1. Choose books of your level
The book you choose to read in a foreign language should not be too complicated or too simple. It may be too early for a beginner level (Beginner, or A1) to switch to fiction; you still have too little knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. But if reading the curriculum is not enough for you, try short texts.
Starting at the Elementary level, when you have already studied tenses and basic vocabulary, you can start adapted literature. A huge list of such books is publicly available on English e-Reader (registration required).
Some people disregard simplified texts and in vain. An adapted book is not a summary, but the same work, but with more accessible vocabulary and grammar. After all, it is quite difficult to assess the originality of the author’s language when you don’t know most of the words and phrases he uses.
At the intermediate level, it is already possible to start original texts, but with simple vocabulary and grammar. And in any case, especially if you don’t know exactly your language level, use the following rule.
There should be no more than 10 unknown words per page of text. Ideally, three to five.
It’s good to have the opportunity to look through the book before buying it and figure out how many words it contains unfamiliar and difficult for you. You can also select works that you have already read in translation or watched films. Although there will be no more intrigue, the content will be clearer.
2. Read modern literature
It’s easier to stay motivated if you’re reading a book that you’re really interested in. But if it’s a 19th-century novel with a set of historicisms or science fiction with lots of obscure words and definitions, reading will be too difficult to enjoy.
Give preference to modern prose with simple dialogue and colloquial speech. Moreover, this vocabulary will clearly be more useful to you in real life. Pay attention to new literary innovations and try to start with them.
3. Take into account the volume of the book
A multi-page novel in a foreign language can really motivate: “If I master this length in the original, it will be a reason to be proud!” But keep in mind that reading in a foreign language, unless you know it perfectly, is much slower. And if in a month you see that you haven’t read even half of it, you can get disappointed in the idea and throw it away.
With small books, things are a little different: in a week or two, you’ll notice that a significant part is over. This will give you strength and inspiration to move forward. For those who have just started reading the original version, this can be very important.
4. Read fewer pages every day
The ability to read books in a foreign language quickly comes with experience and knowledge. It is difficult, time-consuming and tiring at the beginning. Time is spent not only writing out unknown words, but also translating in your mind and realizing what you have read.
So don’t try to complete 50 pages in an evening. There’s nothing wrong with starting with one page a day, gradually increasing the volume. Even 5—10 self-reading pages per day is a great result. The main thing is regularity.
5. Give preference to paper
Electronic formats are very convenient. But they are not always suitable for training. Choose the paper version — it’s easier to take notes and bookmarks, sign the translation, go back to the marked places and look into the dictionary, if there is one. Don’t feel too sorry for the book: after all, it is a learning tool, and you should make the most of it. Small texts and works can be printed.
Writing out new words and phrases is also better on paper. Here it has an even greater advantage over gadgets: by taking notes by hand, we remember information better.
6. Use the dictionary sparingly
Try to look into the dictionary only in three cases:
The word is important to understand; without it, it is impossible to understand the meaning of the sentence.
The lexeme is very common in the text.
You just want to know the exact meaning of this word (you’ve already seen it somewhere, or it sounds cool).
And even in these cases, take your time. Trust language hunch — the ability to determine the meaning of a word from its context. It is possible to understand it, at least roughly, from the surrounding text. If it’s not clear from the sentence what you’re talking about, think about what the paragraph is about. If the paragraph doesn’t make it clear, think about the whole chapter. Test your hunch with a dictionary if you’re not sure.
So, if you learn to look into the dictionary less often, reading will become easier and faster. In addition, even at a high level of language proficiency, you will encounter unfamiliar words both in texts and in speech. Therefore, language guessing skills will still come in handy. It can be very difficult to develop it at first, but the main thing is not to be afraid of mistakes.
7. Alternate reading with memorizing
If you are tired of reading, switch to the written words. You don’t need to memorize them. Instead, turn on your imagination and start composing phrases, sentences, and short stories with them. Describe the main character, evaluate his actions, and figure out how events can develop further. Working actively with new vocabulary is much more productive and interesting than simply memorizing words.
Over time, you will learn from your own experience that reading in the original language enriches your vocabulary and makes it easier for you to form sentences, use grammar and conduct dialogues. This is what will be the most powerful motivation to open a new book.
Source: https://lifehacker.ru/kak-chitat-v-originale/
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