Chapter 5

Exercises Framework

Overview

Effective execution of the exercises and workout sessions needs adherence to a framework to gain maximum advantage of each exercise and workout. Our framework is presented below. This section covers 3 topics:

 

1. Framework Summary
2. Framework Sections
3. Framework Example

 

Framework Summary

The framework within which each exercise or workout should be performed is summarised as follows:

 

1. Expectation; why are you doing this exercise or workout?
2. Preparation; what to do before you start reading.
3. Orientation;   how are you going to do the exercise or workout?
4. Execution;     what to do while you are reading.
5. Reflection;     what to do after you finish reading
6. KPI;             how to measure your key performance indicators (KPIs).
7. Conclusion;   what you learnt from the exercise or workout.

 

Framework Sections

1. Expectation

Each exercise or workout will state its objectives, which will help you understand why you are asked to perform the exercise or workout and what exactly you should be aiming for. Some exercises may focus on speed, others on new hand/eye movements, while others on comprehension, concentration and/or recall. 

 

2. Preparation

This section will detail the preparations needed before real reading begins. It will usually cover the following:

1.    Reading material (type, level of difficulty, content, length, etc.)

2.    Accessories (markers, memory friends, writing/typing tool, timer device, etc.)

3.    Timer device settings (length, intervals, etc.)

4.    Reading guides (pointers, hand/fingers, transparencies, markers, etc.)

5.    Pre-reading markers (page markers to aid reading and jump movements)

 

3. Orientation

This section will detail the exact steps to perform. Each Orientation will encompass 3 main subsections:

1.    Outline;             main context of the exercise or workout

2.    Steps;                exact steps to perform the exercise or workout

3.    QuickView;         diagram of a representation of the exercise or workout

 

Some orientations are lengthy by nature, so their Steps will be many. This usually occurs when multiple readings and re-readings are required using different hand/eye movements and/or new reading, comprehension and recall techniques. However, after the initial few exercises and workout sessions, you will very quickly get the basic ideas and will probably find the QuickView tables enough for offline workout.

 

4. Execution

The section will detail the actions you should, and should not, be doing while actually reading the material. It will usually cover the following:

1.    Hand Reading Technique (forward, backward, diagonal, circular, etc.)

2.    Eye Movement (fixations, jumps, soft-focus, field vision, etc.)

3.    Brain Activity (storing keywords, making associations, understanding meaning, etc.)

4.    Mechanical Movements/Posture (turning pages, holding book, etc.)

 

5. Reflection

This section covers the post reading activities such as:

1.    Comprehension (perception, understanding, meanings, etc.) 

2.    Recall (Memory Friend, keyword, details, quotes, etc.)

 

6. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Recommended calculations after you complete your reading and reflection. These will usually, but not always, include:

1.    Reading Speed (Pages per Minute, Words per Minute, Seconds per Page, etc.)

2.    Comprehension Rate (% perception, understanding, meanings)

3.    Recall Rate (% of list of facts e.g. 60% = recalled 6 out of 10 important facts)

 

7. Conclusion

Brief summary of the exercise or workout highlighting the main points and lessons learnt.

 

Framework Example

Here is an example exercise from one of the early basic Chapters. As the real exercise specifies hand/eye/brain movements and activities that assume prior knowledge of the Chapter before the exercise, the exact hand/eye/brain movements and activities names and specifics have been overtyped with small ‘x’s.

 

Example Exercise X

 

This exercise will require you to

• use the X 1 reading techniques,
• while guiding your eyes with your finger/pointer,
• to read the same material but further and faster,
• in 4 cycles,
• within a fixed specified time frame of 1 minute per cycle

 

1. Expectation

The objectives of the exercise are as follows:

1)   Learn the new hand-eye X 1 coordinated movement

2)   Increase your speed gradually in each cycle to meet time deadlines

3)   Develop your comprehension and recall abilities at higher speeds

 

You should focus on comprehension and recall in the first cycle (rather than reading speed), then on reading speed in the next 3 cycles (sacrificing some comprehension and recall.

 

2. Preparation

1)   Reading Material:

o   Type:       Book, non-fiction

o   Level:      Medium difficulty

o   Content:  New chapter with some sub-headings

o   Length:    First few pages (exact number depends on your speed)

2)   Accessories

o   Markers:   Pencil, paper clips, sticky notes

o   MF:          Memory Friend diagram (Mirror, Martian, Centipede)

o   WI/WP     Writing Instrument or Word Processor

o   Timer:     Voice recorder (best), stopwatch 

3)   Timer Device Settings:

o   Length:    1 minute

o   Intervals: ½ minute

4)   Reading Guides        Hand/Index Finger or your favourite Guide pointer

5)   Pre-reading Markers   No pre-reading marker guides required.

 

3. Orientation

1. Outline

The exercise context is using a new hand/eye coordination movement to gradually increase your xxxxxxxx reading speed. You will read faster than your ‘comfort zone’ in succeeding cycles, which may cause you to lose comprehension and recall. This relative loss is expected, and is part of your brain’s gradual realisation and ‘awakening’ that you will be asking it to work harder and faster to grasp meanings and store information while reading.

