Pioneers of Speed Reading

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The Literacy Company (1996 to current) — After ten plus years of research and development The Literacy Company's, The Reader's Edge® Speed Reading program (and its proprietary patent pending innovations) brings to the 21st Century a scientifically and pedagogically sound program that incorporates the best teachings of the Pioneers and Investigators of Speed Reading, from 1880 to the present.

Jan Davidson (circa 1980) — Developer of the first interactive software program, the Ultimate Speed Reader, to teach speed reading. This was one of several products which were the basis for the creation of The Learning Company which was sold to Mattel for $3.2 billion dollars.

Harvard University (circa 1940s) — Use of the Tachistoscope to teach rapid reading.

John O'Brian (circa 1921) — The first complete treatise on the benefits of teaching silent reading skills, i.e., seeing, reading and processing more than one word at a time with each eye fixation without vocalizing.

The Education Review (circa 1894) — Beginning exploration of the method of teaching enhanced reading skills by teaching how to read groups of words without vocalizing.

Emil Javel (circa 1878) — The first scientific analysis of how the eye sees and proof that the eye is capable of seeing, reading and processing or groups of words with each eye fixation.