In this article we are going to talk about a method used by autodidacts called RSVP which means Rapid Serial Visual Presentation. This method can help you in learning languages or anything else through dynamic reading or Speed Reading.
This is a very unknown method, believe me I went to search for the acronym and did not find any article in Portuguese? This method is very practical because it brings many benefits when learning and reading, something very essential for self-taught.
What is RSVP?
Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) can be translated as quick serial visual presentation, this is a scientific method for studying viewing time. In RSVP, a sequence of stimuli is shown to an observer at a location in their visual field.
The observer is instructed to report one of these stimuli – the target – that has a characteristic that differentiates it from the rest of the stream. For example, observers might see a stimulus sequence consisting of gray letters with the exception of one red letter.
They are instructed to report the red letter. People make mistakes in this task in the form of reports of stimuli that occurred before or after the target. The time position of the chart they report, relative to the target, is an estimate of the timing of the visual selection on that trial.
Maybe you didn't understand what I just said, but trying to simplify, in language learning for example, it consists of following several words being displayed at a certain speed, in order to practice reading.
The purpose of this method is to train your reading speed and ability in other languages, which is often slow among new students learning a new language.
The benefits of Speed Reading
What is the purpose of learning to read faster? Imagine reading a book in one day instead of spending weeks? This is really possible for those who have mastered the RSVP technique.
Of course, not everyone will be able to achieve such a feat, but imagine being able to read texts in another language without crashing? This technique is essential for students of new languages.
The technique can also help you memorize things easily. She also helps you stay focused on the goal by activating the power of attention and memorization.
The more you read, the smarter you become, your brain expands and you can accomplish more and make decisions with more wisdom and reasoning.
Dynamic reading can help you achieve different goals, obtain information about a particular country you are going to travel to or be approved for a job or public tender.
In short, learning speed reading can help you:
- Acquire new information quickly;
- Increase reading speed;
- Improve vocabulary in an agile way;
- Optimize the time dedicated to studies;
- Improve comprehension skills;
- Continuously expand knowledge;
- makes you smarter;
RSVP Method and Dynamic Reading Method
There are differences between speed reading and RSVP. While speed reading simply refers to reading a text quickly, RSVP refers to the process of acquiring that skill.
The RSVP method helps you to recognize patterns to increase your ability to read faster. RSVP displays visual stimuli at the same point on the screen to help you practice your reading.
This method is very important because when learning a new language you always end up reading the whole word, especially if it's another script like Japanese, Chinese or Arabic.
Usually when reading in Portuguese, without even realizing it, you can recognize a word even before reading all the letters in it, all thanks to recognition patterns.
Using the RSVP method will help you recognize these patterns in other languages faster and faster. You can also increase the speed according to your evolution.
In addition to RSVP, speed reading study involves other techniques such as Skimming which consists of reading only what is necessary in order to understand the entire text even if you don't read it completely.
There is also the method meta guiding which consists of reading with a pointer or pen in order to increase reading speed. Let's not stray too far from the focus of the article which is RSVP.
How to use the RSVP method
A normal person can follow in their own language about 150 words per minute. It may seem like a lot, but that's pretty slow for anyone who practices RSVP.
If you practice the RSVP method you may be able to read 600 words per minute or even more depending on your ability. You can start with 150 words and work your way up as it gets easier.
If you want to test the RSVP method, just take any text and place it on some of the websites below. You can also choose how fast the text is scrolled.
It is worth remembering that there are many other programs and browser extensions that allow you to transform texts into RSVP. I hope you enjoyed this method, good studies!