The Literacy Company Blog

As CEO and founder of Rush Trucking, Andra Rush knows what it’s like to overcome obstacles and achieve success. That’s why she embraced the opportunity from The Literacy Company to provide The Reader’s Edge to her employees.  The Reader’s Edge teaches fluency (effective and efficient speed reading) using silent reading skills.  Using proven principles, The Reader’s
Edge:

• Accelerates reading tempo
• Increases comprehension
• Improves recall
• Enhances retention
• Produces reading excellence

By increasing comprehension, speed and effectiveness of their reading skills, Andra knew that the company would benefit from increased productivity, improved employee confidence – at all levels – and greater internal efficiency.  Because employees are increasingly burdened with reading material – handbooks, emails, articles, etc., the demand to stay current and informed exerts mounting pressure to perform.

Fifty employees from a major Detroit-based company – Rush Trucking – were initially registered users of The Reader’s Edge.  These individuals, all with average computer skills, were selected to take part in a three-week program. Of the 50 participants, 45 finished the three-week course.

Participants were asked to commit to spending a minimum of 15 minutes, every other day for three weeks, and agreed to take initial, interim and final reading speed and comprehension tests.

Initial reading speed and comprehension tests established the participants’ base-line reading speed (word-per-minute) and comprehension scores.  Students who understand how and why The Reader’s Edge program works do better in the program.  Therefore, the introductory lesson explains how and why the program works — and conveys to each participant a sense of confidence that they are able to dramatically improve their reading skills.

Upon completion of the course, participants were tested for their reading speed and comprehension.

All participants showed improvements in their reading speed (WPM), compared to their initial WPM scores.

Number of Participants & Post-Test Reading Speeds

• 25 – 300 WPM (50% increase)
• 15 – 360 WPM (100% increase)
• 5 – 600 WPM (300% increase)

(WPM= Words per Minute)

Being able to read faster is not reading better if readers have poor comprehension and poor recall.

With this in mind, the numerical scores are a multiplication of reading speed (WPM) times comprehension.  If WPM scores are high but comprehension is low, the score is low.

All participants in The Reader’s Edge program realized an increase in their reading comprehension.

• Initial comprehension averaged 60%
• Post comprehension averaged 80%

… Indicating that not only did they increase the rate at which they read, but they also increased their reading comprehension — and their enjoyment in reading.  With the skill to not only read but also comprehend more data in a shorter period of time, employees are capable of executing their roles more effectively and the company benefits from a keen, dedicated and informed workforce.

“The results have been so positive that I am expanding the program to all employees and will give those who complete The Reader’s Edge a free computer.” ~Andra Rush, CEO Rush Trucking

Does your organization have an interest in participating in a case study?  Contact us at marketing@readfaster.com and you could see your story posted here on our blog!