297
307
317
326
334
344
-37-
Number
of Words
355
365
376
382
392
402
411
420
our
430
440
public
451
461
470
477
487
489
much of anything.
- 3 a . :
-39-
ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
PART FOUR
PROGRAMMATION
(Programming and Relaxation)
The Programmation Tape is on the opposite side of the Relaxation Exercise Tape. This section
of the program is called
subconscious mind with the skills you are learning. Only when the skills are programmed into
your subconscious can you use them instinctively when you need them.
Your mind automatically responds to questions and problems you may have. It does this by using
all your past experiences and knowledge. Like the computer, which it really is, you must program
it with new information if it is to do more.
The programming of your mind is done by using relaxation to properly condition the mind to
the state in which it can receive information most effectively. With the exercise repetitions, the
information is fed into your computer, to be pulled out and used by you as soon as it is fully
accepted and learned. The biggest problem your mind has is to override the old, primary skill
habits it has learned and developed. Because habits are automatic responses to a condition or
situation, it is necessary to repeatedly instruct the subconscious to use the new skill instead of
the old habits. Visualization is used extensively because the subconscious does not know the
difference between something vividly imagined and something actually happening. The more
vivid the visualization, the more effective the programming. Suggestion and imagination are
used as an aid to visualization and acting as if.
The programmation tape is a very valuable tool. The more quickly you program your subconscious,
the more quickly you can begin to effectively use your newly developed reading and learning
skills. In the beginning, use this tape twice a day. If this is not possible, use the Programmation
Tape in the morning, while you are fresher and more relaxed, and go through the relaxation
exercises in the evening. The more often you use both of these practice tapes, the more easily
you will develop the reading skills.
Going through the Relaxation and Programmation exercises should not be considered a part
of the 30-minute to 1 hour reading practice you have set aside. These two exercises provide so
many benefits, both within the reading and learning area as well as outside those areas, that
you should spend as much extra time as you can going through these exercises. They are so
important, that if you dont have time during the day to practice both of these exercises and
do your regular reading practice, you should reduce your reading practice. Be sure you spend
time to do both of these exercises at least once every day
WHY PRACTICE?
When a skill is repeated many times, you begin to use that skill automatically and instinctively.
When any act or action is repeated many times, that act becomes easy, automatic and eventually,
habitual. It becomes easier, not because the act becomes easier to do, but the ability to perform
that act becomes better. At that point, the subconscious mind totally controls the skill or action,
-40-
without the need of instructions or help from the conscious mind. In order to read and learn
more effectively and faster, you must practice the skills.
WHY VISUALIZE?
The more vividly we imagine what we want, the more certain we may become that we actually
will obtain it. Create in the mind exactly what is wanted. Think about it in every detail. Actually
feel, see, and even touch, the results or goals you want. Vividly imagining what you want means
exactly that. See yourself doing what you are working towards. If it is not vividly imagined, it
will not have an impact on the subconscious mind. Feel the self satisfaction. Dont be denied
the enjoyment of accomplishment. Feel it before you achieve it.
One of the worlds greatest high jumpers, Dwight Stones, explains: Before I take one step toward
the bar, I close my eyes and mentally go through every part of the jump I am about to make.
I totally relax and rock back and forth. Mentally, I take my quick step back with my right leg.
Then, I break into the galloping gait toward the pit and the bar. Just at the exactly correct spot,
I sharpen my angle of approach to the bar and speed up my approach. At exactly the right speed
and on the exactly correct takeoff spot, I plant my foot and with a violent upward thrust of
my arms, I push myself into the air with my planted foot and leg. As I lift off, I naturally and
easily roll over so the bar passes behind and under my shoulders. At the bar level, I throw my
arms, head and shoulders backwards, over the bar. At that instant, I throw my hips and legs
forward, upwards and over the bar. I land on the back of my shoulders in the soft jumping pit,
and naturally continue rolling backward and I roll onto my feet with my clenched fists in the
air. I didnt even touch the bar. Not until I have mentally gone through the entire jump and
successfully cleared the bar, do I actually begin to take the first step in my jump.
His visualization is so vivid that the subconscious does not know the difference between imagined
and actual. If, in his mind, he has already gone over the bar, the center that controls his habitual
actions has a much easier time doing it the second time. Use the power of visualization in all
you attempt to do and learn. Another very important fact to always keep in mind is that if you
clearly and vividly imagine something, your subconscious does not know the difference between
imagination and reality, and the experience is just as strongly impressed upon the mind as if
it had actually happened. This acting as if is a very important part of visualization in learning
the Alpha-Netics Rapid Reading skills.
SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY
Self-fulfilling prophecy is a very real and powerful force for good, or bad, in the persistent pursuit
of goals and success. Choose your goals carefully; the chances are that youll reach them. Act
as if! Reaching your goals and desired achievements is truly only a matter of time. You are
the director and master of your actions and achievements. Soon, your subconscious mind will
accept the suggestions you give, and it will produce results you desire.
-41-
You have been given different steps to learn in the development of your reading and learning
skills. We have discussed the reason each step is necessary and described that step to you. You
have been told that you must apply yourself and practice, practice, practice. There is no shortcut
to learning these skills. It is essential to put time commitment into your practice goals. This is
especially important as, over the next 3 weeks, good consistent results of your practicing begin
to appear. Set a time to practice and a target date for achievement. The more disciplined you
become, the better the program will work for you.
STRETCHING
TIME
There are only a certain number of hours in each day. It is not possible to borrow, or loan, more
time. Because of the scarcity of time, man is continually seeking more and better ways of stretching
and more effectively using time, in order to take greater advantage of the 24 available hours
in each day. There is more to learn with this program than you have time for. Because it is important that you learn what the program will attempt to teach, you will have to be taught how
to practice for minutes and get hours worth of value from practice. This is called, time stretching.
The stretching of time is always associated with a condition. This condition is the way you think
and the way you feel. When you are sitting in a dentists chair prior to having a tooth drilled
and filled, time seems to stand still. That clock on the wall seems to stop. On the other hand,
when you are doing something enjoyable, like reading a good book, or watching an exciting
ballgame on TV, time just flies. If you are reading a little while before you go to bed, you suddenly
realize it is past midnight. These are very simple examples of time distortion. Your sense of the
passage of time is directly related to your mental and emotional state.
With proper instruction, while you are deeply relaxed, you can have experiences in minutes that
may normally take hours. The Programmation Tape will teach you to relax completely and how
to practice in your mind and imagination for 30-minute periods, when actually the exercise will
take less than a minute. You will actually feel as though you have practiced for the longer period
of time. Learning to relax quickly and deeply is a most important part of the time stretching
exercise, as it is to all other skill steps you must learn.
People who have learned to read at high rates of speed, up into the thousands of words per
minute, relate that they have no feeling of time passing and no feeling of rushing or pushing
themselves. They read easily and smoothly, understanding well what they are reading and
remembering what they read. They all indicate a greater interest and enjoyment in reading than
ever before in their lives.
