How do you feel when confronted with a wall of text? Are you excited to get stuck in?
Or do you feel a sense of dread at just how long it’s going to take you to get through it? Or do you feel your interest already starting to slip away?
Speed reading can help you to tackle long pieces of writing, while actually absorbing the information read. But it isn’t an easy skill to master.
There are many courses designed to teach you to speed reading through a range of methods, with varying degrees of effectiveness.
If you want to read quicker, better, and easier, then a speed reading course might be right for you.
Take a look at our guide to find the best speed reading courses available, plus a buyer’s guide to help you decide.
The 5 Best Speed Reading Courses
Super Reading By Jim Kwik (Mindvalley)
Best Overall
Jim Kwik is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of learning, memory, and brain performance, having coached billionaires and CEOs.
And now he can help you! The Super Reading course is a revolutionary program, designed to restructure your entire approach to learning.
Super Reading involves 5.8 hours of training, divided into a 3-week course.
The step-by-step process spends 10 to 20 minutes each day with Jim Kwik, as he introduces you to his speed reading and learning techniques.
Thanks to Kwik’s enthusiasm, the high production value videos are engaging, and easy to follow. The videos are accompanied by practical tips and advice, so you can put theory into practice.
Super Reading guarantees that by the end of the course, you will have at least doubled your reading and learning speed.
The course is intended to make you rethink your entire learning style. As well as reading quicker, you should be processing information faster, and learning more effectively.
The Super Reading course is designed for anyone who wants to optimize their learning ability, working with a master of the technique.
Pros
- Industry expert advice – Jim Kwik is an experienced teacher who has worked alongside CEOs.
- Practical exercises – Put the advice into practice.
- Bite-sized videos – Fit the course into your day-to-day schedule.
Cons
- Price – The Super Reading course is a more expensive option.
Speed Reading Foundation And Mastery Course (Iris Reading)
Best Comprehensive Course
The bundle course from Iris Reading provides step-by-step instruction to improve your reading and advance your learning.
The bundle consists of three courses: the foundation course, the mastery course, and the advanced comprehension and memory course.
Combined, Iris Reading offers an exceptional opportunity to learn the basics, and then put them to use.
Based on an in-person class, the Iris Reading course uses instructional videos to guide you through techniques for speed reading and comprehension.
Compatible with mobile devices, these courses are excellent for anyone trying to learn on the go — for example, if you’re trying to fit a course in as you commute!
Iris introduces learners to techniques and methods that can be put to practical use.
Once the course has been purchased, you have lifetime access to it, so you can go back and refresh if you need to.
The supplementary courses from Iris really allow you to enhance and refine your skills, and ensure you never stop learning.
Pros
- Comprehensive class – Iris allows you to bundle core classes with supplemental learning, for complete coverage.
- Mobile compatible – Learn on the go.
- Certificate rewarded – Once you’ve completed the course, you receive certification.
Cons
- Works best as a bundle, and the individual courses might not provide all the information you need.
Become A SuperLearner 2: Learn Speed Reading And Boost Memory (Udemy)
Best Value
SuperLearner 2 is an update on the hugely popular SuperLearner course from entrepreneur Jonathan Levi, improved to offer you an even better learning experience.
The course has just over 5 hours of lessons, and is expected to take 6 to 7 weeks to complete. By the end of the course, you should be reading 3x faster than you did before you started.
The SuperLearner 2 course is focused on three core areas: speed-reading with high comprehension, memory techniques for accurate recall, and developing infrastructure to support your skills long-term.
An in-depth course, SuperLearner 2 covers a massive amount of detail for comprehensive learning.
And it does all this for a value price, offering a speed reading course that’s accessible for students.
Providing insights into speed reading, and ensuring you can retain the skills taught by the course, SuperLearner has a wide appeal.
SuperLearner 2 is engaging, and the content has improved from SuperLearner 1.
There are still some meandering moments, and in places the focus on theory eclipses the practical advice.
But overall, SuperLearner 2 is an effective choice for anyone who wants to boost their learning.
