We live in a society that goes at full speed, where there is no time to stop to think about what the next step will be, but it goes as it goes and whoever stops ends up losing.
In view of this reality, it is important to establish the tasks according to the order of priority in which each one is found. If there is the possibility of minimizing the time spent on any activity, it should be done in order to be able to do other things, such as rest and share time with the family.
While it is true that technology has greatly contributed to achieving this goal, it has also become a double-edged sword, being a great distraction for many people. For this reason, it requires an additional effort to be able to fulfill all the pending tasks that we have during the day.
For example, those who study or who are in charge of businesses and companies, have to be constantly reading, whether they are books, manuals, documents, formats, etc. Of course, as expected, not all the information in a document is useful, which means that valuable time is wasted reading it.
But what can be done in this case? Is it possible to overlook certain details? If so, how can you achieve it? Very easy! Through the vertical reading technique, have you heard of this term? It is not a useless invention, rather it is a valuable tool that will help you save a lot of time.
What is vertical reading? How can you do it? Is it useful for any type of information and format in which it is presented? During this article we will be giving answers to these questions. When you finish reading it, you will have the ability to do vertical readings to get the most out of it.
Instructions for vertical reading
Reading is the mental process used to decode different types of symbols in order to recognize their meaning. The eyes are also involved in this process, they are in charge of receiving the written symbols and it is our brain that converts the symbols into words, sentences and paragraphs that transmit a message.
At the time of reading, a large number of processes are launched. Some of them are:
- Word recognition.
- Syntactic analysis.
- The organization and union of words through prepositions.
- The interpretation and inference of the same.
- The maintenance of attention.
- The processing of the newly acquired knowledge.
We can say that in reading it is made up of four cycles that do not occur in isolation. Rather, they are related to each other. The first of these is the optical cycle. In it, the eyes are controlled by the brain, which, in turn, is in charge of taking the most useful information from the text and discarding what it considers unnecessary.
There is also the perceptual cycle where the senses are used to read. That is, it is carried out through the sensations that the text transmits to the reader. The grammatical cycle is the one that is in charge of observing all the details of the construction of the text, that is, the ideas, the linguistic resources, the non-linguistic ones, etc.
Finally, there is the semantic cycle, where the text acquires meaning and value. It is here where you can interact with the text and observe how all its parts interrelate.
Reading is a very frequent activity in society that occurs from an early age and can be carried out silently or vocally and is done for different reasons. For example, to learn, to encourage imagination, to improve writing, to get accurate information, to recreate ourselves, among many other reasons.
However, sometimes, due to lack of time and the amount of pending tasks, we can deprive ourselves of reading. But, the truth is that there are different types of techniques that allow speeding up the pace of reading and being able to capture and understand information quickly, such is the case of vertical or selective reading.
Vertical reading is nothing more than a quick reading that consists of passing the eyes quickly over the text, pausing briefly on strategic points that are of importance or interest to the reader.
Since it is a new way of reading, it requires certain skills to be able to carry it out successfully. In fact, it is considered to be a type of reading for experts. For that reason, it is not something we can achieve overnight. But where can you start? Let’s see some suggestions:
- The first thing you should do is find a quiet space, away from distractions, with good lighting and where you can be as comfortable as possible. These factors will help you concentrate better and understand the reading.
- Then, select a random text, whose content you don’t know. Make sure it is not too long, since it is an initial exercise and the idea is not that you get discouraged when you see so many words together.
- Look at all its elements, such as the title of the text, as well as the subtitles it has and the words that are in italics or bold, this will help you to have a general idea of the content of the reading.
- Use your index finger or some other guide, such as a ruler, a pencil, etc., to draw, in the middle of the text, an imaginary vertical line, which your eyes should follow, and as you do so, try to recognize the words that They are both on your right and on your left. This stroke can also be in the shape of an “S” but it will always be located in the central part of the text.
- Match each word with the next, trying to understand the storyline of the reading, to rescue the most important ideas and discard the less relevant ones. The idea is that you find the key words of the text and that you have information that is useful to you.