While it is difficult to break old habits, consistent practice will make the task easier. Eventually,
your subconscious will begin to use the new skill. It is very much like the feeling described by
Col. Chuck Yeager when he first broke the sound barrier. It is very rough and then suddenly
everything smooths out and the feeling of movement and even time is hardly noticeable. As
you push your reading above the speed you normally can translate, you will have a similar
experience. You will not be able to read above a certain speed unless you break that barrier.
-42-
Do not confuse skimming rapidly with Rapid Reading. Complete relaxation is necessary to realize
these reading and learning skills. Once you have broken that reading barrier, you can continue
to increase your reading speed, with complete understanding, as much as you are willing to
practice.
When you begin the Time Stretching exercises, you will be asked to practice for 30-minute time
periods in your imagination, but actually you will need only a few minutes to do these exercises.
With proper, deep relaxing and application, you will really feel as if you have practiced for
30-minutes. The Relaxation and Programmation exercises are essential to this phase of the program.
Practice every day and even twice a day if possible.
PLEASE NOTE:
Even though it would be possible for you to learn to read faster than you presently do without
using these tapes, you are urged to practice this part of your program regularly, using the tapes
as much as possible. It is to your advantage to do so.
-43-
SKILLS
Understanding the reading process is necessary if you are going to develop it. There are three
general skill areas:
SEEING
You have already learned that if your eyes flow smoothly over the print, you can eliminate the
problems of convergence and fixation. You learned that as your eyes move steadily and smoothly
across the page, they begin to see the print better and with increased concentration. You also
begin to understand the words better than you have ever before and the understanding is being
triggered by the sight of the words and not by the sound. Once you have learned the reading
skill to this point, how fast you can read will be determined by the speed at which you can
see. The first step, or skill, you learn is smooth, fluid movement of the
UNDERSTANDING
AND
REMEMBERING
When you pull thoughts from your minds computer (subconscious), you are really doing two
things. These two things are part of a single process: Understanding (Comprehension) and
Remembering
(Recalling).
Every experience you have ever had, everything you have ever learned and every feeling you
have ever had is stored in your subconscious memory banks. When you read, you bring meaning
from your subconscious mind. This is a response to your seeing the printed words. Your reading
skill depends upon the rate at which this occurs. The faster and better it occurs, the more skilled
in reading you will become. This instant understanding is called comprehension. The ability to
bring back information, or an experience, from your subconscious memory banks, when you
choose to do so, is remembering or recalling
be
developed, however, in order for it to be used as you want to use it. The extent to which you
can do so is a demonstration of your skill level.
UNDERSTANDING
Many people have the great misunderstanding that because they can read and pronounce the
words on a page, they will automatically understand what the words mean. In school, tests are
given to see how well what was read was understood. It has been found that even testing of
-44-
this nature is not an effective method of verifying understanding. There are always too many
outside, uncontrollable activities and situations that affect a comprehension test. In other words,
the results of a testing program usually have no direct relationship to the actual understanding
of what was read.
The Alpha-Netics Rapid Reading Program was designed so anyone can use it. It does not matter
how accomplished a reader you may be or how poor a reader you may be. The users of the
program are competing only with themselves and the goals they set. Everyone can use the program
and improve reading skills. Everyone starts at his or her level of competency, regardless of what
that level may be. In other words, this program is only interested in the development of your
reading and learning skills.
A survey was taken at two leading universities. More than a thousand incoming freshmen were
given some historical information to read. They were all told that they would be tested on what
they were given. All of the students were either on honor rolls in the high schools from which
they graduated, or very nearly qualified for the honor roll. They all read the material and were
given a written test to see how well they remembered what they had read. Every student, without
exception, got a very high grade on the test. Then, the same group was asked to write in their
own words the meaning of what they had read. Less than 1% of this group could do so!
The author of the study concluded that these students, who had been reading school assignments
for twelve years, were unable to understand the meaning of their reading. Instead, they relied
on teachers to summarize and explain the meaning of what they had read.
Reading and recognizing words does not necessarily result in a thorough understanding or the
ability to reason about what we have read. Some mentally retarded people can learn to say
and articulate most of the words they see in a book or article if they are pointed out individually
to them. But, they cannot tie the words in a sentence with meaning.
Most people read very much like that. They relate to the sight and sound of the word, but do
not develop the understanding. They can remember the words, but not the understanding.
The purpose of reading is to get the written message. The message is contained in a sentence
as a whole, not in the individual words. When words are read slowly, most of the time the complete
meaning of the sentence is not totally understood. The words individual meaning stands out
above the meaning of the sentence. Tests given to speed readers and slow readers show that
the faster readers always have better reading understanding.
As you practice one skill, and give commands to your subconscious, your mind will pool
experiences and come up with solutions. A good example is the development of far vision
up close. You cannot tell your mind to do such things, but your mind does it as it searches for
a solution to the problem you are consciously working on. Pushing yourself in these exercises
trains your mind to act and respond faster.
-45-
LEARN TO CONCENTRATE
Concentration is a skill. Most people, when told to do something, exert so much effort that they
get tense; and the harder they try, the more tension builds up. Abnormal breathing, staring,
confusion and even anger all create tension and are very detrimental to concentration. You have
already learned how to eliminate tension through relaxation. Relaxation will also eliminate the
other unwanted tension makers that keep you from learning and using the ability to concentrate.
You should be able to concentrate without strain. Concentration is directed by conscious effort
but comes from the subconscious mind. The more relaxed you are, the easier it is to concentrate.
Concentration is not a conscious physical act of staring, but a mental process of thinking.
Interest in the material being read or studied has a great effect on understanding, remembering
and retention. If you are not interested in what you are reading, it is most difficult to concentrate.
You must learn how to develop interest within yourself. Your interest level will increase as you
learn more about a subject. Take the initiative to do so and youll soon find yourself seeking
more complex reading material.
-46-
1.
While developing the Alpha-Netics Rapid Reading skills, DO NOT SKIM. Skimming IS NOT
READING. Do not grab a word here and there just to have something to remember.
2. At first, you will not remember very much. With consistent practice and relaxation, your
subconscious will begin to remember better than you ever have before.
Keep pushing each individual skill. Two or more skills will become almost as one as they are
developed. Your subconscious mind will begin to act more quickly and you will continue to
increase speed and improve understanding and recall. Keep practicing according to the instructions
you receive. Dont try to force yourself to understand and remember at first. Both of these skills
will improve later. Your reading skill will go from seeing - hearing - understanding to
SEEING - UNDERSTANDING. Each step you learn takes you nearer to your goal. The time
and effort spent will be well worth it. Practice, practice, practice.
You are not just practicing one step, even though you are working on one exercise, but a number
of steps at the same time - eye movement, seeing, understanding, relaxing, concentration, etc.
Working with one of these skills strengthens the others. Keep practicing all of them. If it is hard
to practice any one of the skills, dont be concerned at this time. Just keep practicing!