Pros
- Varied learning styles – The comprehensive course is fantastic for those of various skill levels.
- Emphasis on retaining learning – Once you’ve learned the techniques, this course helps you retain them.
- Affordable – One of the most affordable, comprehensive courses.
Cons
- At times, the course focuses too much on theory.
Learn Speed Reading Online (Rev It Up Reading)
Best For Students
The Rev It Up Reading course might not be the most comprehensive course available, but it is a great choice for beginners, and those with limited time.
With just 5 hours needed to complete the course, Rev It Up Reading can be incorporated alongside a heavy course load.
If you’ve got a large pile of coursework that you can never seem to get on top of, you might be contemplating the benefits of speed reading.
But how do you find the time to learn speed reading when you don’t even have the time for your coursework?
Rev It Up Reading is a short course which can provide impressive results.
Crafted by Abby Marks Beale, a speed reading expert, the course is designed to make you read faster, and feel more confident in your abilities.
9 half hour modules make for bite-sized learning that can be easily integrated into your day to day.
One of the highlights of the Rev It Up Reading course is that it allows you to track your abilities.
Timed exercises and self-evaluation assessments help you to see your progress as you move through the modules.
Pros
- Tracked your progress – Self-assessment allows you to see how you’re progressing through the course.
- Short modules – Learn quickly with half hour modules.
- Money-back guarantee – Not happy with the results? You can get your money back.
Cons
- A less comprehensive course than others for a similar price.
Speed Reading Mastery: Double Your Reading Speed In 7 Days (Udemy)
Best For Beginners
Many of us dream of improving our reading skills, but don’t know where to get started.
Speed Reading Mastery is an excellent course for those who want to improve focus and speed, but feel overwhelmed at the thought of embarking on a long learning process.
Speed Reading Mastery, run by co-founder of StudyFast Jordan Henry, is designed to make speed reading accessible to everyone.
Aimed at people with varying levels of abilities, this course is easy to follow, and doesn’t overwhelm with theory. You can get through it in one day, if you put your mind to it!
If you haven’t thought about how you learn since kindergarten, approaching it as an adult (see also ‘What Is An Adult Learner?‘)
can be intimidating.
Speed Reading Mastery is welcoming and you never feel like you’ve been thrown in at the deep end.
Instead, you can approach learning on your own time, and discover new methods that work for you. As a bonus, readers with dyslexia will find help specifically for their needs.
Pros
- Quick course – Dedicated learners can tackle Speed Reading Mastery in just one day.
- Beginner oriented – The course isn’t overwhelming, and even new learners can keep up.
- Dyslexia module – Specific help for readers with dyslexia.
Cons
- Some terms could be explained better.
Buyer’s Guide
Speed reading isn’t just a case of skimming through words on a page. Instead, you need to comprehend and remember what you read.
To do this, it’s often necessary to reassess how you learn. And this can be intimidating.
How to learn is something that many of us don’t assess after finishing kindergarten.
We learn how we learn, and for the most part, don’t think more about it. But speed reading courses require us to learn new methods of learning itself.
When choosing a speed reading course, it’s important to look for those that will deliver actual results through learning theory and practical methods.
In this buyer’s guide, we’ll consider what features to look for.
Instructor Experience
It’s essential when choosing a course to take a look at who designed the course, and who is running the course. Do they have the experience necessary to lead a helpful and instructive program?
If an instructor has the skill and credentials to be running a course, this will likely be displayed prominently.
No one will want to hide the talents of their course leader! Be wary of courses that aren’t upfront about who designed the program. It probably isn’t worth your time.
Theory Vs Practical
Mastering speed reading is often about rethinking how you learn, and putting this knowledge into practice.
Good speed reading courses have a balance of both theory and practice. You’ll discover why a method is helpful, before being taught how to use these methods in real life.
Theory and practice do need to work in balance. Too much theory, and the course is unlikely to engage, and you won’t actually improve your reading ability.
