More than 350 students from Grades 6 to 8 from 40 schools participated in the speed-reading competition to help bolster language skills.
The average student reads between 250 and 350 words per minute. A ‘good’ reading speed is around 500 to 700 words per minute, but with proper training students can read up to thousand words per minute or even faster.
Several techniques can be applied to inculcate the habit of fast reading among students. To adjudge the ‘fastest reader in the UAE’, some very young ‘fast readers’ got together at the fifth edition of the Speed Reading competition organised by the Educational Institution Training Division of OnlySuccess Learning Technologies on November 15. Students from Grades 6 to 8 participated in the speed-reading competition to help bolster language skills. More than 350 students from 40 schools participated in the competition, according to Lakshmi Narayanan, Co founder and director, Sales and marketing from OnlySuccess Learning Technologies. The event took place at the Holiday International Hotel, Buheirah Corniche in Sharjah. After an exciting final round, the swiftest Reader of UAE was Nirmal Sneha K Jimmy, a grade 8 student at Delhi Private School, Dubai. The first runner-up was Jayalakshmi J Nair, a grade 8 student from Our Own English High School, Sharjah; and the third place was bagged by Shuchi Sharma, a Grade 7 student from GEMS modern Academy, Dubai.
OnlySuccess, the educational institution that trains students in speed reading, uses proven scientific methods to bring in positive change in attitude and approach of every participant. The same is achieved through the use of proven Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques and all the trainers of OnlySuccess are Certified NLP Practitioners. During the workshop the participant will have lot of practical training exercises to test and use the skills what they have learnt. Senior trainer of students at OnlySuccess Sampath Kumar said: “We helped students with last-minute tips to help boost speed-reading skills.”
Winners and guests of Speed Reading competition: (L-R) Rajesh Kumar, VP Operations, Hello FM; Jayalakshmi J Nair, Second Runner Up; Lakshmi Narayanan; Nirmal Sneha the winner; Suchi Sharma, First Runner Up and Prerna Singh at Holiday International in Sharjah.
“The biggest question in the minds of children and parents is whether an individual can comprehend when they read so fast. Interestingly, research has shown a close relationship between speed and understanding: most children are able to increase their rate of reading considerably and quickly without lowering comprehension, while they seldom show an increase in comprehension when they reduce their rate,” added Lakshmi Narayanan.
Research has shown a close relation between speed and understanding; most children are able to increase their rate of reading considerably and rather quickly without lowering comprehension. “These same individuals seldom show an increase in comprehension when they reduce their rate. Of course, such results are heavily dependent upon the method used to gain the increased rate,” said Kumar.
“These same individuals seldom show an increase in comprehension when they reduce their rate. Of course, such results are heavily dependent upon the method used to gain the increased rate,” said the organisers. The trophies for winner and 25 finalist was distributed by Prerna Singh, CEO, IFFCO confectionary and chocolate and other dignitaries. -dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com