Overall, this is a well-documented way of improving your language skills, whatever language that may be (including your native language). This is proven time and again by various researchers and people’s experience with reading, but the question is, this activity can be challenging, with many people not reading whole books even in their mother tongue, how should we approach this in a foreign language?
The fact is, however, that a lot of studies are based on research around reading in English and around mono-linguals. It turns out most of the teaching how to read should be the same except that reading in your target language can be difficult without the ability to sound out the words.
However, this general in general, can provide many benefits, even if you were to just read in your native language. Here are some general benefits of reading widely:
General benefits of reading widely:
- Reduces stress and helps you relax:
A good book will often put your thoughts within the story of the book for the alloted time, this will often decrease stress levels and cause you to relax.
- It enhances your knowledge:
Books (fiction and non-fiction included) will and can shape your base of knowledge; of various things from different situations in the past such as World War 2 (if the book theme is this) or various topics (if non-fiction) or fiction: access to a wide range of words and concepts only available in this genre.
- It can improve focus and the ability to concentrate
In the current digital era, it can be easy to switch from one thing to another, from Instagram to Facebook etc, and so people can lack focus. With reading, you have to focus on the words on the page, to process the information so that you can follow the book.
This can help to increase your focus and concentration.
- Reading is a low-cost or free form of entertainment
Books are cheap for a few pounds per novel and even cheaper if you go to a charity shop. Books can even be free if you borrow them from a local library. This makes it worthwhile to read and to continue to read widely.
Benefits of reading in your target language:
- Increases vocabulary range and strengthens writing ability:
It is found that because books contain so many words, you may see the same word over and over again, and in different contexts. This will help you remember the word better and increase your vocabulary range, enabling you to become a better communicator in both speech and writing.
- Can improve your usage of grammar
Your usage of grammar and also, the ability to instinctively know what word to use in what situation etc can be heavily influenced by being immersed in the language through listening and reading.
Extensive reading can be a compelling way of reinforcing different grammar concepts learnt during class. It can also be a great way to learn and use grammar patterns to the point where you don’t need to think before writing or speaking in your target language – it just comes out correctly.
- Reading can indirectly and directly impact the other core language skills
Did you know that reading in your target language and getting better at it can impact your listening, speaking and writing? Getting familiar with reading in another language can positively impact your other skills and give you an edge when using the other skills in the language.
Some general guidelines about reading:
Generally, doing this particular activity in a foreign language can be hard, especially if you’re still at a lower level in a language. In this case, I think that there can be several book types I would recommend for each level:
A1: Textbooks teaching you the language
A2-B1: Graded readers / bilingual books
B2+: At this level, most texts will become accessible.
Generally, there are three things to consider before choosing a text to read: whether it is rich, comprehensible and compelling:
Rich – has a small proportion of unknown words (10-30% for example) so you will be learning a new language by reading this text.
Comprehensible – most of the text is known to you (60-90% for example) so that you can understand the unknown words from context.
Compelling – texts that are interesting to me and that I find fun.
Intensive vs extensive reading:
When you read in your target language it is important to apply both of these principles to the text you are reading.
When you read extensively you are reading widely not looking up words, and unknown words start to be known to you as you understand them from context.
Intensive reading is the opposite where you read the text looking up every word you don’t know, studying grammar etc.
A combination of both (with most of your time spent in extensive reading), I believe will bring the best results.
Conclusion:
Overall, I believe that reading is an essential skill in language learning and there are many ways and means of going about it. The most important thing is to enjoy reading the text and to find ways of incorporating a reading habit into your everyday life.
To find out the best ways to improve your speaking ability in a foreign language, click here.
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