Too much practice, and you might find the lack of theory prevents you from actually learning the skill in the long term.
How Long The Course Is
People with busy lifestyles tend to be those who most want to learn to speed read. After all, if you had plenty of time, you might not need to read so quickly!
If this is the case, then you probably don’t want a course that requires several hours of work a day, and lasts for many weeks.
Before signing up for a course, check to see how many hours of materials are provided, and how long it is expected to take to complete the course.
From this, you can see if it’s the right choice for your life.
Self-Guided Or Scheduled?
Similar to length, it’s important to consider if the course is self-guided or scheduled. Many courses are self-guided, and allow you to complete the modules in your own time.
But some courses do run on a set schedule, and material might only be released as you progress. If this isn’t convenient for you, make sure to choose a course that will fit into your lifestyle.
What Learning Methods Are Used?
Before you choose a course, consider your own learning style, and think about what methods will be best for you. Many courses use a combination of video classes and written materials.
However, some courses will use only video learning, while others will focus on written coursework. Be sure you know what the course will entail before you invest.
Something else to look for is testing and practical application. This can be used to support your learning, and assess your progress.
What Does The Course Promise?
Exactly what does the course promise to deliver? Courses will sell themselves on how much they can increase your reading speed, and how quickly they can do it.
Most courses will promise to at least double your current reading speed.
While this is the obvious goal, there are other results to consider. Instead of just reading quickly, you want a course that will help you to absorb and retain information.
Speed reading isn’t just about skimming a long page of text — a good course will help you absorb and remember the information you read.
Price
Speed reading is an incredibly useful skill, and if you’re struggling with your workload, then you might be willing to pay any price to master it.
Luckily, many speed reading courses are reasonably priced. You can often expect to pay under $100 for a course, and some can be purchased for less than $50.
However, speed reading courses are sometimes offered by larger online learning platforms that require a subscription.
If you’re unlikely to be interested in other courses, you may want to avoid subscriptions.
Certificates
When you’ve finished your course, exactly what do you get to show for it? Certification and proof that you’ve completed and passed a speed reading course can look fantastic on a CV.
Student Feedback
Before you decide on a course, take a look at reviews from previous students.
These can help you to assess not only the effectiveness of the course, but also the methods used by the instructors.
Using this feedback, you can get an accurate picture of what the course entails, and decide if it’s right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Speed Reading Courses Worth It?
Speed reading courses can be used to help you improve the rate at which you read, and to increase your level of information absorption and retention.
These courses often work by teaching you new ways to read, adjusting your learning style for a more effective method.
Speed reading courses are often inexpensive, and can be helpful for those who find they read slowly, or struggle to concentrate when faced with large walls of text.
Who Can Benefit From A Speed Reading Course?
Speed reading courses can benefit anyone who reads slowly, or finds that they struggle to maintain concentration when reading.
Speed reading can be particularly useful for students who are struggling under a heavy course load.
Speed reading can help students work through dense course materials, scanning and retaining useful information.
But it isn’t just students who can benefit from speed reading.
Speed reading is often a useful skill in the workplace, and successful completion of a speed reading course can look excellent on your CV.
Speed reading is also a useful skill for anyone with a massive pile of “to read” books!
How Long Does It Take To Learn Speed Reading?
Speed reading courses vary massively in length, but it’s important to remember the proposed time doesn’t always include the hours of practice needed.
Speed reading isn’t a skill you can pick up in just 30 minutes. It requires use and repetition to master the technique!
A good course can cover the basics in just a few hours. For a comprehensive course, expect several weeks of learning.
What Is The Best Course For Speed Reading?
Our favorite speed reading course is Super Reading by Jim Kwik. Other good courses include Iris Reading, Rev It Up Reading, SuperLearner 2, and Speed Reading Mastery.
Final Thoughts
There are many courses available for those who are interested in learning speed reading, and many different methods for tackling the skill!
When choosing the right course for you, take a look at the contents of the course, and how easily it will fit into your life.
Remember, online courses are only effective if you’re willing to put in the effort.
