“5th Grade Class Jumps Forward 2 Grade Levels in Reading--In Just 2 Months”

“5th Grade Class
Jumps Forward 2 Grade Levels
in Just 2 Months”

Over HALF of all American children are
READING BELOW GRADE LEVEL.

(This could be corrected pretty fast if somebody
showed these kids how to Speed Read, and then
had them use the skill each day for 20 minutes.)

According to a recent national assessment (2015), about 66% of all 8th graders in the United States are reading below grade level. That’s about the “state of the union” for all of our public schools nowadays.

That makes Tens of Millions of American children who are reading below grade level.

Yikes. That’s very sad. Over time, more Americans are falling into this category.

Is there a way to correct this deficit?

I believe there is.

Most people think of Speed Reading as something that is only appropriate for College Students and other adults (business owners, executives, etc.)--but not for children. This is primarily because of the following two misconceptions:

1. They believe that Speed reading must be too difficult for young children to learn. This idea is just CRAZY. The opposite is true: Speed Reading is EASY for children under the age of 12 to learn. Just like foreign languages. (In fact, if you want your child to speak a foreign language like a native, you’d better start teaching them that language before they’re 12 years old. Younger would be better.)

The truth is this: If you wait until College to Speed Read, you’ve waited too long. Languages and Speed Reading are more difficult to learn the older you get.

2. The belief that you’re wasting your time and money to teach a 3rd grader to speed read. "There’s no value in reading The Cat In The Hat fast."

I’ve been teaching 3rd graders to Speed Read since 1997. I can assure you that there is great value in children being able to Speed Read. Children gain greater confidence, they have a greater love of learning and they often improve their Reading Grade Level at a much faster rate than normal.

And in the case of Speed Reading, experience shows that in many cases, when children follow the advice to keep using the Speed Reading skill for 15-20 minutes per day, their reading and learning skills continue to improve at a better-than-normal rate.

Here are a couple of examples:

A 5th grade teacher got a copy of my book SPEED READING 4 KIDS, and proceeded to teach her class of 5th graders to Speed Read, starting in late October, one year. By Christmas time those who participated had gained one to two Reading Grade Levels in only two months!

Here is what the teacher wrote: “..in fact, another assessment tool we use…has shown amazing results of reading gains in the range of one-to two GRADE LEVELS in just a couple of months!!

“Some of my lowest level students (who began reading about second or third grade level) are now reading near grade level (5th grade). Those who were reading on grade level have jumped to 7th and (in one case) 8th grade level. I am very impressed.”

A high school principal in Michigan and his wife decided to teach their 4th grade daughter, Anne (not her real name), to speed read. They started their project in February (and Anne had just been rated as being able to read at 7th grade reading level, using the Star Reading Assessment). After 6 weeks of daily practice, she was reading 6,000 words per minute.

Then, Anne got into the habit of Speed Reading for 15 minutes every day, just before going to bed.

In May, shortly before the school year ended, the students at Anne’s school were put through the usual end-of-the-year standardized tests that all of the students were required to do. On the Star Reading Assessment, Anne now suddenly got ranked at 10th grade reading level.

The educator who conducted the Star Reading Assessment was totally amazed. He asked Anne’s father (the high school principal) what Anne was doing differently. In the 18 years that he had conducted detailed reading assessments for the school, he had never before seen a better-than-average reader jump 3 grade levels in only 3 months.

The only thing that Anne had been doing differently was that she was Speed Reading for 15 minutes each day, just before going to bed. But think about it—in 15 minutes, Anne was reading enough (15 x 6,000 wpm = 90,000 words) to be able to finish two complete 200-page books each day! Even if she were “taking it easy,” and was only reading one book per day, she could still easily read 90 books in 3 months.

No wonder Anne jumped 3 grade levels in 3 months.

Speed Reading is a powerful engine for an educated mind.

I have seen similar patterns of improvement with other students (as a Speed Reading teacher). But since I’m not a part of the School System, I generally don’t get vocal about Speed Reading when I’m around schools. I’m not trying to upstage anyone. They have a job to do. I just keep my mouth shut and “get along” with everyone.

But the truth is the truth.

So you can imagine that I was pretty happy when I stumbled upon the following video about 2 months ago (please take 5 minutes to watch this interview between a mom, and Michal Juhas):

https://juhasm.wistia.com/medias/j0urwnxu3y

Did you notice the same, familiar pattern?

1. These children learned to read.

2. Eventually, they were able to read independently, and were shown how to Speed Read.

3. After learning to Speed Read, they continued using the Speed Reading skill on a daily basis for at least few minutes each day (this is clearly implied in the video).

4. After a couple of years of regular Speed Reading, they were able to read “beyond College Level” books. (Obviously they were improving their reading ability by one “Grade Level,” every month or two)

The only difference is that these two children began to Speed Read when they were THREE YEARS OLD. And that was only possible because their mother had taught them to read much younger, so that they were ready to be shown how to Speed Read at the age of THREE.

The point here isn’t that all children must learn to read at College level by the age of five. I don’t believe that that is necessary. (But it’s not forbidden, either).

The point is that there is no reason for any normal child to be reading below grade level at all. Every child should at least be shown how to Speed Read, when they are pretty young. Third grade, Fourth grade or Preschool, it’s up to you.

It can help prevent a whole host of learning disabilities.

Just show them.

One “ounce of prevention” here, can be more valuable than a “pound of cure” later on.

If young children are simply shown how to Speed Read, they should never fall behind in their reading grade level. Instead, they will likely move ahead to a much more advanced reading level. Perhaps even advancing at a rate of one Grade Level per month.

IF YOUR CHILD HAS FALLEN BEHIND his grade level in reading, try teaching him to Speed Read. Then have him use the Speed Reading skill for 15-20 minutes per day, in FUN, EASY “chapter books.” After that, have him continue doing this for 3 or 4 months, or even a year. You’ll be amazed at the results.

IF YOUR CHILD IS A PRE-SCHOOLER, start teaching him/her to read TODAY. Why waste another day? Time is ticking. (Soon your child will be grown up and out of the house.)

Then, after your child is able to read independently on some level (could be 2nd grade level or late 1st grade level, or so), start showing him how to go faster when he is reading quietly to himself, by using the FREE lesson plans found on:

www.SpeedReading4PreSchoolers.com

At the ages of 3-7, it only takes 5 minutes per day to show your child how to Speed Read, once they have been taught to read. It’s pretty easy.

And for children from age 8 to 18, it takes a little bit different approach (though still pretty easy). Get the book SPEED READING 4 KIDS, found here:

www.SpeedReading4Kids.com

--George Stancliffe