(cross posting as this seems the more appropriate place)
cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/3198573
I have ADHD, I think it’s possible I had some other form of reading disability when I was younger, but I’m not sure. Just a hunch, my therapist has. One thing I do all the time, that really slows me down, is subvocalizing. If I’m not subvocalizing, I feel like my retention and comprehension are almost nonexistent. For easier literature, it’s not a big deal, but wanting to read more theory, I find myself struggling.
I think, according to some reading tests I was taking today, I read at about 144 wpm which isn’t great. That’s me mostly subvocalizing. If I stop, I can get to 270, but my retention and comprehension goes down quite a bit.
Any advice, tools, websites, services, you might be aware of that can help me unlearn a lifetime of bad reading habits? Everyone wants to sell you a tool or service for STEM shit, but when you’re looking for adult assistance with reading, all I seem to be finding is stuff for Elementary and Middle School level reading.
I mean, I can read fiction hella fast while subvocalizing, because well written fiction is easy. It doesn’t really require comprehension of new ideas. Theory is hard, and often not well written. Of course it’s gonna slow you down. I can read like a hundred pages of well written fiction in like an hour. Poorly written nonfiction, and I’m lucky if I get through 20 or 30 pages in that same time frame.
I’d say practice practice practice really. For a while, those apps that show you one word at a time were pretty popular but from what I hear they were more useful for speeding up your word recognition for regular reading, not for comprehension while using the app.💁♂️