Presently, there is no standard speed reading rate. Only one percent of the population read more than 400 words per minute. We will call this top one percent speed readers. This gives us a starting rate for speed reading, which is 400 words per minute. The second reading group consists of those who read at below 400 words per minute. We will refer to them as fast readers. The overall average reading speed for this group is about 250 words per minute. The third group is made up of people who have dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Their rate range from 0 to 100 words per minute. The average reading speed for this group is about 50 words per minute.

Speed readers have special skills that allow them to use their visual cortex to a greater extent than the fast readers. When reading with the visual cortex, the eyes send the information directly to the brain where it is processed for subconscious reading. Subconscious reading is reading without the presence of a conscious voice. The person doing the reading, does not have to add voice to the words because the visual cortex decodes the text and sends the information directly to the part of the brain that will be voicing the words.

Some people acquire these skills naturally and learn speed reading on their own as they go through school. With special skills and abilities, they learn to read text nearly instantaneously when they see it. This allows some of them to read silently at speeds between 400 and 1,000 words per minute. Since voice does not come into play during the speed reading process, speed readers can read as fast as their brain can process the text into usable information. When speed readers read out loud, they will be repeating the silent voice of their visual cortex. The part of the brain called the auditory cortex gets the already processed information directly from the visual cortex. When their visual cortex and auditory cortex are functioning properly, people with natural speed reading abilities study ordinary text and teach themselves speed reading.

To read out loud, all speed readers have to do is look at the words to voice them orally. This means that they will be reading the words twice, once with the visual cortex and once with the auditory cortex. By reading the words twice, they are not likely to make mistakes when reading to an audience. When reading out loud, they will be reading at their normal speech rate.
Fast readers are considered to be normal readers. When people in this group take reading courses, they will learn to read, write, and speak without many problems. This group covers about sixty percent of the population. These people have the potential to double or triple their reading speed and become speed readers. As fast readers, they already have the ability to learn to use their visual cortex to decode, read, and verify the pronunciation of each word before placing it in context. Also, by following a special reading pattern, they can increase their reading speed to over 400 words per minute. However, when reading out loud, they will also be reading about 100 words per minute.

The other forty percent of the population includes people who have dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, autism, and other learning disabilities. However, most people with learning disabilities can also increase their reading speed. Some of them will be able to take this course and double their reading speed. However, even when they improve their reading rate, it probably will not increase to more than 100 words per minute. For people with dyslexia, reading at 100 words per minute is speed reading. In some rare cases, they break through the reading barrier and read normally. However, some people with dyslexia can accomplish more reading at 100 words per minute than others who read at 400 words per minute.

Dyslexic students have trouble with reading because of an apparent problem with their visual cortex.