Reading is one of the most fundamental skills we learn in life. While most of us are accustomed to reading left-to-right (LTR), there’s a technique that could reduce your reading time - alternating between LTR and right-to-left (RTL) reading.
In this article, we’ll explore how switching between these two reading directions can potentially help you read faster, how long it might take to learn this technique, and the cognitive processes behind it.
What is LTR and RTL Reading?
LTR (Left-to-Right) reading is the most common reading style in many languages, including English, Spanish, and French. You read each line of text starting from the left and continue until you reach the end, then move on to the next line.
RTL (Right-to-Left) reading is used in languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian. In this case, you begin reading from the right side of the page and work your way leftward, moving to the next line once you’ve reached the end.
Now, imagine if you could combine the two methods in a single passage - reading alternate lines in LTR and RTL directions.
This approach isn’t just for fun; it could save you time by eliminating the need for return sweeps when your eyes move from one line to the next.
A few factors to consider:
Cognitive Load: Switching directions requires extra cognitive processing, especially if the reader has to focus on where to start and adjust mentally. This extra step could slightly slow down the process.
Eye Movement: In languages like Arabic or Hebrew (which read right to left), the eyes naturally move in that direction. But switching between LTR and RTL will likely introduce a momentary "recalibration" as the reader shifts their focus back and forth. This could cause a slight increase in the number of eye movements, even if the person is used to both directions.
How Does It Save Time?
When you read in the traditional LTR method, you finish a line and then move your eyes back to the beginning of the next line. This process is known as a return sweep, and it typically takes a small amount of time (around 0.3 seconds).
However, if you alternate between LTR and RTL, the end of each RTL line is aligned with the start of the next LTR line. This means you won’t need to make a return sweep at the end of each line, saving you precious milliseconds as your eyes don’t need to go back to the left side of the page.
Here is a sample story
(regular reading, I'll keep arrows everywhere so it's easier to keep track of the direction)
→ Elias woke up early one crisp morning, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, casting a soft
→ golden glow across the city. He could hear the faint hum of traffic, even at this early hour, as
→ people rushed to their destinations. The streets were wet from the overnight rain, and the air
→ smelled fresh and clean. He grabbed his jacket, pulled it tight around his shoulders, and stepped
→ outside. The cool breeze kissed his face, and he breathed in deeply, feeling the freshness of the
→ morning air. The city was slowly waking up, each street and building coming to life as the world
→ began its usual rhythm. Elias walked down the familiar path towards the corner café, where the
→ smell of freshly brewed coffee was already wafting into the street. The doorbell chimed as he
→ entered, and he nodded to the barista behind the counter, who smiled and greeted him by name.
→ It was one of those small moments that made the city feel like home. He ordered his usual black
→ coffee, took a seat by the window, and watched as the world outside continued to move in its
→ chaotic dance. People walked by, heads down, lost in their own thoughts. Some were rushing,
→ others strolling. A cyclist zoomed past, narrowly avoiding a puddle. The quiet hum of the café
→ provided a sense of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Elias took a sip of his coffee,
→ letting the warmth spread through him. There was something comforting about the routine of it
→ all, the predictability of the daily grind. It gave him a sense of purpose, something to anchor
→ himself to in the midst of the ever-moving city.
Same story with alternating LTR and RTL
(keep in mind every other line goes backwards, including words. I'd recommend landscape mode if you're on mobile device)
→ Elias woke up early one crisp morning, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, casting a soft
sa ,ruoh ylrae siht ta neve ,ciffart fo muh tniaf eht raeh dluoc eH .ytic eht ssorca wolg nedlog ←
→ people rushed to their destinations. The streets were wet from the overnight rain, and the air
deppets dna ,sredluohs sih dnuora thgit ti dellup ,tekcaj sih debbarg eH .naelc dna hserf dellems ←
→ outside. The cool breeze kissed his face, and he breathed in deeply, feeling the freshness of the
dlrow eht sa efil ot gnimoc gnidliub dna teerts hcae ,pu gnikaw ylwols saw ytic ehT .ria gninrom ←
→ began its usual rhythm. Elias walked down the familiar path towards the corner café, where the
eh sa demihc llebrood ehT .teerts eht otni gnitfaw ydaerla saw eeffoc dewerb ylhserf fo llems ←
→ entered, and he nodded to the barista behind the counter, who smiled and greeted him by name.
kcalb lausu sih deredro eH .emoh ekil leef ytic eht edam taht stnemom llams esoht fo eno saw tI ←
→ coffee, took a seat by the window, and watched as the world outside continued to move in its
,gnihsur erew emoS .sthguoht nwo rieht ni tsol ,nwod sdaeh ,yb deklaw elpoeP .ecnad citoahc ←
→ others strolling. A cyclist zoomed past, narrowly avoiding a puddle. The quiet hum of the café
,eeffoc sih fo pis a koot sailE .ytic eht fo eltsub dna eltsuh eht tsdima mlac fo esnes a dedivorp ←
→ letting the warmth spread through him. There was something comforting about the routine of it
rohcna ot gnihtemos ,esoprup fo esnes a mih evag tI .dnirg yliad eht fo ytilibatciderp eht ,lla ←
→ himself to in the midst of the ever-moving city.
