I don't think he's saying it won't work. Photoreading is a skill set. You must practice it to learn it. Rather than practice using your textbook, which you must learn in a finite period of time, practice on something easy.
Just like when you learn to ride a horse you don't play around at the stable, have someone talk about and demonstrate new and better ways to ride then jump on the horse and gallop away. Even if you can expect to learn horseback riding quickly and easily, you would still get on and walk a bit, then trot, then work faster and faster. Don't start with galloping right off and complain that you can't go right out and win the horse race.
Photoread the textbooks, then read and study conventionally. Don't worry about activating etc. Practice Photoreading, mindmapping and activation techniques using hobby and self-help books ("Home Brewing", "The Power of Positive Thinking", "Lower Your Golf Score in 10 Easy Steps"), you will begin reading and studing your textbooks faster and easier.