Learners report two main difficulties in reading, which may be linked.
Learners
report
two
main
difficulties
in
reading
,
which
may
be
linked
.
There are too many unknown words and as a result reading is simply not a pleasure.
There
are
too
many
unknown
words
and
as
a
result
reading
is
simply
not
a
pleasure
.
For some students, even reading in their own language is a chore.
For
some
students
,
even
reading
in
their
own
language
is
a
chore
.
Having a wide vocabulary is essential to making sense of written language.
Having
a
wide
vocabulary
is
essential
to
making
sense
of
written
language
.
Of course, this is a circular argument, because the more you read the more vocabulary you learn and the more words you know the more easily you can read.
Of
course
,
this
is
a
circular
argument
,
because
the
more
you
read
the
more
vocabulary
you
learn
and
the
more
words
you
know
the
more
easily
you
can
read
.
Don't make the mistake of reading with your dictionary beside you, looking up every single new or doubtful word.
Do
n't
make
the
mistake
of
reading
with
your
dictionary
beside
you
,
looking
up
every
single
new
or
doubtful
word
.
This is laborious and prevents you from practicing the skill of prediction.
This
is
laborious
and
prevents
you
from
practicing
the
skill
of
prediction
.
Sometimes in reading you find a word you know but the sense doesn't seem to fit in.
Sometimes
in
reading
you
find
a
word
you
know
but
the
sense
does
n't
seem
to
fit
in
.
This is not surprising because words have so many meanings and degrees of meaning.
This
is
not
surprising
because
words
have
so
many
meanings
and
degrees
of
meaning
.
What is more, part of their meaning is shaped by the words around them.
What
is
more
,
part
of
their
meaning
is
shaped
by
the
words
around
them
.
Keep looking at the surrounding words and asking yourself "what sort of meaning would make sense here?"
Keep
looking
at
the
surrounding
words
and
asking
yourself
``
what
sort
of
meaning
would
make
sense
here
?
''
The more that people study the reading process, the better they can pass on to language learners a range of advice to choose from.
The
more
that
people
study
the
reading
process
,
the
better
they
can
pass
on
to
language
learners
a
range
of
advice
to
choose
from
.
People have learned to read in all kinds of ways.
People
have
learned
to
read
in
all
kinds
of
ways
.
Here is some information that could help you plan to be a better reader in the foreign language you are studying.
Here
is
some
information
that
could
help
you
plan
to
be
a
better
reader
in
the
foreign
language
you
are
studying
.
1) Work out the general meaning first
1
)
Work
out
the
general
meaning
first
When people read in a new language they often feel they must take a detailed approach, focusing on every word, particularly those they don't know.
When
people
read
in
a
new
language
they
often
feel
they
must
take
a
detailed
approach
,
focusing
on
every
word
,
particularly
those
they
do
n't
know
.
They read as if they were using a microscope, looking carefully at each of the small pieces (the individual words), but not necessarily seeing the whole picture at first.
They
read
as
if
they
were
using
a
microscope
,
looking
carefully
at
each
of
the
small
pieces
(
the
individual
words
)
,
but
not
necessarily
seeing
the
whole
picture
at
first
.
This is called the "bottom-up" approach.
This
is
called
the
``
bottom-up
''
approach
.
Other readers try to look first at the big picture (the "top-down" approach), attending to individual bricks only as necessary, a process that involves some intelligent guesswork.
Other
readers
try
to
look
first
at
the
big
picture
(
the
``
top-down
''
approach
)
,
attending
to
individual
bricks
only
as
necessary
,
a
process
that
involves
some
intelligent
guesswork
.
Generally this second approach is recommended by successful learners.
Generally
this
second
approach
is
recommended
by
successful
learners
.
2) Interactive reading
2
)
Interactive
reading
Another way of thinking about reading is to describe it as an interactive process, where the text brings something to you and you bring something to the text.
Another
way
of
thinking
about
reading
is
to
describe
it
as
an
interactive
process
,
where
the
text
brings
something
to
you
and
you
bring
something
to
the
text
.
Readers bring together all their knowledge of the world with what they see on the page in front of them.
Readers
bring
together
all
their
knowledge
of
the
world
with
what
they
see
on
the
page
in
front
of
them
.
That is why, when reading in our own language, we don't need to read every word.
That
is
why
,
when
reading
in
our
own
language
,
we
do
n't
need
to
read
every
word
.
We add meaning which is not actually stated.
We
add
meaning
which
is
not
actually
stated
.
3) From supported reading to independent reading
3
)
From
supported
reading
to
independent
reading
Language learners start by needing considerable support as they read.
Language
learners
start
by
needing
considerable
support
as
they
read
.
Textbooks supply this support in the form of introductions that summaries the contents, glossaries, pictures, explanations of new grammar points.
Textbooks
supply
this
support
in
the
form
of
introductions
that
summaries
the
contents
,
glossaries
,
pictures
,
explanations
of
new
grammar
points
.
In your reading you need to move gradually from this support to reading more the text itself.
In
your
reading
you
need
to
move
gradually
from
this
support
to
reading
more
the
text
itself
.
Learners report two main difficulties in reading, which may be linked. There are too many unknown words and as a result reading is simply not a pleasure. For some students, even reading in their own language is a chore.  Having a wide vocabulary is essential to making sense of written language. Of course, this is a circular argument, because the more you read the more vocabulary you learn and the more words you know the more easily you can read. Don't make the mistake of reading with your dictionary beside you, looking up every single new or doubtful word. This is laborious and prevents you from practicing the skill of prediction.  Sometimes in reading you find a word you know but the sense doesn't seem to fit in. This is not surprising because words have so many meanings and degrees of meaning. What is more, part of their meaning is shaped by the words around them. Keep looking at the surrounding words and asking yourself "what sort of meaning would make sense here?"  The more that people study the reading process, the better they can pass on to language learners a range of advice to choose from. People have learned to read in all kinds of ways. Here is some information that could help you plan to be a better reader in the foreign language you are studying.  1) Work out the general meaning first  When people read in a new language they often feel they must take a detailed approach, focusing on every word, particularly those they don't know. They read as if they were using a microscope, looking carefully at each of the small pieces (the individual words), but not necessarily seeing the whole picture at first. This is called the "bottom-up" approach. Other readers try to look first at the big picture (the "top-down" approach), attending to individual bricks only as necessary, a process that involves some intelligent guesswork. Generally this second approach is recommended by successful learners.  2) Interactive reading  Another way of thinking about reading is to describe it as an interactive process, where the text brings something to you and you bring something to the text. Readers bring together all their knowledge of the world with what they see on the page in front of them. That is why, when reading in our own language, we don't need to read every word. We add meaning which is not actually stated.  3) From supported reading to independent reading  Language learners start by needing considerable support as they read. Textbooks supply this support in the form of introductions that summaries the contents, glossaries, pictures, explanations of new grammar points. In your reading you need to move gradually from this support to reading more the text itself.