If you work only on the skills that are easiest for you, you will develop only a part of the Rapid
Reading skills. Remembering cannot be done well while you are tense. If you work on relaxation
while you continue to work on remembering, both skills become stronger.
If you are trying to remember what you are reading and are having problems, make a concerted
effort to remember. The effort is a command to the subconscious. The subconscious is
programmed to answer every question you ask or solve every problem you may present, if it
can. Every time you give a command, you are stimulating the mind and making the mind more
active and capable of doing the things you want it to do, including remembering more effectively
everything you are reading. Giving commands and trying to remember, is practicing. Do it.
Only you can develop the ability to remember, by remembering.
ALWAYS
REMEMBER:
When you are practicing the repetition exercises at rates faster than allow you to get good
understanding, do not skim just so you can pick up some spot understanding. Keep moving
smoothly, see everything. Dont worry about remembering. It does not matter, at this point, that
you do not remember. This is only practicing. Make sure you DO IT PROPERLY!
-47-
EXERCISE IN REMEMBERING
In order to increase your understanding, you should use the following techniques when you read.
(Forms in the Work Section and Record Section are provided to aid you in stating your purposes
and goals.)
1.
Find out as much as you can about the book or material you are going to read. Ask questions
about every point. Ask who, what, where, when, why and how. If you lack interest in what you
are going to read, answering your questions will create more interest and more questions in your
mind. All of these make remembering easier and better.
2.
Establish a reason or purpose for reading. What do you want out of it? Personal interest,
research,
3.
etc.?
Find out what youre going to read before you start reading. Ask questions. Look through
the book, at the illustrations, etc. Look at the index and table of contents.
4.
Ask questions about the material. What is it about? Ask yourself what you know that is
related to this subject. Remember that every time you ask questions, your mind is better prepared.
5.
Scan or survey the material. Spot scan the first and last paragraphs and a few paragraphs
Before you really begin to read, warm up on the first few pages. Move quickly and smoothly.
This is very much like athletes warming up muscles before they perform. You warm up your
conscious and subconscious mind as well as the muscles used to perform the physical movements
in reading.
7.
After you have finished reading, fulfill your purpose for reading. Answer your questions now.
Remember what you have read. Every exercise you went through before you read was giving
instructions to your subconscious. At the end, remember in detail what you read. You will be
surprised at how well you do remember.
PRACTICING
REMEMBERING
Could you explain what the paragraph said in your own words?
3.
-48-
Do the same thing again, with another paragraph, in another part of your book. Do not go back
to what you read to test your memory. Just tell yourself to remember. Keep practicing this way.
Dont go back! Make your mind remember by telling it to remember. All of your new skills will
be developed only through practice, practice, practice.
-49-
ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
PART FIVE
VOCABULARY BUILDING
As was discussed earlier, you are not being taught new words or knowledge. Reading is not learning
new words. Reading is the process of seeing and understanding written letters in groups that
we recognize and know. These groups of letters, or written words, are recognized by the way
they look and by the way they sound when pronounced, or translated. Both of these recognition
methods are recorded in the subconscious memory. As reading occurs, the words are recognized
and remembered. The words that are recognized are the ones stored in the mind. That word
storage is called the VOCABULARY. Everyone is restricted in their usage of words to those stored
in their vocabulary bank. The understanding of what we are reading is also restricted by the
limits of that vocabulary bank. In order to have a greater ability to understand and realize more
from what we read and what we hear, we should do all we can to expand the limits of that
vocabulary bank.
When you are reading normally and see an unfamiliar word, stop long enough to write the word
down and the page where it is found. Do nothing more at that time, but continue reading. Do
that with every unfamiliar word you see while you are reading. When you have completed reading,
look up the words you have noted. Use a good dictionary. Once you have read the meaning,
return to the page on which the new word is found. Re-read the page and the word in context
the way it is written. Doing this will increase your vocabulary and put those new words at your
disposal for better reading understanding. It will also improve your understanding in listening
to others, as well as increasing your ability to communicate with others. Your increased ability
to understand from an expanded vocabulary will make reading easier and much more enjoyable.
Another way to increase your vocabulary is to learn the meanings of common Greek and Latin
roots. Well over half of English words come directly or indirectly from these languages. The more
complex and sophisticated the word, the more likely it is that the word came from Creek or
Latin. House, for example, is an Anglo-Saxon (English) word, but residence comes from Latin
through French, which was originally a dialect of Latin (i.e., the kind of Latin spoken by people
who lived in the part of Europe that is now called France).
On page 52, there are just a few of the Greek and Latin roots that have entered the English
language. From these roots, hundreds of English words have been derived.
Look these over at your leisure.
When you look up a word in the dictionary, do not be satisfied with reading the definition. Check
its etymology (etymon in Creek means true sense of a word) so that you will be able to
understand, or at least guess at, the meanings of other words that contain the same prefix, suffix,
or root. For example, if you look up the word euphoria, you will find that it means a feeling
of well-being or bliss, and that its roots are eu (good, well) and pherein (to bear); it literally means
well-borne or easy to bear." Now, you can guess at the meanings of other words that begin
with eu, like euphemism and euphonious. If you dont know the meanings of these words, look
them up in a dictionary. Try to guess the meanings of these words: biometry, panoptic, demophobia.
-5o-
A good VOCABULARY
provides the TOOLS
for better THINKING!
-51-
ROOT
ENGLISH DERIVATIONS
scrib or
script (write)
Scripture,
inscribe,
inscription,
voc (call)
ped (foot)
chron (time)
cosm (world,
universe)
dem (people)
geo (earth)
graph (write)
cartography
(map-writing)
bio (life)
psych (mind)
psychosomatic,
psychedelic,
psychosis
Other common roots are phil (love; philosophy = love of wisdom), soph (wisdom), pan (all; as
in Pan-American), scop (see), phon (sound), cred (believe), and sent (feel, as in sentiment, sensory).
Some Greek, and Latin prefixes are bi (two), ex (out), mal (bad), post (after), super (above), tele
(far, distant), pre (before), ante (before). Two very common suffixes are metry (measurement) and
logy (study of).
-52-
SKILL
(READING)
DEVELOPMENT
It is important to understand how skills are developed. The process of attaining or developing
a skill is always the same. The skill being developed could be anything from playing a musical
instrument, driving a car, karate, hitting a baseball or reading. The common denominator in
learning even the primary skills of crawling and walking, is practice. Every attempt made at a
new skill is an experience recorded by the subconscious mind with the result that every attempt,
whether successful or not, is a valuable learning experience. It is essential that you fail a few
times on your quest for success at mastering a new skill. You would never have learned to crawl
or walk if you had not kept trying after many failures. When a skill is finally mastered, it can
be performed without conscious thought. Once you learned to ride a bicycle, you could do so
easily without thinking about the skills required.
