One of the exercises that could help with activation... superreading and dipping or skittering is the lazy 8.
When I read smartfish post "i went through as many passes as i could" gave me the impression of repeating photoreading... rather than superreading and dipping and most certainly missing is the mind probing questions. What questions were asked...
Seriously the most profound reason activation fails is...
1. lack of purpose - knowing why are you even bothering with the text... what do you want to know from it. How much time you have available. Hone in on the purpose and your questions will be meaningful.
2. Questions the quality of your questions depends upon your curiosity, interest and profoundly... your purpose.
NOthing really beats the tangerine technique. It's discrete, you can quietly flatten the hair on back of your head and it works. Funny if you ever watch someone who reads and comprehends well. They often touch the back part of the head. They may not have learnt the tangerine technique. It was Ron D Davis the author of Gift of Dyslexia who noticed that efficent readers have this point of awareness.
The pace exercises are excellent when you spent some time at any one activity not just reading. Also time at the computer, knitting or when you notice yourself falling out of the flow state. Problem is we forget to do them when we are on our own. One reason I don't go into them on the forum is the fact that people get self conscious enough about the tangerine technique. Imagine doing the PACE exercises in the office that isn't aware of the benefits?
Having taught them in a class it is interesting how people react to these exercises. I'd be surprised if 1 in 100 would actually consider doing them at home. For the seminars they are great. The change of state after leading the exercises is interesting to note as is the general discomfort at having their paradigm shifted out of the passive listening mode to the active participant mode. They suddenly shift out of their own thoughts into being part of a group again. Makes activation easier... yes. As does believing that activation is a cinch.
Alex
