Reading involves many small skills that we naturally use in our native language. For example, we quickly read to get the main idea or look for specific details.
However, research shows that when reading in a foreign language, we tend to forget these skills and try to understand every word. This often leads to frustration when we encounter unfamiliar words.
Reading in a foreign language has a key advantage: it exposes you to natural language use. This type of reading, called extensive reading, is simply reading for enjoyment, like stories.
It contrasts with intensive reading, such as textbooks, where every word is studied for grammar and vocabulary. In short, extensive reading shows how language is used in real life, while intensive reading focuses on the rules and specific words.
Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind when reading the stories book to learn the most from them:
Having fun and feeling accomplished while reading is key.
Enjoying what you read makes you want to read more. The best way to achieve this is by finishing each story. Getting to the end is more important than understanding every single word.
the more you read, the more you learn
The more you read, the more you naturally understand how the language works. Think of it like exercise: reading longer texts for pleasure is like a workout for your language skills.
But just like a few sit-ups won't get you fit, reading a little won't significantly improve your Language. To truly benefit, you need to consistently read a large amount.
This builds up your vocabulary, grammar knowledge, and even cultural understanding over time. So dive into those books, articles, or blogs – the more you read, the stronger your language becomes.
Its okay to not understand
It's crucial to accept that you won’t understand every word or sentence in a story, and that's perfectly okay. This is perhaps the most important aspect to grasp! Not comprehending every detail doesn’t reflect poorly on your language skills or progress.
Instead, it signifies that you are actively learning. So, what steps should you take when you come across an unfamiliar word? Here’s a guide:
Familiarity Check: Look at the word and see if it seems familiar. Search for any similarities to words in your native language. Take an educated guess – you might be surprised by how often you’re correct!
Context Clues: Re-read the sentence with the unknown word multiple times. Use the context within the sentence and the broader story to infer the word’s meaning.
Word Forms: Consider if the word might be a variation of one you already know. For instance, you might recognize a verb in a different tense or form:
- sprechen – to speak
- haben gesprochen – (they) have spoken
- sprach – (he) spoke You might not know the specific form, but can you still grasp the general meaning? Often, recognizing the main verb is sufficient. Instead of feeling frustrated, note the verb’s usage and continue reading. Over time, recognizing different forms will become intuitive.
Take Notes: Write down the unknown word in a notebook and look up its meaning later. Review these words periodically to integrate them into your active vocabulary. If you must know the meaning immediately, consult the glossary at the back of the book or use a dictionary, but use this as a last resort.
These strategies aim to help you read the language independently. The more you practice these skills, the more proficient you’ll become.
Remember: Becoming comfortable with the ambiguity in reading a foreign language is the most powerful skill you can develop to become an independent and resilient language learner!