The development of any skill is always learned a step at a time. Each step can be mastered
easily. At times, in the development of a complex skill, a level of development is reached that
seems especially difficult to get past. It may seem as if the skill just cant be performed any
better. However, if you continue to practice the skill, all of a sudden the next step will seem
within easy reach. Further attempts will require less effort to attain successful results. REMEMBER:
It is not the task itself that gets easier with practice but rather the ability to perform the task
has become perfected.
If you do not practice regularly, your reading skills diminish. If you practice ineffectively and
sporadically, at best your skill development and your performance will follow an up and down
pattern. (See Illust. 6 and 7). These illustrations illustrate the development pattern of the reading
skill if you practice regularly (Illust.. 6) and if you practice irregularly (Illust. 7).
(Illust. No. 6)
With
Irregular
Practice
(Illust. No. 7)
-53-
(Illust. No. 8)
try to read or understand. Move your eyes rapidly and smoothly. Notice how smoothly your eyes
move when they are focused under the line, rather than directly at the print. Keep moving your
eyes in this manner for a few minutes.
You may not get much comprehension at first, but as you continue to practice this way, you
will begin to see more and more. Dont force yourself to see the print while looking at your
line. Just relax and let the eyes flow.
If the eyes will not flow smoothly, then use the hand until the movement becomes smooth. Then,
remove the hand again. Maintain the smooth movement. Remember that the hand is used only
for the purpose of helping the eyes move smoothly and rapidly.
If this exercise is practiced correctly, you will soon be moving more rapidly and smoothly without
the hand than with the hand.
Turn the recorder off and continue practicing in this manner for a few minutes, until the movement
feels comfortable. When you have completed practicing without the metronome, stop, shut your
book and return to this point. DO IT NOW!
-55-
end of each period, return here to read the instructions for the next period. Begin with Exercise
1 Period 1. Relax and move smoothly. DO IT NOW!
EXERCISE ONE
Period 1. Read with understanding. Determine your rate and enter it on the large Reading Practice
Record Sheet. Use the hand to help yourself along if you want to. Then, determine how far you
would have to read in order to double the amount you read and mark that place. DO IT NOW!
Period 2. Read the same material and understand it better. DO IT NOW!
Period 3. Read the same material again, but read further than you have been reading in the
two minute period. DO IT NOW!
Period 4. Read the same material again. Push yourself harder, read faster. You are beginning to
bring understanding together with speed. DO IT NOW!
Period 5. Push faster over the same material. You should be coming close to reaching the double
mark you made at the end of Period 1. DO IT NOW!
-56-
Period 6. Re-read, but faster. Try to pass your double mark this time. DO IT NOW!
Period 7. Re-read and make sure you at least reach your double mark this time. Pass that mark
if you can. It is easy to double the rate at which you were reading when you practice correctly.
DO IT NOW!
During each practice period, you will re-read the same material unless you are told differently.
Period 8. Read again, but at a speed that will take you at least to your double mark. DO IT NOW!
Period 9. As you read, see how far past your best effort you can go. DO IT NOW!
Before you begin the IO-minute practice period, mark off four more sections in your practice
book. Each of the four sections should be the same length as the double distance mark you
made after the Period 1 practice. Place a number 1 at the end of the first section you marked
off. Place a number 2 at the end of the second section, number 3 after the third section and
number 4 after the fourth section and a 5 at the end of the fifth section. Start the IO-minute
practice period by pushing yourself to read up to mark #I by the first tone. Reach mark #2 by
the second tone. Read to mark #3 by the third tone, mark #4 by the fourth tone and reach mark
#5 by the fifth tone. Read smoothly and easy. Use your hand if you want to. See what you are
reading. Be aware of your feelings as you read for understanding in this practice period. Relax
and move smoothly. DO IT NOW!
Rewind the Timed Intervals Tape back to Period 1. Go back to where you started reading in Period
1. Read once more for the 2-minute timed period. Push as fast and far as you can, but understand
better what you are reading. Determine your reading rate and record it. DO IT NOW!
EXERCISE TWO
Using the rate you recorded at the end of Exercise One, determine the number of lines you read.
Multiply the number of lines you read by 11/2.In your practice book, mark a spot that is 11/2
times as far as you read in Exercise One. Use the rate chart. Determine how fast you must read,
in wpm, in order to cover that distance in the 2-minute period.
Look at Rate Chart 3. If your reading rate in the timed period in Exercise One was 1080 wpm,
and the average number of words per line in your practice book is 9, look under column 9. Go
down the column to find your wpm (1080). Then, follow the line you are on to the left-hand
column for the number of lines you read, which was 240. Because this was a two minute exercise,
you take one half of 240 (120) and add it to 240. That total, 360, is the number of lines you
want to read. Now, in the left-hand column, find 360 and go right on that line to column 9. That
is the number of words per minute (1620) you will have to read in order to reach the 11/2 times
mark. That is reading at 180 beats per minute, or 2 lines per beat at 90 beats per minute. As
you prepare to practice reading at that rate, it is a good idea to listen to the metronome beat
at that rate before you start, so you can start to think about the beat. Use your hand if you
-57-
wish. Move smoothly and relax, relax. As you did going through Exercise One, re-read the same
material for each practice period and after each period, come back to this point for instructions.
Get the Timed Intervals Tape ready. DO IT NOW!
Period 1. Reading at 180 beats per minute, reach the 1 1/2 times mark you made. This is 1 1/2 times
as far as your best effort in Exercise One. Stay with the beat, smoothly. Relax. Cover the entire
marked-off section in the 2-minute time period. DO IT NOW!
Period 2. Repeat. Keep with the beat, flow easily over the print. DO IT NOW!
Period 3. It would be helpful to you to return to pages 46 through 49 and reread the information
about remembering before you practice Period 3. Then, repeat the same section. Dont slow down.
At the end of this period, stop your recorder and remember what you have read. DO IT NOW!
Periods 4-9. Re-read, for each period, at 180 beats per minute. At the end of each practice period,
remember what you read before you go to the next period. DO IT NOW!
IO-Minute Period. Make note of the practice period you were on when you reached the
understanding level you feel good about. The more you practice, the fewer repetitions it will
take to reach that understanding level. You should be experiencing good progress in developing
all your reading skills during these practice periods.
After repeating the understanding and remembering practices, mark off five more sections in
your practice book, as you did in Exercise One. This time, make each section 11/2 times as long
as the marks you made in Exercise One. Number them l-5 again. Begin reading with the same
section you practiced with for periods l-9. Make sure the rate you read will take you to each
mark by the tone ending each period. If you go farther, that is okay, but dont lag behind. Be
smooth and consistent in moving across the page. Relax. Dont slow down. Notice your feelings
as you are pushing and trying to understand. When you complete the IO-minute practice period,
remember what you read. Rewind the cassette back to Period One. Return back to the first section
and read as fast as you can with understanding, for the first two-minute time period. Record
your reading rate on the chart.