- Repeat this exercise as many times as possible, but without reaching the point of mental exhaustion or fatigue. The more you practice, the faster you will master the technique of vertical or selective reading. Remember that it is a job of perseverance.
Now, since you already know how to do it, what else do you need to know to read vertically successfully?
What do you need to do vertical reading?
- To achieve a vertical reading, you need to concentrate. Hence the importance of locating a quiet place. Preferably, this should have good natural lighting. But, if this is not the case, you can use lamps, special reading lanterns or other white light elements to avoid fatigue and exhaustion in the eyes and to concentrate better.
- Use a guide. In reality, this may or may not be imaginary. If you have a hard time following an imaginary line in the text with your eyes, you can draw it with a pencil, so that you know exactly where you are in the text and you don’t have to subvocalize or reread, things that slow down reading and make it heavier.
- Use graphic organizers, which will allow you to know the most important concepts in a scheme to have a better reading comprehension.
- Use the anticipation guides. Ask yourself a series of statements that you must answer throughout the reading. This will help you make sense of it and establish a correct interaction. Their objective is to actively involve you in the learning process and you can use them in a written or oral way, depending on your reading abilities.
- Change your attitude towards reading. If you are not one of those who like to read, try to approach the text with an open mind, thinking about the little time you will invest and the benefit you can get. If you focus on the benefits, it will be much easier for you to feel motivated and have better results.
Some consider that vertical reading is nothing more than a kind of pre-reading, that is, a way of approaching the text in advance. However, it is also a very useful strategy for those who want to speed up their reading pace and finish a text in record time without sacrificing their comprehension.
Now, what other aspects should you take into account when doing a vertical reading? Are there any other recommendations that you should keep in mind? Let’s see it right now.
Tips for doing vertical reading
Mastering the art of vertical reading takes time, work, and patience. Therefore, when trying, do not do it in a hurry. In your first approach to this form of reading, do it in slow motion, as if you were tasting an exquisite dish.
Instead of reading in the traditional way, that is, from right to left, do it by fixing your gaze on the upper middle part of the page, in the heart of the text, and then look down the lines from above until you finish.
It analyzes all the elements that make up the text, the title, the subtitles, the words in bold, italics, the underlined, the images, the maps, etc., in order to extract from them the greatest amount of information possible and have a more complete idea of the topic you are going to address.
Doing this, in a nutshell, will prepare your mind to be able to better grasp and understand the subsequent reading. In this way, you will require a smaller amount of time for this activity.
Benefits of vertical reading
In the professional field, vertical reading makes it possible:
- Better manage time during work meetings, since it allows you to focus and synthesize ideas.
- Increases the capacity for expression, which makes interpersonal communication possible.
- It helps reduce work stress by promoting a pleasant environment, where you can work harmoniously with those who make up the action team.
- Reduces the feeling of routine and monotony at work.
- Improve understanding in the workplace.
- Increases motivation in the work staff. This motivation favors the acceptance of greater responsibilities and new challenges, increases the desire to demonstrate professional abilities, etc.
Regarding the personal sphere, these are some of its benefits:
- It speeds up the ability to express yourself.
- It helps to elaborate key concepts and correctly summarize the ideas of the texts.
- Increases security and personal confidence.
- It transforms the person into someone much more dynamic and productive.
- Promotes mental relaxation, which contributes to a pleasant feeling of emotional well-being.
- It contributes to the intellectual and sensitive growth of the reader.
- Increases psychological and emotional strength.
- It favors relaxation and good humor.
- Enhances assertiveness.
- It helps to master both oral and written language.
- It makes your ability to adapt to different situations of change easier.
- Stimulates emotional intelligence, among many other benefits.
All this, without taking into account the fact that, on a personal level, it helps you to better manage your work and your time. While, for the company, it is synonymous with better performance by employees.
The more skills and abilities you have, the more useful you will be to the company, so you will always be on the lookout to delegate new job responsibilities to yourself that will allow you to advance professionally.
Without a doubt, it is worth all the effort you can make to start implementing this type of reading, since you will obtain professional recognition from your superiors, you will obtain personal satisfaction and your self-esteem will increase. So, what are you waiting for to try it?