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From: ccrbrian@ucdavis.UUCP (Brian Reilly)
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Re: Speed Reading
Message-ID: <292@ucdavis.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Jun-85 00:29:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucdavis.292
Posted: Fri Jun 21 00:29:36 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Jun-85 04:45:04 EDT
References: <1573@orca.UUCP>
Organization: University of California, Davis
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> When I was an under-grad at U.C.S.D. I saw a program demonstrated that
> would print text. One word at a time. In the center of a vdt. At a
> constant rate specified by the user. 
> 
> The idea was to eliminate altogether the need for eye movements while 
> reading. The way I remember it is that there was some increase
> in reading speed with no loss of comprehension. Don't remember how much.
> 
> The spitting out phrases in the same manner would be an interesting 
> experiment.


The device you referred to is, I think, called
a tachistiscope (sp?).  These were widely used in
the 50's to train people to read faster, but the
argument against them is that you don't have one
when you are reading a book, so there is less transfer
of skill than with techniques based on work done
with printed material.

I have seen a program for various micro-computers which
does the same thing, and even lets you vary the rate and
the width of the phrase presented.  The Evelyn Wood company
has their course available in this manner.

		Brian Reilly
-- 
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     Brian Reilly                    Davis, CA 95616
     U.C. Davis Computer Center      ucbvax!ucdavis!deneb!ccrbrian