WHY IS READING SO IMPORTANT?

“The best way to improve your knowledge of a foreign language is to go and live among its speakers. The next best way [to learn a foreign language] is to read extensively in it”

(Nuttall, 1996)

extensively = very much

The Best Way to Improve Foreign Language Ability

Most foreign language learners don’t read enough. They often think that the best way to improve their foreign language ability is by either:

(a) spending hours trying to memorize new words, or

(b) attempting to learn increasingly difficult grammar rules

Both of these approaches are wrong.

One of the best ways to improve your language skills - and far, far more interesting - is to simply read a lot in the foreign language.

Studies have shown that students who read a lot improve their foreign language ability significantly more than students who don’t read very much.

“I Don’t Like Reading”

Many language learners have been put-off reading in a foreign language because of painful early experiences, for example, at school. Their earliest experiences of reading texts in a foreign language were often like this:

• the teacher gives the students texts to read that are difficult and uninteresting
• the students spend a long time trying to read and understand the text, stopping every few seconds to check new words in a dictionary
• the students get absolutely no pleasure from the activity and, indeed, often develop a deep suspicion and dislike of reading in a foreign language

Make It Easy!

A common misconception [= wrong idea] among many language learners – and, unfortunately, many language teachers – is this:

“If a text is too easy and doesn’t contain any new words, then you are not really learning anything”

The idea is absolutely not true.

In fact, the very first step to enjoying reading in a foreign language is to read texts that are not too difficult. If you read things that have too much language that you don’t understand, you will very quickly get tired of reading them. This problem has been called "the vicious circle of the weak reader". (Click on the link to see a diagram of this problem).

Make it Interesting!

The second step to enjoying reading in a foreign language is to choose things to read that you are interested in.

If you are interested in business, then you should read articles in the business section of newspapers such as The Taipei Times. If you are interested in “celebrity gossip” (news about the lives of famous people) then you should read articles in magazines like People Magazine.

The key point is this: read things that you are interested in. Don’t choose to read things that you are not interested in.

Unless, of course, you enjoy the challenge of reading difficult texts and are motivated enough to do it every day.

Make the Time!

The third step to reading more in a foreign language is to make time for reading.

This is probably the hardest part for most people – especially if reading feels like “studying” (i.e. reading things that are too difficult and uninteresting).

Making time for reading can require some self-discipline. You may have to “force” yourself to read a little every day, even if you don’t really feel like reading.

However, if you choose to read things that (a) you are interested in, and (b) aren’t too difficult, then making the time to read shouldn’t be too “painful”.

Indeed, once you develop a “reading habit”, you may find that you actually enjoy your reading time, and miss it when you are unable to do it for some reason.

How Much Time?

You should be aiming to read for 20 to 30 minutes per day – more if you enjoy it.

However, in my opinion, even if you spend just 10 or 15 minutes per day, briefly reading two or three short newspaper or magazine articles, this can still be a significant benefit to your foreign language ability.

In the beginning, it might even be better to set yourself a target of 10 to 15 minutes reading a day. That way you are less likely to feel discouraged if you don’t meet your targets.

The most important thing is to be realistic about how much time you can and want to spend reading a day. Don’t set your targets too high.

But of course – the more you read, the more your language ability will improve!

When to Read?

You should choose a time of day to read when you know you are probably less likely to be disturbed. For example, during your lunch break, on the bus to school or work, in the evening before you go to bed, etc. Choose a time that is good for you.

Even reading for 5 or 10 minutes here and there, at different times during the day, is fine, as long as you try to aim for a total of 20 to 30 minutes.

Just remember: the easier and more convenient you make it for yourself to read, the more likely it is that you will want to read.

When Can I Stop Reading?

The simple answer to this is... never.

Unless, of course, you are no longer interested in the language or don’t want to continue improving your knowledge of the language.

It is important not to think of reading and language learning as having some final point. There isn’t really a final point.

Indeed, even if you become advanced and fluent in a language, continuing to read a little every day is the very best way to maintain or keep adding new vocabulary, phrases, expressions, idioms, etc, that you are very likely to start forgetting if you stop reading.

So, in a nutshell, continuing to read a little every day in any of the languages you have learnt or are learning is something that you should try to make a habit for life.

Besides, if you follow the advice I have given above, then hopefully you will actually start to enjoy reading in a foreign language and won’t want to stop doing it.

Good for the Brain

Think about this, too. Studies have shown that reading is good for your brain.

If you keep reading throughout your life, you are more likely to have a healthier brain than people who don’t like to read.

Also, learning a language is good for your brain, too. See here and here.

Learning a language exercises the brain, keeping it strong and healthy in the same way that jogging or doing weights exercises your body, keeping it strong and healthy.

In my opinion, these are two more excellent reasons to maintain a reading habit in a foreign language for life.

"Reading is to the mind what exercising is to the body"

Sir Richard Steele

Make it Easy, Make it Interesting, Make the Time

So, in summary, if you want to start to enjoy reading and significantly improving your ability in a foreign language, remember these three things:

• Make it Easy – don’t read texts that are too difficult
• Make it Interesting – choose things to read that you really are interested in
• Make the Time – keep a convenient time in the day as your daily “reading time”

Follow these three simple steps and I’m sure you will start to enjoy reading in a foreign language in a way that you may not have done before.

Enjoy!

Simon

PS

If you are interested in knowing more about reading theory, take a look at the links in the sidebar about extensive reading and intensive reading.

PPS

Imagine that you are really, really interested in reading, but you don’t have the money to buy a book...

Take a look at this inspirational article, “It Began with Books”.

(Thanks to Greg for providing this link)