Topic: Reading Flexibility

One-minute review: “Flexibility is an important criterion of reading excellence. Good comprehenders adjust the rate of reading by slowing down as the material increases in difficulty, whereas poor comprehenders read both easy and difficult materials at much the same rate.” p. 235.

“Slower reading generally is positively associated with achievement in science, in medicine, in mathematics and in Latin.” p. 236.

“Rapid reading is positively associated with achievement in English and in languages.” p. 236.

Title: “Basic Reading Skills: Comprehension and Rate Skills.” Psychology in Teaching Reading. HP Smith and EV Deschant. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1961.

Comment: Knowing when to speed up and slow down is one of the characteristics of the skilled reader. RayS.