Ultimate Speed Reader

Instructions

First use of Ultimate Speed Reader (USR):

1. Log on to a computer.
2. Open Internet Explorer and type the URL http://smcaccess.smcvt.edu into the browser window. 
3. Put in your SMC username and password.
4. Click (1x) Ultimate Speed Reader (USR).  Wait a few seconds for it to start.
5. The first time you use USR, select New Student and type in your name.  Locate the z:drive to store your speed reading sessions.  The next time select Continuing Student and locate the file on the z:drive. 
   Alternatively, select Visiting Visitor.  Your speed reading sessions will not be stored.
6. Click Reading Warm-ups on the Main Screen. 
7. Select Words (bottom) and 3.  You will see 3 words flashing on the screen, then a 3-column list with many 3-word combinations.  Click the three words that you saw.
8. Click Begin.
9. When finished, select Main Screen and Eye Movement.
10. Change the speed from 200 words per minute (wpm) to 150 (or your previous reading speed).  Try different reading categories (subject areas) at the same speed.  If your comprehension rate remains at 75-80% for 2-3 different subject areas, Increase your speed by 10 wps.
11. Set the Fixations per line to 4 (or 3 or 2 to increase the level of difficulty).
12. Click New Passage until you find a topic of interest.

Continued use of Ultimate Speed Reader (USR):

1. Always begin with the Reading Warm-ups until you feel comfortable recognizing words quickly. Return to the Main Screen.
2. Select Eye Movement. If you want to increase the level of difficulty, reduce the number of fixations per line to 3 or 3.
3.  If you have had 75-80% comprehension rate in the same subject area (category) two or three times, choose a different category.
4. Choose the same reading speed you had last time.
5. Click Begin.  Follow along with the highlighted text and answer the comprehension questions. 

Assessing your Reading Speed with USR:

1. Option 1: Paced Reading
   • After students have improved their reading speed sufficiently and have done Eye Movement exercises at two fixations per line, try doing a paced reading. 
   • On the Main Screen, click Paced Reading.
   • Set the speed (wps) you used last.  This will give you the reading with no fixations per line, but the reading is paced at the wps you set.  The screen will move based on that speed.
   • Do the Comprehension Questions exercise. 
2. Option 2: Timed Reading
   • This option should be selected after students have improved their reading speed sufficiently and have done Eye Movement exercises at two fixations per line.
   • On the Main Screen, click Timed Reading.
   • Set the speed (wps) you used last. This will give you the reading with no fixations per line, but the computer will time your speed.  Try to move your eyes quickly as learned with the Eye Movement exercises (fixations).
   • Do the Comprehension Questions exercise.

Recording and Sharing your Speed Reading Exercises:

1. Start a Reading Speed Log on a sheet of paper.
2. Record your reading speed (wpm) and the comprehension score (%) on the sheet.
3. Enter your scores on a GoogleDoc spreadsheet and share them with your instructor (see instructions for creating a GoogleDoc Spreadsheet at http://academics.smcvt.edu/cbauer-ramazani/IEP/RDG/Instructions-for-Google-Docs-Spreadsheet.docx.