But it can be, if done right<\/a>. Use these five powerful strategies to learn a language while reading books.<\/p>\n [fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019re gonna be reading, then you better be doing it right. You’d save a lot of time and effort doing so. People who swear that reading never works often aren’t doing it right.<\/p>\n Start with books that have shorter content, basic vocabulary and use simple sentence structures<\/a>.<\/p>\n A category that meets all these requirements is children\u2019s books. The thing that turns people off with this type of literature is only that it insults their sensibilities. I\u2019m a fully grown man and you want me to read what?? <\/i><\/p>\n They forget that, for all intents and purposes, they’re really just like kids\u00a0in the language that they’re trying to learn!<\/p>\n Starting off with the easiest reading material is very crucial to your progress. All the other books assume you have the basics down. Don\u2019t think that by reading the intermediate material, you can learn the basics along the way. It doesn’t work that way. You’ll only be hurting yourself when you become overly ambitious with your learning material.<\/p>\n Drop your prejudice against children\u2019s books and start reading early, not when you\u2019re already months into your studies.<\/p>\n In addition to reading the easy books first, try reading books that are written in a bilingual format, where the translations are written immediately below the sentence you’re reading. This one-to-one sentence correspondence will save you from reaching for the nearest dictionary to locate the meaning of a word every time. As a result, you’ll have a smoother reading experience.<\/p>\n You’ll also be able to notice how the grammar rules of your target language compare with your own thanks to this layout. You’ll be able to take advantage of the similarities and be aware of the differences. You might, for example, notice that the language you\u2019re studying predominantly mentions the subject ahead of the verb (for example: The dog is sleeping<\/i>) \u2014 just like in English.<\/p>\n This is about quantity.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry too much if you\u2019re not fully absorbing the actual meaning of the material you’re reading. Just read on. Don\u2019t be tempted to grab the dictionary on the first unfamiliar word you meet. Just barrel through the text and read on anyway. We know it sound counter-intuitive, but it works, I swear.<\/p>\n The purpose of this kind of reading is to expose you to as much material as possible. Don\u2019t worry about comprehension. We’re practicing your contextualizing abilities here. Simply guess what you’re reading about. You don\u2019t have to get it right all the time, just make a guess and trust that you’ll be close enough.<\/p>\n Now I know that there are some people who’ll have a hard time with this\u2014the kind of person that doesn’t want to move ahead without first understanding every word, every phrase and every sentence on the page. Otherwise, they’ll get a nagging feeling that something’s wrong.<\/p>\n I strongly urge you to let go of the burden and just barrel through the text. Don\u2019t worry, nobody\u2019s watching.<\/p>\n This is the direct opposite of the previous method. You’ll need to designate reading time for both of these strategies because each one has its own merits.<\/p>\n Reading intensively is about quality.<\/p>\n Actively be involved in what you’re reading. Try to absorb all the lessons presented on one page before moving on to the next.<\/p>\n Have a dictionary<\/a> close by. Write copious amounts of notes on the margins of the page. Write your mnemonics<\/a>, insights and examples. Underline, highlight and encircle words. Dog ear the pages. Make flashcards of new words.<\/p>\n To make these activities more convenient and readily accessible, you can opt for reading material with built-in translation and dictionary tools. E-books also come with many useful features for language learners.<\/p>\n Your goal isn’t to finish the book or to get the story. Your goal is to learn the language along the way. Don\u2019t busy yourself with the character or the plot. They’re but a means to an end.<\/p>\n Find foreign-language books<\/a> and articles on topics that interest you. Are you into cooking<\/a>? Read recipes<\/a> and cookbooks in your target language. Do you love entertainment and celebrity stories? There are many publications<\/a> that cater to that love.<\/p>\n This’ll ensure that you won\u2019t get bored with what you\u2019re setting your eyes on. Because truth be told, reading in a foreign language is no walk in the park at first. You’re facing a page filled with strange writing, punctuation and grammar rules. So reading a subject that naturally engages you will help ease the labor pains.<\/p>\n In addition, the specific vocabulary you develop by reading a specific field will be your stable jumping off point into the language as a whole. A field of interest, like cooking, will have terms and jargon that are often repeated and most commonly associated with it.\u00a0<\/p>\n To find more material that match with your interests, you can also pair your reading of books with a language learning program such as FluentU<\/a>. Here you would also be able to consume the content in a visual and fun way. FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n5 Key Strategies to Learn a Language by Reading Books<\/h2>\n
1. Start with children’s books<\/h3>\n
2. Try parallel texts<\/h3>\n
3. Read extensively<\/h3>\n
4. Read intensively<\/h3>\n
5. Find books about your interests<\/h3>\n
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