In short
Pace on its own is worth nothing: if the child cannot retell what they read, the exercise does not count. So the order is — measure two numbers (words per minute and a summary), remove regressions and silent pronouncing, widen the eye span, and only then push the speed. Seven short exercises, ten minutes a day, one measurement a week.
Three habits that steal the time
Nearly every child has them, and none corrects itself.
- 1RegressionsThe eye rereads the same sentence several times. The cheapest fix is a pointer.
- 2Silent pronouncingThe text is "spoken" in the head, so pace stalls at speaking speed.
- 3A narrow eye spanThe eye takes one word instead of a group — the sentence falls apart and has to be read again.
How to measure progress
One number means nothing — you need two.
Words per minute
Reading aloud, the same way every time. Compare the child with the same child a month ago.
Comprehension
The answer and the summary. If it dropped, the pace went up too early.
Once a week
More often is pointless: day-to-day variation is larger than the real gain.
Write it down
In a notebook or a note on the phone. Invisible progress gets abandoned within two weeks.
Seven exercises
The first and the last every time; two or three of the others per session.
- 1A baseline measurementOne minute reading aloud, count the words. Then one sentence: what it was about. Write both numbers down — without them progress is invisible.
- 2The pointerThe child runs a finger or pencil under the line slightly faster than they normally read. The eye follows the movement and stops going back. 3 minutes.
- 3A paragraph against the clockStart the timer and read a paragraph, aiming to beat last time slightly. Only once the pointer is working. 3 minutes.
- 4A column of wordsA narrow column of text, the gaze sliding down the middle without darting left and right. This trains taking in groups of words. 2 minutes.
- 5Reading with a questionSet one question before the text that has to be answered. A purpose changes how a child reads more than any technique.
- 6A three-sentence summaryWhat it was about, what mattered, what was surprising. This checks comprehension, not memory.
- 7Five minutes reading aloudNot for speed but for fluency. It helps wherever reading technique is not yet automatic.
What does not work: skimming diagonally and trying to "photograph the page". Speed without comprehension does not count.
What to do at each age
Before about eight, pace is not pushed at all — and that matters.
- 1Ages 6–8Fluency only: reading aloud daily, no timer. Pace follows by itself.
- 2Ages 8–10Pointer, column of words, a measurement once a week.
- 3Ages 11–15The full set plus reading with a question on textbook chapters.
- 4Ages 16–18Large volumes against the clock and the three-sentence summary.
Check attention and processing speed
Sometimes a child reads slowly not because of technique but because attention does not stay on the line. The free 15-minute test shows that separately from reading.
Take the free test15 minutes · no sign-up · instant result
Who wrote this
The same exercises our speed reading course starts with: remove regressions and silent pronouncing first, widen the span second, and always check comprehension.
Questions and answers
How many words per minute should a child read?
There is no single norm worth anchoring to: different sources give different figures. Measure your own child and compare with the same child a month ago.
Will this hurt comprehension?
It will if you chase pace alone. That is why every exercise ends with a question or a summary — without it we do not count the result.
Can we practise on a screen?
You can, though paper suits the pointer and the column better. Screens make it easier to drift off.
My child does not like reading — where do we start?
With very short texts they actually care about, and with the "reading with a question" exercise. Meaning first, speed second.
How long until results?
First changes usually show after two or three weeks of ten daily minutes. An hour once a week works worse.
Do we need special charts or apps?
Not really. A pointer, a timer and a book cover most of the work.
If the exercises stall at home
In class a child does the same work in a group with a coach watching, and pace with comprehension is measured every month. A manager will explain the terms for your country.