Tips for Reading

[Pirate]

Hello everyone,

This is one part of the series "Tips for learning English". The series is today created in the sake of collecting and assembling tips which come from English learners. Post your own tips which really work Other members can learn from them, and if necessary we could discuss

You are in the READING section 8) .

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body."
Sir Richard Steele

English Reading lessons: https://www.englishclub.com/reading/

[Andrew77]

I think reading is one of the most interesting occupations in our life. A book gives you opportunity to sink into the wonderful world. It also can make you more cute in understanding human communication but mainly yourself.
Reading English books helps you greatly with your language skills.
Good luck.

[Talal]

Thank you pirate .

[Pirate]

No-one else have interest in discussing the topic?

Let's write something ... what should we read and why (newspaper, magazine, comics, book or poem ... etc) ? The advantages and disavantages? Should we read to catch the content only or should we write down all new words or something else? ...

If 2 friends read the same stuff in a certain period of time and then check the other by ask and answer quetions, what do you think? It is also possible for 2 penpals, right?

[Guest]

No-one else have interest in discussing the topic?

Let's write something ... what should we read and why (newspaper, magazine, comics, book or poem ... etc) ? The advantages and disavantages? Should we read to catch the content only or should we write down all new words or something else? ...

I remember once my English teacher said (he was a pervert to me, by the way), "If you want your English to be improved, reading is one of the many ways to get you there. Read anything in English. Anything that is interesting to you--comics, magazines, children or adult books, anything. Or even erotica stories if you think they could help you."
I and my classmates were laughing so hard, but I still thought he was a big pervert of all, with all of my respect. Yeah, it's quite confusing to understand but it's just like that because he was a good teacher although the way he talked was inappropriate for a classroom's environment.
Moreover, he told us to read the whole context first and circle or highlight any words that we did not understand, so we could check them in the dictionary later. He explained the purpose of that way is to help one gets interested in reading and not being afrad or lazy when it comes to the new words. Also, the more one reads a certain piece of writing, the more he/she understands how the author felts when he/she was writing that piece. Also, that person could review the new vocabulary words over and over, now with new understanding.
In addition, he also told us not to read something that we have no interest in or something that is extreme, which means something that is too hard for us to understand. You might think it doesn't make any sense because if you don't read something higher than your level, how would your reading skill get improved? Well, the key is reaching a higher level slowly. Don't do it too fast or you'll fall flat on the bottom. That's all I could share.

[GiddyGad]

Whatever the level of reading (I pay little attention to this differentiation) I advise to read the whole sentence if my students don't understand some word(s), the paragraph - if they don't understand a sentence, etc. If after having read a couple pages they still don't understand a single word of the read they should try to just re-read them in the same way. Only if this doesn't help they may look the key words up. Oftentimes meanings of words are explained by the context. One can see it only after having read some part of a text twice or even thrice.
And it's better to read big pieces: no author uses all the words and expressions of the language - there are words and expressions people favor, and some they avoid. In a big piece favorite words and expressions are repeated more than once in different contexts (you tell the author by his/her language, don't you?). This helps to learn to understand words without looking them up and to learn to enjoy reading.
The difficulty is to make students get on moving ahead... but it's usual - that's what a teacher is for.

[Pirate]

And it's better to read big pieces: no author uses all the words and expressions of the language - there are words and expressions people favor, and some they avoid. In a big piece favorite words and expressions are repeated more than once in different contexts (you tell the author by his/her language, don't you?). This helps to learn to understand words without looking them up and to learn to enjoy reading.

Yes, this is why we can remember words from books, and of course they are not easy to forget then

[reddylee]

I do know I have to read more and more in order to improve English level, but I usualy give up when I have read the beginning of a book. Because it is too hard to me, so I lost my faith to finish it.

[Pirate]

Why don't you try easier reading pieces? Rome was not built in one day, wasn't it?

[Chet Baker]

"If you want your English to be improved, reading is one of the many ways to get you there.

I agree with your opinion, my friend. Reading is most important if you want to improve your english.