EXERCISE THREE
During this exercise, you will be asked to do something very much out of character. It will help
you read by sight more effectively, without having to hear the sound of the word to understand
the words read.
NOTE: Because of the unusual nature of this exercise, you should be in a room by yourself or
in an area away from others, where you will not be heard.
-58-
Open your practice book to the section you have practiced the most; the one you are the most
familiar with. Begin to read at the speed at which you were getting good comprehension. Dont
lag, push yourself, but go at the speed at which you are getting good understanding. Use your
hand. As you read, talk out loud. Say anything. It is not important that you are coherent. Just
make noise with your mouth while you are reading. Sing a tune, recite a poem or just jabber.
Speak or jabber softly. Dont do it loudly - the neighbors will want to look in on you. Be by
yourself so you wont be self-conscious. During these exercise periods, use this exercise to develop
your sight-understanding skills. Repeat this familiar section each time for each practice period.
Talk while you read, see and understand.
Be aware that you will not understand as well when you first begin this exercise. That is normal.
Dont get discouraged. Keep repeating the same section as you were instructed. Your understanding
will come and your ability to understand by sight will be greatly increased.
Periods l-9. Use the first section you marked off for Exercise Two. This is the 1% times section.
Read to your mark each period. Read and talk out loud as you read. Always remember to relax.
Move smoothly. DO IT NOW!
IO-Minute Period. Begin at the end of the section you have been reading, or go to an entirely
new section of your practice book. Read for the IO-minute period at the same rate you have
been practicing. Push yourself, but read with understanding while you are occupying your vocal
chords. Relax. DO IT NOW!
At the end of the IO-minute practice period, rewind the cassette and use Period One to again
time yourself for the record. This time, read without vocalizing, but push yourself as hard as
you ever have, without omitting understanding. Read as far and as fast as you can while
understanding what you read. Then, record your rate. DO IT NOW!
EXERCISE FOUR
Concentrate on two things in this exercise: Speed and Understanding. Use your practice book again.
Periods l-3. Use your hand if you wish, but move as fast as you can push yourself, seeing all
the words. Do not worry about comprehension.
concentrate, comprehension will come. Move fast, but RELAX. Dont read to any mark, go as
fast as you can. Repeat the same material every period, but each period, push yourself to read
a little further than the last. See a//
Periods 4-7. Re-read the same material, but slow down just enough to gain understanding. Do
not skim. Do not grab words. Move smoothly and see the words. After each period, stop a few
minutes and remember what you read. Each period, push yourself a little harder. DO IT NOW!
Periods 8-9. Re-read the same section again. This time, read the same section at the best speed
you can. Push yourself to understand what you are reading, but dont concern yourself with
-59-
remembering. If you dont remember well, dont worry. Remembering will come. Read smoothly.
- UNDERSTAND. Push yourself. DO IT NOW!
When you read for longer periods, you will have a tendency to slow down. If you are aware
of this, it will be easier for you to maintain the beat you are setting for yourself. Be conscious
of this as you begin the IO-minute period practice.
IO-Minute Period. Begin reading the same section you have been practicing. Keep up your beat.
Read with understanding. As you read through the section you have already read and move into
new material, you will have a tendency to slow down. DONT LET THlS HAPPEN! Maintain your
beat. When you hear the two-minute tones during the practice period, dont slow down or stop.
Have a pencil or pen in hand and at each of the tones, make a small mark on the page you
At the end of the IO-minute practice period, remember the entire section. Go back to each two
minute mark you made on the page and determine the reading rate for each of the two minute
periods. Compare your reading rate for each of the time periods. The rates should all be about
the same. Which section did you understand and remember the clearest? If you remember one
section better than the others, you need to practice more. With continued practice, you will
understand and remember them all the same.
Once again, go back to Period One. Read as fast as you can with good understanding. Time
yourself with Timed Interval Period One. Figure your reading rate and record the rate on your chart.
DO IT NOW!
-6O-
ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
ADDENDUM
-61-
State what you want to accomplish in your life. What do you really want? Regardless of the
obstacles and assuming money were no object, what do you really want and what would you
do with your time?
2.
How long will it take you to realize each of the goals you have written in step 1? A goal
without a deadline is a daydream. Deadlines are essential to create the drive necessary for success.
3.
Determine what short range or intermediate goals you may set and achieve that will keep
you moving in the direction of the major goals you are pursuing. Even the movement toward
and accomplishment of small goals is motivational and exciting. These make the continued pursuit
of your major goals endurable and much more enjoyable.
4.
How much effort are you willing to put into the pursuit of your goals? If there are limitations,
you are after the wrong goal. Any obstacle between you and what you want can be removed
by having the short range goals directed toward that removal. If it is what you want, no price
is too high and no obstacle to high, wide or deep.
5.
Keep your goals - Short, Intermediate, and long Range - in your minds eye, always. Know
what needs to be done, always. Consider a camera taking a picture. If the camera is 10% out
of focus, the picture will be at least 10% out of focus. If your goal is out of your minds eye
10% of the time, you reduce your chance of reaching that goal by at least 10%. Remember,
Anything you vividly imagine. . " Keep your goals in focus.
How badly do you want to increase your reading skills? How hard are you willing to work to
reach that goal? Set the time to accomplish your reading goal at four weeks. Then, set your
short range (daily) goals and your intermediate (weekly) goals, to make sure you get there on time.
This program will assist you in setting all of your goals, particularly your reading and learning goals.
PRACTICE CONSISTENTLY!
-62-
A PracticaI Guide to Better Concentration, M. Powers & R.S. Starrett, Wilshire Book Co.
2 . How to Read a Book, M.J. Adler & C. Van Doren, Simon and Schuster
3. Word identification Techniques, J.P. Ires, Rand McNally
4 . Words In Everyday Life, C.L. Brook, Barnes and Noble
5.
6.
Word Power: A Short Guide to Vocabulary and Spelling, Byron H. Gibson, Everett/Edwards, Inc.
Word Power Made Easy, Norman Lewis, Pocket Books
RELAXATION
Release From Nervous Tension, D.H. Fink M.D., Simon and Schuster
PROGRAMMING
THE
SUBCONSCIOUS
BETTER
SIGHT
GENERAL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
8.
9.
10.
-63-
ALPHA-NE-TICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
WORK SECTION
learned.
-64-
(Illust. No. 9)
-65-
PREPARING TO READ
Prepare Yourself
1.
Prepare the book you are going to read as you have been instructed.
2.
3.
Preview the material you are going to read as you were instructed.
Warm Up to Read
4.
Use the hand to warm up. Move faster than you can understand. Repeat a short section
Slow down and understand. Use the hand at first to get your beat. Read at a speed you
can see and understand. Let your hand keep you moving smoothly ahead and do not regress.
Think speed. Push. Relax.
Remember what you read. If the material is important, read it all again. You have the speed.
Show off to yourself. If you dont need to re-read it all, re-read the parts that are most important
to you. Remember what youve read.
