| How can you improve your English or (other | | | | they are knowledgeable in the sense that they did |
| languages for that matter) when you read? Well,if | | | | not stop reading about the topic they are already |
| you have decided to spend more time reading to | | | | good at and build upon those knowledge to improve |
| improve your language proficiency, I would like to | | | | their language skills. The simpler the books you |
| suggest a few tips to help you get there: | | | | choose to read, the more books you will read. |
| Selective Reading: | | | | Pay Attention To Pattern |
| Choose topics that help you find out more about | | | | Pay attention to how the words are used in |
| what you already know. This way, you will only need | | | | sentences and what gives the words meaning in |
| to refer to the dictionary for the meaning of words | | | | other sentences. In sentence like "The girl is |
| rather than translating them first to your native | | | | interested in going to the movies with her parents." |
| language. When you are able to understand the | | | | Notice how certain words are used together like |
| meaning of the word without translation, your will to | | | | "with her parents", "The girl is", "interested in". Work |
| read is empowered. | | | | with patterns and groups of words, picking out the |
| Fluent Reading Means Reading At Your Level Of | | | | context and how the grammar is used. "The girl is" |
| Language Proficiency: | | | | versus "The girls are', singular versus plural. The |
| Choose books that are written according to your | | | | sentence is simple but the knowledge is plenty. |
| level of proficiency. If you are not into literature or | | | | Give The Dictionary A Break |
| novels, it is perfectly alright. Many successful people | | | | Try not to use the dictionary as it may interfere with |
| in today's society cannot even recite a verse from | | | | the joy of reading. If a book is well written, you can |
| Romeo and Juliet. If they did, they might only have | | | | find clues to the meaning of the unfamiliar words as |
| used the same verse over and over again just to | | | | the story unfolds. Once you have finished a page and |
| impress their audience that they are well read. If you | | | | you are still not able to understand the first few |
| are interested in astronomy or wildlife; choose books | | | | words in the first paragraph, then you have picked a |
| that can feed and augment your knowledge not | | | | book which is not suited to your level of reading |
| based on how bombastic the language is but how | | | | proficiency. Choose another book. Reading becomes |
| simply written they are to help you build your | | | | less enjoyable if you have to be challenged to |
| vocabulary faster and more effectively. Work or | | | | understand what every word means. |
| read within your level of reading experience. | | | | Read Continuously |
| Practical Knowledge | | | | Keep track of the story without having to stop and |
| If you wish to build vocabulary, surely the best way | | | | look up words in the dictionary will also help you |
| is to put into action the word itself. For instance, if I | | | | enjoy reading. I have learned to ask myself this |
| read the word 'bake', surely I can understand what it | | | | question when I come across a difficult word, "Do I |
| means by referring to the dictionary. But if I actually | | | | need to know its meaning?" If I have to stop for |
| go all out to start baking, I will understand more of | | | | just one word, I might end up not reading the entire |
| what the word does when it is put to practice. It | | | | book or finish that page. How important is that word |
| would involve cooking food in an oven. You may also | | | | with regard to helping me understand the rest of the |
| understand that how to bake all kinds of cakes and | | | | story I am about to read? |
| cookies. Taking one practical baking exercise to help | | | | 'Story' and 'Word'; I want to finish the story, I can |
| you understand what 'bake' means is far more | | | | look up the word later when I am done with the |
| valuable than learning a string of words from a | | | | story. |
| dictionary that explains what the word means. | | | | Let's compare this to watching a movie called 'Narnia'. |
| For the sake of argument or further elaboration on | | | | Unless you have heard about the story of Narnia, it is |
| how I see this tip really works, let's look at a child 3 | | | | very hard to understand from the title what the |
| years of age. He can understand perfectly the | | | | movie is all about or what Narnia means. Yet for |
| difference between 'sit' and 'walk' without being | | | | many of us, not understanding what the word means |
| shown how these words are spelt or written. When | | | | does not stop us from watching the movie from |
| they start running around playfully in a classroom, the | | | | start to finish. In the middle of the story, mystical |
| teacher tells them to sit down quietly. Perhaps it is | | | | characters come to live. You are brought to a |
| the tone of the teacher's voice or they might have | | | | different dimension in time and place. The subtitles |
| heard the word 'sit' so often at home when their | | | | give no meaning to the word Narnia but by the end |
| parents tell them to sit down for dinner. The thing is, | | | | of the movie, you finally understand Narnia is a |
| we do not know all these vocabulary by reading | | | | fantasy kingdom. Sometimes, it helps not to stop at |
| alone. These words come alive by us working with | | | | an unknown word to find out what the whole story |
| them. Before we have learned to read, we have | | | | is all about. |
| heard about them somewhere or use them | | | | Discuss The Words |
| somehow. | | | | There are many books written to suit an individual's |
| Read Simple Books Written In Plain English | | | | level of language proficiency. Books about gardening, |
| Why choose to read novels when you can't get past | | | | cooking, health, language and travel are available for |
| the first sentence? The famous martial arts Chinese | | | | new and advanced English learners. Speak or chat |
| actor turned Hollywood superstar Jackie Chan | | | | with people about these topics in plain English and use |
| certainly did not improve his English reading | | | | this exercise to build your vocabulary naturally |
| Shakespeare's novels or the American history. But | | | | through your discussions. |