[chamodude]

Reading is very very important.There are people who are not well used with having a reading--even in thier own mother language!--and obviously it may be a kind of nightmare for them.I guess,looking for a light theme,say showbiz magazines,could be the first approach toward William Shakespear. :)
you could well start with just one page,one day,then probabaly one page the next day,probably two pages the next day and son on.The idea is not to lose the interest in reading.

Carlos

[northernwolf]

I do know I have to read more and more in order to improve English level, but I usualy give up when I have read the beginning of a book. Because it is too hard to me, so I lost my faith to finish it.

I think this question that many english learner ususally talk with it each other,of cause,me too,hehe!!so we must study hard !!!

[EDUCATIONAL]

THIS IS A VERY INTERISTING TOPIC BECAUSE I USUALLY TEND TO GET LOST IN THE READINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS BECAUSE SOMETIMES I DON'T UNDERSTAN ALL THE VOCABULARY OR BECAUSE MY READING COMPREHENSION IS NOT JUST GOOD. IF SOMEONE HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM PLESE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE.

[Virgil]

Hi!

I think your comprehension difficulties are due to your low vocabulary skills. If you're a beginner I suggest you to try to understand lyrics because they are shorter and you won't be tired of looking up a great deal of words and eventually give up reading, not to mention that by singing the related lyrics you will memorize the new words much faster. Also read short articles from magazines, newspaper and so on. Read it first in loud voice (I mean, loud enough for you to listen to your own voice), thereafter you look up the words you don't know. Then after sometime change gradually to longer articles, lyrics and this way you will have more vocabulary and thus, more understanding. If you're not a beginner and already make use of this suggestions the only further suggestion I give you is: read, read and read. Having more knowledge does not take space.

I do hope my suggestions can help you.
P.S. If you love English like I do please send me a private message so that we can chat.

Take care.

[tikay]

Virgil has some great advise there with the learning of songs and the rest too. I would learn songs of another language~ now, myself... to begin a language. What a great idea! I am going to try this. :D

[zaman]

i need from anyone here to give me a story or send me a book to read from it .
and thanks for all

[maksoora]

Some time I could sleep I directly read any book so I sleep ekekek. I don’t know when I start read any books or magazine I felt sleep I close the book then I go to sleep. 8)

[marvine]

I agree with Andrew77's oppions!
right,you can find lots of people's minds, espically these great people.and in their book, you can finf yourself,what kind of life you want be!
one word, people needs reading!

[emilykorea]

the key here is to read, read, and read...as they say..practice makes perfect...

[Rossana]

I totally agree with you,emily.
I hope it's okay if I will just call you by that name.

"Practice makes perfect" is true , though I've been hearing it since birth.

[englishhelps]

If you're reading, read it aloud. This way, you get to practice how to pronounce words as well.

Also, read slow at first. You don't have to hurry since you're just practicing.

[englishhelps]

An additional tip is to read as if you're a part of the book. So when you're reading the dialogue by the characters, put some feeling into it. This way, you'll get some practice as if you're the one conversing. This will help you practice intonation and proper pronunciation.

[englishhelps]

If you're practicing reading, be sure to encourage your friends to give you books or magazine subscriptions as gifts! It's thoughtful and very useful so you have a lot of materials to practice with.

[englishhelps]

A good tip is to stop yourself from re-reading phrases and sentences. This can become a habit and can result to longer reading times. If it becomes a habit, it would actually result to lower comprehension.

[englishhelps]

If you're reading a book, it's a good idea to summarize to yourself each chapter. Just talk to yourself on what the chapter is about. If it's easy for you, then it means that you comprehended what the chapter was about.

[englishhelps]

Yes, it's a good habit to read the newspaper everyday. You can also see opinions and of course, it's good to be updated with current events as well.

[englishhelps]

It's also good to join a lot of forums wherein you can practice your reading and you can learn a lot at the same time.

[Tukanja]

Reading plays a great role in learning the language but both listening to and having words with natives isn't less important for sure.

[clevermae]

Yes Indeed! The more you read, the better reader you'll become and smarter too! So, feed your mind to read!

[awrang]

I agree as well , my English got better and better by reading a lot news and surfing the web! keep news heading... when you find interesting heading read up to the end...