Be aware of frequently used words. When you're trying to learn a foreign language, one of the first things you'll notice is that certain words appear commonly in the texts you read. This same truth applies when you are trying to learn how to speed read. If you gain a grasp of frequently used words, you save time when scanning a page for information.
Use some of your free time to watch popular movies with foreign subtitles. A very relaxing way to learn speed reading with foreign text is to watch your favorite DVDs with subtitles switched on at the bottom of the screen. Whether you understand everything is not important. What matters most is that you are simply getting used to the process of learning a foreign language.
Visit a foreign market. Pick one that sells products familiar to native speakers of the language you are trying to learn. Learning a foreign language is something that's easy to do when you're making use of the language in transactions. Since vendors are interested in selling products, they will help you learn a foreign language to make transactions go more smoothly.
Switch your radio station to foreign music. Listening to music in a foreign language can help you to learn a foreign language since it gives you important clues about the rhythm of the language. It's easier to learn speed reading if you know what sort of rhythms to expect in the literature you're trying to read.
Look for cognates. Cognates, or words with the same sound and appearance as words, carry the same meaning in English. Put your speed reading techniques to work when you encounter cognates by "turning down the volume" on these words. In essence, since you already know the meaning of these cognates, you don't need to give them too much thought. Turn up the volume on other words that are less familiar to you and turn down the volume on these.
Highlight trouble words. This will provide you with recorded evidence of your weak points. As a result, you will know exactly what you need to improve while you're busy learning a foreign language. Early on, you may highlight quite a lot, but if you build on your weaknesses, you will eventually highlight very little. Someday, you may even be able to read pages without once needing to pick up your highlighter!
Let your mind come alive. Whether you're trying to learn a foreign language or learn speed reading, you will need to make intelligent use of your imagination. You may not always thoroughly understand what you're reading when you're trying to apply speed reading techniques, so you'll need to give your mind permission to fill in the gaps. Of course, always try to get a firm idea of the general idea of the material you are reading, and hypothesize to make up for the information you are uncertain about.
Think it all over. Sometimes, your mind needs time to catch up when you're learning a foreign language. Certain concepts take a little while to sink in. The same is true when you are trying to learn how to speed read. Since you won't understand everything in an instant, the power of reflection is essential to you when you are trying to learn speed reading. Appreciate the digestion process that your mind needs to go through as you read things in a foreign language.