Foundational Concepts & Principles Flashcards

What is subvocalization in the context of reading?

Answer: Silently pronouncing words in your head while reading

Subvocalization is the habit of internally pronouncing each word, which limits reading speed to roughly speaking pace.

What is a fixation during the reading process?

Answer: A brief pause when the eyes stop to take in text

A fixation is the momentary stop the eyes make on a word or word group, during which visual information is actually processed.

The rapid eye movements between fixation points are called what?

Answer: Saccades

Saccades are the quick jumps the eyes make between fixations as they move across a line of text.

What does 'regression' refer to in reading behavior?

Answer: Going back to reread text that was already covered

Regression is the habit of backtracking over previously read text, which significantly slows overall reading speed.

Approximately what is the average silent reading speed of an adult reader?

Answer: 200-250 words per minute

Most untrained adults read silently at about 200-250 words per minute, which is the common baseline in speed reading courses.

In speed reading, what does 'chunking' mean?

Answer: Taking in groups of words with a single fixation

Chunking trains the eyes to absorb several words at once per fixation instead of reading word by word.

How is reading speed most commonly measured?

Answer: Words per minute (WPM)

Words per minute is the standard metric for quantifying reading speed in speed reading training.