One more experiment
(same as previous but keeping words accustomed and punctuation marks logically reversed being left hand side)
→ Elias woke up early one crisp morning, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, casting a soft
as ,hour early this at even ,traffic of hum faint the hear could He .city the across glow golden ←
→ people rushed to their destinations. The streets were wet from the overnight rain, and the air
stepped and ,shoulders his around tight it pulled ,jacket his grabbed He .clean and fresh smelled ←
→ outside. The cool breeze kissed his face, and he breathed in deeply, feeling the freshness of the
world the as life to coming building and street each ,up waking slowly was city The .air morning ←
→ began its usual rhythm. Elias walked down the familiar path towards the corner café, where the
he as chimed doorbell The .street the into wafting already was coffee brewed freshly of smell ←
→ entered, and he nodded to the barista behind the counter, who smiled and greeted him by name.
black usual his ordered He .home like feel city the made that moments small those of one was It ←
→ coffee, took a seat by the window, and watched as the world outside continued to move in its
,rushing were Some .thoughts own their in lost ,down heads ,by walked People .dance chaotic ←
→ others strolling. A cyclist zoomed past, narrowly avoiding a puddle. The quiet hum of the café
,coffee his of sip a took Elias .city the of bustle and hustle the amidst calm of sense a provided ←
→ letting the warmth spread through him. There was something comforting about the routine of it
anchor to something ,purpose of sense a him gave It .grind daily the of predictability the ,all ←
→ himself to in the midst of the ever-moving city.
I'll leave it up to you which variant would be theoretically easier to read considering learning curve is in the past.
Does This Work in Practice?
This could be useful if people were trained to read this way fluently. Some ancient scripts (like Boustrophedon writing in Greek) actually used this method!
How Much Time Could You Save?
Let’s look at the potential time saved:
- For a typical reading speed of 250 words per minute (WPM), each line takes about 2.88 seconds to read.
- The return sweep normally adds about 0.3 seconds of extra time for each line.
- By alternating LTR and RTL, you eliminate the return sweep for every line, potentially saving 8.7 seconds for a 300-word passage.
This might not sound like much, but over time, especially with longer texts, the time saved adds up. On average, you could save about 12% of your total reading time when reading in alternating LTR/RTL direction.
Moreover, in the last version where separate words are not reversed - it reduces Micro Eye Movements Within a Line.
Normally, when reading LTR, your eyes move in small jumps (called saccades) across the line. But in this modified version, where the line direction is reversed but individual words are not, the eyes may actually need fewer saccades. Since words are not reversed but still flow in a consistent LTR or RTL direction, there is no need to adjust for an entirely new scanning pattern every line.
This could lead to additional time savings, potentially reducing fixation duration per word.
If we assume this method reduces total eye movement time by an additional 5-8%, the total estimated time savings could be around 17-20% compared to normal reading.
While this technique might theoretically improve speed, the brain has to retrain itself to process mirrored words quickly. This learning curve could be steeper than for alternating LTR/RTL reading.
How Long Does It Take to Learn?
Learning to alternate between LTR and RTL isn’t as simple as it sounds. Since you’re training your brain to read in both directions, it takes time to become proficient.
Here’s a breakdown of how long it might take:
Week 1-2: Initial Familiarization
In the first two weeks, you’ll likely be getting accustomed to the process. During this stage, your focus will be on understanding the mechanics of switching directions without causing confusion. If you’ve never read in RTL before, this could be the most challenging part. But with consistent practice, the cognitive load will begin to decrease.
Week 3-4: Basic Practice
After a few weeks of practice, you’ll likely become more comfortable with reading alternating LTR/RTL lines. At this point, you’ll be able to read more fluently, but there may still be moments where you hesitate or feel unsure. The key here is regular practice - you should aim to read for 15-30 minutes daily, focusing on the alternating reading pattern.
Month 1-2: Fluency
With about one to two months of regular practice, you should start reading fluently in both directions. Your brain will no longer get confused when switching between LTR and RTL lines, and you’ll be able to read seamlessly. At this point, you’ll likely notice that reading feels more natural, and you may even begin to appreciate the time saved with this technique.
Should You Try It?
So, should you give it a go? If you’re looking to optimize your reading time and are willing to put in the practice, alternating between LTR and RTL could be an interesting challenge. While it may take 1-2 months to master, the potential time savings over the long term might be worth it, especially for longer texts.
Moreover, learning to read in multiple directions could improve your cognitive flexibility and mental agility, making you better at handling information from different sources.
Final Thoughts
The alternating LTR/RTL reading method is a fascinating approach that could help you save time and improve your reading efficiency. By eliminating return sweeps, you can reduce the time spent on each line of text, ultimately allowing you to read more quickly. While learning this technique takes time and practice, the long-term benefits could be significant.