I know, I know, reading isn't as popular as it once was. In these times of TikTok and Instagram stories, our attention span is short, and focusing on an entire page of text is hard in your first language, let alone a second language. But I cannot emphasise enough the importance of reading when learning or improving a language. Let's look and why reading is such a powerful tool.
Enhancing Vocabulary
When I first moved to Mexico in 2011, I knew absolutely no Spanish. Well, I could scrape by with "What's your name?" "How are you?" "Do you have anything without meat?" (that one was important; I practised it a lot on the flight. As a vegetarian, I was nervous.) I thought that more people would speak English, but I was wrong, and I needed to learn fast.
So I read.
I'd brought a couple of books with me: one contained short articles about life and culture in Latin America, with a glossary for the new words on each page. This really helped build my vocabulary. The other was a bilingual book with short stories. I could read the Spanish on one side and the English on the other. But then I ran out of reading material, so I looked out for young adult books and magazines. I read whatever I could and covered the pages with notes and translations.
The great thing about reading articles, books and stories is that it exposes you to a wide range of words and phrases that are commonly used in everyday conversations. Immersing yourself in written language teaches you new words in context, allowing you to grasp their meaning and usage. As well as broadening your vocabulary, you will naturally start expressing yourself more precisely and eloquently in the target language.
Improving Language Fluency
The more we expose ourselves to a language, the more fluent we become. To begin with, it may feel like a bit of a slog, but stick with it because your reading speed and comprehension will increase rapidly. You will develop natural fluency, internalise sentence structures, and become more attuned to grammar rules and patterns. Reading exposes you to a wide range of writing styles, genres, and voices, enabling you to develop a deeper understanding of the language's nuances and idiosyncrasies.
For me, memorising lists of vocabulary and verb conjugations is about as boring as it gets. Yes, I did need to do this when learning Spanish and Italian, but I found that reading (and, of course, speaking and listening) activated what I studied. I was no longer translating but understanding the language through repeated structures within context. This natural acquisition of the language also weans you off translation and forces you to think in the target language.
Strengthening Grammar and Sentence Structure
Very few people enjoy learning grammar. I am one of those strange people. However, I need to activate the grammar that I study because, unfortunately, I don't have a photographic memory, and information falls out of my brain quickly. Reading is a great way to hold onto this information and make sense of difficult new grammar.
Reading helps to internalise correct grammar usage, punctuation, and sentence structure. Exposure to various forms of writing helps you to identify different tenses, verb forms, and grammatical constructions, making you more confident and proficient in your own writing and speaking.
Enhancing Cultural Awareness
One of my early reading resources in Mexico was an edition of a travel magazine about the state of Oaxaca. I'd never heard of this region before, but I became fascinated by its rich culture and history. I could visualise the people, the customs and the colours. It was calling me, and I ended up living there for five months, travelling all over the state and enjoying seeing the pages of the magazine come to life.
But it's not just travel writing that teaches us about culture. All writing exposes the traditions, customs, history, and values of a community. Fiction is a window into unknown worlds and reflects the experiences and emotions of characters from diverse backgrounds. This exposure fosters empathy, broadens horizons, and promotes intercultural understanding, thus enabling us to communicate with a deeper level of sensitivity and respect. The first fictional book I read in Spanish was by a Mexican author who told a story of romance and family in Mexico City. Reading this book not only taught me so much about everyday, conversational Spanish but also revealed a social context that I knew little about.
Building Confidence
The more familiar you are with a language, the more confidence you will have to use it. During a period of addiction to the Spanish series Velvet (this is an embarrassing confession; don't judge me), I almost forgot that Spanish wasn't my first language because I was so immersed in it. I even found myself emulating the voice and mannerisms of my favourite character, Clara. I certainly encourage watching movies and series in English, but it's so important to also read. You need to see, not just hear, the sentence structures, idioms and expressions to engrave them in your memory and stop you from using embedded errors, which are usually the product of direct translation.
What to Read
Basically, whatever you want! A wide range of genres and styles is ideal because you will learn a lot. However, if you are new to reading in English, I recommend sticking to the kind of things you would read in your first language so you don't lose interest.
If you enjoy fiction, try young adult books. They are easy to get into, and you won't get bogged down by complicated language and narratives. I love YA books. Here is a link to some good ones.
If you prefer to keep up with the news, check out these websites: News in Levels and Breaking News English
And here's something interesting: The Internet Movie Script Database is a website that allows you to read film scripts. This is great for natural dialogue.
It doesn't matter what you read; just make sure you read! In no time, you will expand your vocabulary, understand and be able to correctly use phrasal verbs, expressions and idioms. Grammar will stop being something abstract and become normal which you can use in conversation and writing. Reading is a gateway to fluency, and the resources at your disposal are endless.
Glossary
Attention span | The amount of time spent concentrating on a task before becoming distracted |
Let alone | To say nothing of. Used especially to emphasize the improbability of a contrasting example |
Scrape by | To manage with just enough of something (usually money) |
Run out | When there is no more of something like time or money |
As well as | An adverb which means 'also', 'too' or 'in addition |
Grasp | To understand something |
Slog | Something difficult or boring which requires hard work. Also used as a verb |
Stick with it | Don't give up on something or stop doing something |
Increase | Get greater in size, amount or degree |
Wean off | To make somebody gradually stop doing or using something |
Make sense of | To find meaning or coherence in something / to understand |
End up | to come to a place, condition, or situation that was not planned or expected |
Foster | To encourage the development of something |
Mannerisms | A habitual gesture or way of speaking or behaving |
Embedded errors | A mistake that has become permanent. You don't perceive it as an error |
Stick to | To continue doing or using (something), especially when it is difficult to do so |
To get/be bogged down by something | to be/become so involved in something difficult or complicated that you cannot do anything else |
Keep up with | To learn about or be aware of the news, current events, etc |
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