-66-
Make the program a part of your life until your new skills become the dominant reading skills.
This could take a few weeks or a few months. IT DOES NOT MATTER! What does matter is
that you do not lose the most valuable skill you have ever developed, and that you develop
this skill further until everything you do is easier and your performance in every area of learning
has improved. Develop a plan to improve your vocabulary. Anything related to learning should
become interesting to you. Show off your skills to yourself and to anyone else lucky enough
to be around you.
Set definite reading goals while you are using the program. Follow the 4-week program that is
outlined for you. Set goals that require you to take action. Study what your gains will be with
each step you take. Ask yourself What is in it for me?
Knowledge without action is worthless. Use your skills. As you read normally, push yourself,
analyze your feelings as you read. GO FASTER, SEE BETTER. Understand better and remember
better. Just practicing once a week, after you have fundamentally learned the Rapid Reading
skills, will be enough to improve your skill and ensure that it becomes the dominant reading
skill. Always push yourself, but remember to relax and maintain smooth movements while doing
so. Practice understanding and remembering. If you feel there is an area you are weak in, practice
that area more until you have the confidence that will make even the weak areas strong for
you. Be proud of what you have learned. Show off your reading skills as often as you can.
Your new skills have given you a tremendous advantage, in time alone, over your old skills. If
you started using the program when you were reading 250 wpm, and now you read at 750 wpm,
you can easily read in 1/2 hour what you used to struggle to read in 1% hours. Your attitude
about reading has greatly changed your thinking about reading. One of the problems most people
have with reading is that if they start reading, they begin to enjoy it, and then it takes too long
to read what they started. Throughout most peoples lives, they have started so many books and
articles they didnt finish, they have a hard time getting the interest to start reading anything.
Now, with your new skills, you should be looking for as many chances to read as you can. Heres
an
interesting
fact:
If you can read at 750 wpm and read 30 minutes a day, you could read 1 book in about 4 days.
Two hours reading time per book! Reading 1/2 hour a day, that is reading nearly 2 books a week,
nearly 7 books a month and between 80 - 100 books a year! This may seem incredible, but its
true. But so are the skills youve developed! Regardless of the level your reading skills have reached,
any growth is worth the effort! You are now reading at least twice as fast as you were reading
and, your understanding and the ability to remember, has increased. The best part is that you
can continue to increase the level of your skill development.
Its up to you! Practice and use your skills as much as you can!
As you begin using your new skills and start reading more books for the sake of study, pleasure
or research, keep proper records of what you read. Use the forms and ideas in the final section
of this program to assist you in clarifying your reading and learning goals. These goals may involve
-67-
1
~
research as well as just the goal of increasing the volume of your reading. Keeping track is a
great motivator. If you define your purpose for reading a book, you will immediately find that
you will automatically begin to upgrade the quality of what you read. By writing your analysis,
or summary of the books you read, you will naturally achieve better comprehension and recall
from the contents of the book. Keep upgrading yourself through what you read and also through
using your newly acquired skills more and more often.
PLEASE REMEMBER: The Alpha-Netics Rapid Reading Program will be with you as long as you
wish. Keep it handy. At any time, you can practice to maintain your new skill level and at any
time, you can begin to increase your reading speed. Always follow the circle of success.
GOOD LUCK!
-68-
WORK SECTION
The purpose of the Work Section is to strengthen your skills on a continuous basis; to help you
make a habit out of the most important skill you have. Once that is accomplished, there will
be no regression, only continued strengthening and usage of these skills.
PRACTICING
Practice regularly. If you practice a day and skip two, as on a weekend, you will lose in the
two-day weekend vacation what you gained, or learned, in the days practice. With consistent
practice, it does not take very long to learn and to program the reading skills into the subconscious.
A few weeks of practice now and you will have the reading skills working for you your entire
lifetime.
The Programmation Tape should be used extensively for the purpose of setting and keeping regular
practice schedules. Do whatever is necessary to remind yourself to practice daily. It may never
become easy for you to do so, but it is very important to you in the development of your skills.
Regular practice assures the repetition needed to learn the reading skills. Practicing twice a day,
even for shorter periods, is better than one longer practice a day. Learning to relax is the most
important skill step you have learned. Because of this importance, you should go through the
different relaxation exercises at least twice a day and do not make the relaxation time a part
of your scheduled practice time. You can practice relaxation at any time during the day or night.
Find a place you can be alone, relax and visualize. Dont do it while you are driving a car, you
may go to sleep. Many people do go to sleep while practicing the relaxation exercises.
A side note to the importance of relaxing: learning to relax properly will enable you to feel better
and perform all your tasks more effectively. You will be more alert and more efficient in all you do.
-69-
UNDERSTANDING
Lets examine the charts and the final section of the program, which provides sheets and space
for record keeping.
Copy Record Sheets as needed for your use.
The Practice Record (WI) contains a space for recording your comprehension. You will record
your understanding as satisfied, acceptable,
READING RATE
To easily determine the number of words per minute (rate) you are reading, count the number
of pages, multiply by the number of lines per page, and add the number of lines read on the
last page you were reading. Multiply the total lines read by the average number of words per
line, then add the number of words read on the last line you were reading.
NOTE: (Number of pages)x(number of lines per page)+(number of lines read on last
page)x(number of words per line)+(number of words read on last Iine)=Words
Get the Rate Chart and refer to it as you are instructed. DO IT NOW!
Per Minute.
Reading
When you take 30-second reading tests, this chart is ready-made to help you quickly determine
your rate in words per minute (wpm).
In the left column is the number of lines you read in 30 seconds. Across the top of the chart
is the average number of words per line.
You should know the average number of words per line. Go down the left column to the number
of lines you read in the 30-second test. Go right across the line to the column headed by the
average number of words per line. If you read 40 lines in 30 seconds and there are an average
of 9 words per line:
Find 40 in the left-hand column. Go right across the line to column 9. You read 720 wpm. The
chart compensates for the fact you only read for 30 seconds. It doubles the actual figure read
to arrive at the wpm total.
-7l-
The number of lines read will probably be different from the actual number in the columns
on charts 1 and 3. When you have a number that is not on the chart, go to the closest number
to the actual number of lines read. Use this as a rule to determine your actual numbers. There
will not be a significant difference in your final wpm and the number the chart gives you if
you justify to the nearest number.
EXAMPLE: Chart 1 - If you actually read 58 lines, you should go to 60 to determine your rate.
Chart 3 - If you actually read 229, you should go to 220 to determine your rate.
yourself.
-73-
IMPORTANT
NOTE:
Develop the eye movement first; and automatically as you move, your eyes will begin to see.
