Learning to read in a foreign language? Here are some tips to make practice readings less of a painful chore.
- Choose the right level of material. If you’re a beginner, even a high school level textbook will likely be too complicated for you. Try getting started with children’s books and comic strips, instead, then work your way up.
- Don’t translate while you read. Make a point of understanding what you read without having to mentally translate it to your own language. Doing so is counter-productive, as it doesn’t advance your relevant reading skills one bit.
- Read by segments. Don’t attempt to read an entire book in one sitting. That’s a daunting task for a relatively new language learner. Instead, do it in chunks, such as one page a day or one chapter a week. This helps keep things manageable, while spurring you to accomplish goals.
- Take notes. If you have a sudden realization about the language while reading, write it down. No one’s memory is good enough to remember every clever detail they come across throughout the day — a journal to refer to will come in very handy for later.
- Keep a dictionary nearby. Fire up your language dictionary software and keep it on hand while you read. That way, you can quickly check up on unfamiliar words when you come across them.