Reading online can be a real struggle, especially if English isn’t your first language. I’ve experienced this firsthand, and research shows that it takes up to 91% more time compared to native speakers. 1.
One of the main reasons behind this additional effort is that the words in a second language look more like pictures rather than familiar symbols. Our brains work harder to analyze the visual details of the words, which is a lot more demanding on our attention2.
So, how can we make reading online a little easier and less taxing on our brains? One possible approach is to break up long text into more manageable, bite-sized chunks- and then pay attention to each piece one by one.
Enter Deep Focus
Imagine two masks that automatically envelop the visible text, covering up the surrounding areas. This creates a focus zone that guides your attention to the content you’re reading. The focus zone resembles a path illuminated by light, giving it the name Lightpath Reader.
As you scroll down the page, this small app detects the main content and carries the focus zone along with you. It screens out any potential distractions like ads or sidebars, while still preserving context.
If you found this focused reading experience helpful while going through this post, just imagine how much more immersive your daily reading could be across the entire web. Click here to get Lightpath Reader and unlock a whole new way of reading online.
Thank you for your attention.
- The cost of being a non-native English speaker in science (2023), https://phys.org/news/2023-07-non-native-english-speaker-science.html, Public Library of Science ↩︎
- Language Brain Representation in Bilinguals With Different Age of Appropriation and Proficiency of the Second Language: A Meta-Analysis of Functional Imaging Studies. Cargnelutti, E., Tomasino, B., & Fabbro, F. (2019). Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00154 Used under CC BY ↩︎