A comparison of two methods for increasing reading speed with the reading accelerator

Abstract

increase each time, provided satisfactory comprehension is maintained. Manual states categorically that The Reading Accelerator rate should never be increased by more than 50 words per minute for each successive session in the range of speeds from 100 to 700 words per minute. This study was designed to compare two methods of using the reading accelerator to determine whether it is preferable to instruct students to increase their practice speed regularly by large or small increments during a series of practice sessions. It was hypothesized that students using the accelerator for a series of eight practice sessions would read significantly faster, without loss of comprehension , than a control group who did not receive accelerator practice. Further, it was hypothesized that subjects who increased their accelerator setting by large amounts for each practice session would read significantly faster at the end of the program than students whose accelerator settings were increased by smaller amounts. Sample: subjects used in this study were 12 University of Maryland undergraduate students ranging in age from 17 to 21. They were selected from a group of students who volunteered to participate in a reading experiment, were not enrolled in any formal reading improvement program, and had pretest reading rates of 300 wpm or lower with at least 70r/r comprehension. twelve subjects were assigned to one of three groups: Control Group, Experimental Group I (Large Increment Group) or Experimental Group II (Small Increment Group). Each group was comprised of two male and two female students. Table I shows the range of scholastic ability scores and college experience for each of the three groups.