The reason your eyes dont see at first is because they havent been taught to see at the speed
you are moving. Practicing as you are instructed is simply teaching your eyes to move. Once
they learn, they will see. Keep practicing and keep following instructions. Let go of part or all
understanding until you naturally begin to understand the written
the 30-second interval for understanding, always push yourself as hard as you can. Always feel
uncomfortable. At first, you wont remember much of what you read, even though, when you
saw the words as you were reading, you thought you understood them. This ability, or skill, also
develops as you keep practicing. This is normal. Each skill you learn affects the others. All of
the skills will be developed with your regular practice.
-75-
BEGINNING TO PRACTICE
The schedule for every days practice is broken into practice sessions. Ideally, you will practice
session one in the morning and session two in the afternoon. If you cannot do that, you must
adapt your available time to cover the materials and areas each session asks for.
SESSION ONE
As you begin to practice, use the easy-to-read book you have. It should be interesting to you
so you will have a greater incentive to see the words as you practice. As you develop the Rapid
Reading skills, and at your discretion, start using other books of interest to you, unless specifically
told to use the first book. Regardless of the book you choose to use, do not use a book with
small print or one that has more than a few pictures or one that is hard for you to read. Use
good judgement. This is a practice and learning session.
-76-
SESSION TWO
If you choose your practice material carefully, it will be easier to read rapidly with complete
understanding and recall. Use a book that you use to study, are interested in, or one you would
like to get information from. If the book is not interesting to you, you will have a much greater
tendency to slow down and, when you try to push yourself, to grab at words. Be aware of this
and force yourself not to let this happen. Reading is not practice. You must push yourself through
all the material you choose to practice with.
-77-
Intervals
Tape
Intervals
Tape
-78-
-79-
REMEMBERING
You have been instructed many times on how a skill is learned and retained. There is only one
way - REPETITION. You must push yourself every time you practice. Always practice at the limits
of your ability. Each repetition pushes your limits a little further. When you are working without
the metronome, do not slow down your pace. When you are asked to read without understanding
fully, push faster and pay more attention to the print. You will see better and the understanding
will come. If you do not push, you are not practicing. Dont forget that every time you are
instructed to read for understanding and to remember, you will have a tendency to slow down
and grab words. Stay smooth and keep your beat. Practice properly; you will pick up the
understanding and the ability to remember at the faster beat with practice.
While you are practicing at rates above your understanding speed and are asked to remember,
challenge yourself to do so. Even though you may not be aware, your subconscious records
everything you see. Two things you should keep in mind: 1) If you see the words as you move
across the print, the words will become recorded, even if they are not recognized at that moment;
and 2) with practice, you can get your mind to recognize and remember what you see while
reading. It is a matter of learning. Practice and give the command to remember. Your mind will
not do it by itself; it only acts on command.
When you are trying to remember, and cant, make up what you thought you saw. Dont try
to force your subconscious to give you an answer, just give it a command and then challenge
it. Do it over and over. Every time you ask for an answer and the answer doesnt come easily,
make one up. Soon, you will begin to remember; and when you do, the words you see at almost
any speed will be recognized, understood, and, most importantly, remembered. Keep the pressure
on yourself, physically and subconsciously. You have far more ability than you have ever used.
KEEP
PUSHING.
-8O-
Intervals
Tape
Intervals
Tape
THURSDAY, FRIDAY
PRACTICE SESSION 1 (Simple Book)
Timed Intervals Tape - All Exercise 1, push yourself
SATURDAY, SUNDAY
PRACTICE SESSION 1 (Simple Book)
Timed Intervals Tape - Exercise 2, See how fast you can read
-8l-
-82-
UNDERSTANDING
AND
REMEMBERING
Pushing yourself in practice will get you to the skill level that will let you recognize, understand
and remember everything you see. During your early learning steps, you wont be able to do
any of these things. Concentrate on what you are seeing. Concentrate on understanding what
you see, not what you have seen. Push ahead. You wont remember a great deal even though
you seem to understand what you are seeing when you first see it. Dont try to retain anything
consciously. Let your subconscious do the remembering. Dont question your learning ability.
You are gaining the Rapid Reading skill step by step.
You must learn how to pull information out of your subconscious. This is a learning step. It is
learned by continuously demanding your subconscious to remember. It would be good to review
Week Twos instructions about remembering. This skill is not learned quickly or easily. You must
keep practicing and challenging yourself.
MONDAY, TUESDAY
PRACTICE SESSION 1
Timed Intervals Tape - Exercise 3
PRACTICE SESSION 2
Timed Intervals Tape - Exercise 4
WEDNESDAY,
THURSDAY
PRACTICE SESSION 1
Timed intervals Tape - Exercise 1
PRACTICE SESSION 2
Timed Intervals Tape - Exercise 1
Ask and answer questions
FRIDAY, SATURDAY
PRACTICE SESSION 1
Timed Intervals Tape - Exercise 2
Ask and answer questions
PRACTICE SESSION 2
Timed Intervals Tape - Exercise 4
Ask and answer questions
SUNDAY
PRACTICE SESSION 1
Rapid Reading practice - 15 minutes
Read 15 minutes - Push, but understand and remember
PRACTICE SESSION 2
Repeat Session 1
-84-
-85-
nurture your new reading skill as you would a precious plant or, like the plant, if you dont, it
will begin to weaken and eventually it will die. The practicing and reading schedule you need
to establish must be done according to your time availability. Spend extra time working on your
weaker skills. Just as everyone has a different learning rate, everyone has different levels of skill
development and habit forming. You practice to overcome your weaknesses and to develop your
habits. Work hard. Practice. Relax.
-86-
IMPORTANT
NOTE:
The program should always be a part of your library. Make it easy to get to. In a week, a month,
a year or six years, if you have a desire to improve your reading skills or even increase them,
the program is your teacher and you only have to pick it up and begin to do as you are instructed.
Be proud of what you have learned, regardless of the skill level you have reached. With your
new skills, there is nothing you cant learn, to get what you want!
-87-
PROGRAMMING
PRACTICE
NOTE: Use the same exercise for Session 1 and 2, every day. Practice with books of your choice.
Dont slow down. Keep pushing. Think of what you are seeing. Stay relaxed and think of speed.
The exercises this week will be a springboard into all your future reading. Work hard!
Using the Timed Intervals Tape - you set the beat and push yourself.
Period 1
Period 2
Repeat Period 1
Period 3
Period 4
Repeat Period 3
Period 5
Period 6
Repeat Period 5
Period 7
Period 8
Period 9
Period 10
-88-
ALPHA-NETICS
RAPID READING PROGRAM
PRACTICE AND PERSONAL READING RECORDS
A BASIC COURSE FOR EVERYONE
Alpha-Netics
PRACTICE RECORD
COMMIT YOURSELF MORNING AND NIGHT
SESSION ONE
DATE:
wm
UNDERSTANDING
A.M.
wm
P
UNDERSTANDING
wm
IMAGINATION
A
P
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS:
Book Title
Author
B E G I N N I N G R E A D I N G R A T E wm
UNDERSTANDING
UNDERSTANDING
wm
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS:
--WI -
PRACTICE
(Amt. Time)
SESSION TWO
__
M
M
.