 

2. Steps          

1)   Open your exercise book to a new chapter

2)   Optional: Mark your starting point with the number ‘0’ (zero)

3)   Start your timer device (voice recorder, 1 m, ½ m interval) and get ready for the ‘Go’ signal

4)   Upon hearing the ‘Go’ signal, start reading using your reading guide (finger/pointer) according to the X1 technique.

5)   Upon hearing the ‘Stop’ signal, stop your reading and mark that point with the number ‘1’. This completes your first reading cycle.

6)   Record on your Memory Friend diagram (Mirror/ Martian/Centipede) the main theme/topic (in the circle) and keywords (on the lines), starting on the right middle line and going clockwise.

7)   Repeat steps 3, 4, 5 and 6 (start timer, read, stop after 1 m, recall) one more time, completing your second reading cycle, but with a faster reading speed. You should aim to go further than the mark of number ‘1’ by at least 4 lines, the more lines the better. Focus on speed, not comprehension or recall. If you can add anything (keyword, detail) to your Memory Friend diagram, great, if not, stay focused on increasing speed. Mark the end of your second cycle with the number ‘2’.

8)   Repeat steps 3, 4, 5 and 6 (start timer, read, stop after 1 m, recall) TWO more times, completing your third and fourth reading cycles, but with a faster reading speed in each cycle. You should aim to go further than the mark of number ‘2’ by at least 4 lines in the 3^rd cycle and 8 lines in the 4^th cycle, the more lines the better. Focus on speed, not comprehension or recall. If you can add anything (keyword, detail) to your Memory Friend diagram, great, if not, stay focused on increasing speed. Mark the end of your third and fourth cycles with the numbers ‘3’ and ‘4’ respectively.

 

3. QuickView

 

Exercise X	Cycle	Material	Time	Technique	Post Read
	(1) (2)  (3)  (4)	n Lines (1) + 4 Lines (2) + 4 Lines (3) + 4 Lines	1 m 1 m 1 m 1 m	X 1 X 1 X 1 X 1	Comp+Rec Rec Rec Rec+KPI

 

4. Execution

1. Hand Reading Technique:

The technique for the whole exercise is the X1. Insert details on proper hand execution here.

2. Eye Movement:

The exercise requires faster speeds for each subsequent cycle within the same timeframe (1 m). Since you are using the same X1 technique for each cycle, the only way to read faster is to read each line faster, so in each subsequent cycle:

o   Decrease the number of fixations per line.

o   Increase your line horizontal span (grasping more words per fixation)

o   Decrease the last fixation distance from the right margin before the next line jump

o   Increase the first fixation distance from the left margin after each previous line jump

 

3. Brain Activity:

The emphasis of the exercise is reading speed with some comprehension and recall, especially in the first cycle. So, use the first cycle to grasp as much as possible of the main concepts or themes presented (comprehension), and pay particular attention to chapter heading, section headings, numbered/bulleted lists and any bold, italicised, underlined or CAPITALISED text to aid recall.

 

4. Mechanical Movements/Posture:

Use the standard page turning movement and book holding position. You may need your page turning movement if you’re reading in any cycle with a speed exceeding 2 pages per minute (estimated 700 WPM).

 

5. Reflection

At the end of the 4^th reading cycle, you should contemplate the following:

1)   Comprehension

o   What was the main theme/topic of the material?

o   Were there any new concepts or ideas presented?

o   Who were the main characters, if any

o   What were the main events, if any?

2)   Recall

o   Review your Memory Friend and update as needed

o   Add any specific highlighted (italicised, bold, underlined, etc.) words or phrases

o   Try to recall the sequence of section headings or main points, and write the sequence numbers on your MF diagram

 

6. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The recommended KPIs for this exercise are the following:

1)   Reading Speed

Use the Line Average calculation method to calculate the speed of Cycle 4 in WPM. If you covered more than 3 pages in the 1 minute timeframe, then use the Page Average calculation method.

2)   Comprehension Rate

Review the reading material again, and estimate roughly your % perception and understanding. No exact figure is needed for this exercise. However, you should, at least, know the main topic and the general context of each section/sub-heading.

3)   Recall Rate

Review the reading material again and estimate the % of list of facts or important points/ideas presented.  No exact figure is needed for this exercise, however, you should recall at least:

30% of the points, items and/or ideas presented

50% of italicised, bold or underlined or capitalised words and phrases

 

7. Conclusion

The exercise encouraged you to read faster using the same technique (X1) within a specified timeframe (1m). You have observed that to achieve a faster speed in each subsequent cycle, you needed to read each line faster, by executing fewer eye fixations and increasing the horizontal span of each fixation.

 

Using your finger/pointer helped to guide your eyes along the lines, but you also needed to move your finger/pointer faster in each cycle. You used your first cycle to get most of the comprehension and recall, since it was the slowest reading speed cycle. The subsequent cycles filled the ‘gaps’ in your recall, but probably did not add much to your initial understanding. 

 

PAUSE READING NOW!

If Eager reader, jump to Chapter 7 now and enjoy the journey.

If Systematic reader, flip/scroll the page to Chapter 6 and read on.