Evelyn Wood’s Reading Dynamics: A Radical Approach to Speed Reading
In 1959, educator Evelyn Wood introduced Reading Dynamics, a program that promised to revolutionize how people read. Her method focused on meta-guiding—training the eyes to glide smoothly across the text by following a finger or pointer along the bottom edge of each line. Instead of fixating on every letter, readers relied on peripheral vision to capture whole word groups, breaking the habit of subvocalizing (silently pronouncing each word).
The technique gained widespread attention in the 1960s, with students, professionals, and even U.S. presidents taking courses. Advocates claimed speeds of 1,000 words per minute or more, though scientific studies later suggested comprehension drops off at very high speeds. Still, the method left a lasting cultural mark and introduced millions to the idea that reading is a trainable skill, not just a natural ability.
One famous demonstration (YouTube: Evelyn Wood Speed Reader on “I’ve Got A Secret”) took place on the game show I’ve Got a Secret (1961), where a young student of Wood’s claimed to read 27 pages in a single minute, showcasing the dramatic pace encouraged by the program.
Summary of the Demonstration
Setup
A host introduces Louise, who is invited to demonstrate a speed-reading method. She’s given a book, The Last of the Southern Winds by David Luvis, which has not yet been published—so she could not have seen it before. The host emphasizes this to prove the test’s authenticity.
The Speed Reading Demonstration
- Louise is told to read for exactly one minute.
- She begins reading while moving her finger smoothly down each page, guiding her eyes across the text.
- After one minute, she has completed 27 pages.
The host explains the math:
- Each page averages about 475 words, so she read over 12,000 words in that one minute.
- By contrast, most people read 250–400 words per minute, or less than one page of the same book.
This technique, called Reading Dynamics, was developed over 15 years by Evelyn Wood, a former teacher concerned about her students’ slow reading. Evelyn Wood is present in the audience and stands to be acknowledged.
Comprehension Test
To check that Louise understood what she read, the book’s author, David Luvis, is brought on stage.
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Louise summarizes the first 27 pages:
- The novel is set in Key West.
- It introduces Carl Solon, who spends much of the first chapter reflecting.
- He goes to visit a friend but instead meets Jenny, a girl with silver bracelets and a suntan.
- The text describes the beauty of the water, palms, and winds, and mentions other friends like Ben.
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David Luvis confirms that her summary is accurate, even joking that it took him a month to write what she read in a minute.
Closing
The host marvels at the demonstration, thanks Evelyn Wood and Louise, and the audience applauds. The event emphasizes both the speed and comprehension possible with the Reading Dynamics method.
For more context, see the Wikipedia entry on Evelyn Wood and Reading Dynamics and watch the original 1961 television demonstration on YouTube.
