# Speed Reading **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 1999, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-reading/3543 "1999-09-28T18:25:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curious\_george](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b487fb/32.png) [@curious\_george](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious_george)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 1999, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-reading/3543/1 "1999-09-28T18:25:00Z")
Does anyone think Speed Reading classes are useful? I am thinking of taking one. However, I am very skeptical about it. If there is an effective way to read faster, than why isn’t it taught in our schools so that everyone knows it? What do you think? Has anyone here ever tried a speed reading class? ---
**Author:** ![Hungry\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hungry\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hungry_Boy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 1999, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-reading/3543/2 "1999-09-28T18:35:00Z")
Here’s what Cecil says. [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a920214.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a920214.html) ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 1999, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-reading/3543/3 "1999-09-28T21:29:00Z")
George, I recall doing ‘speed reading’ training in school, about the time I was in fifth and sixth grades. We worked dilligently to comprehend what we were skipping through. When it came to a physics text in college, I can tell you that I couldn’t speed read for comprehension just prior to an exam and get anything like a decent comprehension. As for economics, well, just try it… 😉