Does Sound Affect How Fast a Person Can Read?

Reading speed varies from person to person, but reading experts know that practice is the only thing that affects reading speed positively. Reading while distracted significantly slows one's reading pace as well as comprehension.

Reading Difficulties

Reading, like all activities, becomes easier with practice. It also becomes more challenging as the material becomes more complicated. However, people often impede their own skills by distracting themselves while reading.

Common Distractions

Readers are often most distracted by sounds. These include background noise from people, television sets, or music.

Reading While Listening to Music

Though people often say they like to listen to music while they read, studies consistently show that music with lyrics actually distracts the brain from comprehending the information being taken in visually as text.

Why is this True?

Catherine Bishop, author of "Distracting Music or Distracting Lyrics?: A Study of the Effects of Background Music on Learning," argues that the brain simply cannot process verbal words and textual words at the same time.

Reading More Efficiently

To read more efficiently and more productively, settle yourself in a quiet environment with few distractions, choose a text at the appropriate level for you, and then focus on the text without reading aloud. Your own voice will probably distract you, too.

References

• Life Matters- 6/10/00: Background Music-Distraction or Study Aid?
• Reading Efficiently