.
PERSONAL
READING
PRACTICE
REPORT ON
Two-Minute Repetition and Recall Drill
TITLE OF BOOK
AUTHOR
WORDS PER PAGE
INTERVAL 1 - WHO?
INTERVAL 2 - WHERE?
INTERVAL 3 - WHEN?
10 MINUTE - RECALL
-W2 -
TITLE OF BOOK
AUTHOR
WORDS PER PAGE
INTERVAL 1 - WHO?
INTERVAL 2 - WHERE?
INTERVAL 3 - WHEN?
10 MINUTE - RECALL
-W2 -
PERSONAL
READING
PRACTICE
TITLE OF BOOK
AUTHOR
WORDS PER PAGE
PREVIEW
SURVEY
REMEMBERING
-W3-
PERSONAL
READING
PRACTICE
TITLE OF BOOK
AUTHOR
WORDS PER PAGE
PREVIEW
SURVEY
REMEMBERING
-W3 -
4.
SHORT RANGE COALS (Time to Practice, Thinking, etc.):
2.
3.
4.
WHAT I MUST ACQUIRE TO ACHIEVE MY GOAL THAT I DO NOT ALREADY HAVE:
-W4-
TITLE
GENERAL
(Date)
AUTHOR
INFORMATION/TEXT
NON-FICTION:
NOVELS - FICTION:
BOOKS:
TITLE
GENERAL
(Date)
AUTHOR
INFORMATION/TEXT
BOOKS:
NON-FICTION:
NOVELS - FICTION:
-W5 -
SUBJECT:
(What you wish to research, study, or learn and at what level. e.g. for general knowledge, for
discussion, or for becoming an expert on the subject.)
STATE CLEARLY:
16
18
SUBJECT:
(What you wish to research, study, or learn and at what level. e.g. for general knowledge, for
discussion, or for becoming an expert on the subject.)
STATE CLEARLY:
9
10
11
12
18
SCHEDULE
FOR
READING:
SUBJECT:
COMPLETED
BOOK
NO.
DATE OF PUBLICATION
TITLE
AUTHOR
PUBLISHER
DATE BEGAN READING
SUBJECT:
COMPLETED
BOOK
NO.
DATE OF PUBLICATION
TITLE
AUTHOR
PUBLISHER
DATE
BEGAN
READING
-w7-
SUBJECT:
COMPLETED BOOK NO.
DATE OF PUBLICATION
TITLE
AUTHOR
PUBLISHER
DATE BEGAN READING
SU BJ ECT:
COMPLETED BOOK NO.
DATE OF PUBLICATION
TITLE
AUTHOR
PUBLISHER
DATE BEGAN READING
-w7 -
PRACTICE REA
INITIAL
TEST 1
TEST 2
WEEK ONE
PRACTICE
SESSION
DATE
TEST SCORE
WPM
a
MIN.
I
I
I
I
I
II
I
I
WEEK TWO
DAY
PRACTICE
SESSION
DATE
TEST SCORE
WPM
RELAXATION
MIN.
WPM
PROGRAMMATION
MIN.
DAY
iI
I
I
WPM
PROGRAMMATION
MIN.
II
DATE
WPM
WPM
WPM
MIN
MIN.
MIN.
j
II
DATE
WPM
I
I
MIN
DATE
WPM
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
WPM
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
I
iI
I
I
I
II
WPM
MIN.
WPM
II
I
MIN.
WPM
MIN.
DATE
WPM
MIN.
I
t
I1
1
II
II
I
DATE
MIN.
WPM
MIN.
DATE
.-
WPM
MIN.
16
DATE
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
WPM
WPM .
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
DATE
1
STARTING RATE
WPM
I
1
1
I1
1
II
I
___-
WPM
MIN.
ALPHA-NETICS RAPID
DING RECORD
WEEK THREE
PRACTICE
SESSION
DATE
TEST SCORE
WPM
RELAXATION
MIN.
I
I
I
iI
I
II
WPM
PROGRAMMATION
MIN.
DATE
WEEK FOUR
DAY
PRACTICE
SESSION
DATE
TEST SCORE
WPM
RELAXATION
MIN.
DAY
l-1
WPM
PROGRAMMATION
MIN.
I-21
DATE
WPM
WPM
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
DATE
WPM
MIN.
WPM
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
II
I
II
I
14
DATE
WPM
MIN.
DATE
WPM
II
II
II
I
I
:
MIN.
WPM
II
II
MIN.
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
15
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
WPM
MIN.
II
II
I
I
I
I
:I
I-6
DATE
WPM
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
17
DATE
WPM
WPM
WPM
MIN.
MIN.
MIN.
READING PROGRAM
15
DATE
WPM
I
I
I
DATE
4
L
DATE
WPM
I
I
DATE
13
DATE
ENDING RATE.
WPM
ALPHA-NETICS
.< RAPID. READING
1
PROGRAM
RATE CHART 1
30-SECOND READING
Average Words per Line
# lines
3osec.
10
11
12
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
15
180
210
240
270
300
330
360
20
240
280
320
360
400
440
480
25
300
350
. 400
450
500
550
600
30
360
420
480
540
600
660
720
35
'420
490
560
630
700
770
840
40
480
560
640
720
800
880
960
45
540
630
720
810
900
990
1080
50
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
55
660
770
880
990
1100
1210
1320
60
720
840
960
1080
1200
1320
1440
65
780
910
1040
1170
1300
1 4 2 0
70
840
980
1120
1260
1400
1540
75
900
1050
1200
1350
1500
1656
1800
80
960
1120
1280
1440
1600
1760
1920
85
1020
1190
1360
1530
1700
1870
'2040
90
1080
1260
1440
1620
1800
1980
2160
95
1140
1330
1520
1710
1900
2090
2280
100
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2400
'a
1540
1680
RATE CHART 3
METRONOME TAPE
One Line Per Beat
;
10
11
280
320
360
400
440
480
60
360
80
/
100
120
160
420
560
600
700
720
480
640
800
960
1120
1280
540
720
900
1080
1440
600
660
720
800
1000
1200
1600
1100
1320
1760
1200
1440
1920
10
11
12
180
210
240
270
300
80
240
280
320
360
400
440
480
100
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
120
360
420
480
540
600
660
720
140
420
490
560
630
700
770
160
480
560
720
800
880
960
180
540
630
810
900
990
1080
200
600
700
1000
1100
1200
220
660
770
880
990
1100
1210
1320
240
720
840
960
1080
1200
1320
1440
260
780
910
1040
1170
1300
1430
1560
280
840
980
1120
1260
1400
1540
1680
300
900
1050
1200
1350
1500
1650
1800
1120
1280
1440
1600
1760
1920
1020
1190
1360
1530
1700
1870
2040
1080
1260
1440
1620
1800
1980
2160
1140
1330
1520
1710
1900
2090
2280
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2400
320
340
12
Lines
R e e d
400
720
360