Article 4 - Improving Vocabulary Skills through Reading

Improving Vocabulary Skills through Reading in English

Suggestions on an approach to using reading by topic

By Mike Shelby

Extensive reading in English with the help of a good English dictionary on a variety of real life topics is one of the ways to learn English vocabulary. Since there is an enormous amount of reading material in English, a learner of English has to prioritise reading in subjects according to learner's needs for using English to encompass first the most necessary, relevant and frequently used vocabulary. Day-to-day topics ought to come first in reading. 

Reading materials can be arranged by level of difficulty of vocabulary - for learners at beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Learners can master the most important English vocabulary by reading thematic texts (materials), first of all on everyday topics with important content, for example: Practical Tips and Advice to Make Everyday Life Easier and Better (practical solutions for everyday problems). Such self-help books on settling everyday matters are available at book stores.

In addition to thematic informative texts (materials), learners can read thematic dialogues (samples of real life conversations between people), narrative realistic stories, fine literature, newspapers, magazines, Internet materials, books in various subjects, general thematic English dictionaries, etc.

Good general thematic English dictionaries arrange vocabulary by subject matter (topics) and provide clear word usage explanations and also a few usage sentences for each word meaning, which is especially important. English synonym dictionaries provide usage explanations and usage examples for words with similar meaning. Thematic general English dictionaries combined with English synonym dictionaries are a valuable tool for mastering English vocabulary logically, comprehensively and intensively for real life needs of learners.

Good public libraries have a wide selection of English reading materials.

It is better for learners to write down unknown vocabulary in whole sentences to remember word meanings easier. It would be a good speaking practice for learners telling the content of the texts that they have read. Learners can write key words and phrases, or main ideas as a plan, or questions on the text that require long answers to make easier for learners to tell the content of the text. I believe it is a good idea to read each logical chunk or paragraph of a text and to narrate each paragraph separately, and then the whole text. As people say, practice makes perfect.

Video input

I have came across this video which has helped in giving me more ideas on my topic!

Why extensive reading doubles your vocab?

by Rob Waring, Notre Dame

What is Extensive Reading

What is extensive reading?
Extensive reading is reading as much as possible, for your own pleasure, at a difficulty level at which you can read smoothly and quickly without looking up words or translating to English as you go. In other words, instead of spending a half hour decoding a tiny part of one book (also known as intensive reading), you read many simpler books that are at or slightly below the level at which you read fluently. This lets you get used to reading more complex sentences with ease, reinforces the words you already know and helps you learn new words from context.

What are the principles of extensive reading?
Start with stories that are well below your fluent reading level, and while reading, follow these principles:
1. Don’t look up words in the dictionary.
2. Skip over parts you don’t understand.
3. If you aren’t enjoying one book, toss it aside and get another.
(loosely translated from Kunihide Sakai’s tadoku.org)

Finally, keep track of your progress: I estimate the number of words I’ve read. You could also keep track of page counts or number of books read; a service like 読書メーター (Reading Meter) will let you do that for free.

Why start at such a basic level?

• It helps you get used to reading quickly; since you should know most of the words already, you hardly have to think about them.
• The sentences are simpler, so you can understand them immediately, and as you start reading more complex sentences you’ll have an intuitive sense of how they fit together.
• It helps you learn to use the information in the text to figure out unknown words, instead of a dictionary.
• You get a sense of where your fluent reading level is, so as you improve you can tell when a book is too hard or too easy.
• Words that are part of basic books are basic words themselves, and as you see them over and over, you learn them quickly; when you progress to more advanced books, you’ll know those basic words without having to think about them.
• You can finish books in a reasonable amount of time, so you don’t get bored with one book.

Why not use a dictionary?
Stopping to look up a word, even if it doesn’t take you very long, breaks your concentration, but if you read many basic books without a dictionary, you gain the ability to figure out words from context almost instantly and read quickly.

How do you find books at the right level?
First, get familiar with the classification system: once you know what your fluent reading level is, you can use it to tell almost immediately if a book is at the right level for you. A good rule of thumb is to read a page and count all of the words you don’t know. If there are more than three or four, try a simpler book.

Is it boring to read a lot of easy books?

No, not at all! Each book, no matter how simple it is, reinforces something you already know and teaches you something new. I hope to compile lists of particularly good books for adult readers, as well.

By: Liana Kerr http://joechip.net/extensivereading/what-is-extensive-reading/

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Reading, learning literature helps improve English Language skills

Reading, learning literature helps improve English Language skills

Posted on 13 October 2013 - 08:09pm

ON Thursday, it was announced in Oslo, Norway, that Canadian Alice Munro had won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
What's interesting is that Munro won the prestigious honour for her tales of the struggles, loves and tragedies of women in small-town Canada.
The award-giving committee called her the "master of the contemporary short story."
Stories were the order of the day at school, more than six decades ago. From fables and fairy tales to fiction, narratives, historical chronicles and drama, those were what we read and learned through our school years.
I'm sure the range of stories prescribed to us were carefully planned and selected by those who designed the curriculum. The teachers were well versed in the content and pedagogical aspects of enabling us to understand, appreciate and develop an interest in all those stories.
More importantly, we were cultivating good English language skills by learning, practising and using English, both in its verbal and written forms.

While much continues to be said about the need for our students and jobseekers to improve their English language skills if they are to succeed in today's highly competitive world, it should be pointed out that reading as a hobby and learning literature as a subject in the academic curriculum can contribute immensely to honing one's English language competency.
A habit that I, like many others, was encouraged to develop at home and in school continues to this day.
The relatively more recent advent and availability of multi-channel TV and the internet have broadened and increased manifold the scope and possibilities to access news and information and, more importantly, to learn from it.

Munro's winning of this year's literary prize reminded me of one of my English Literature teachers, a great enthusiast of Nobel Literature laureates, who encouraged us to read the works of Kipling, Tagore, Shaw, Pearl S. Buck, Hemingway and others.
We were also encouraged to pool our pocket-money savings to buy second-hand copies of news magazines, such as the Reader's Digest, Time and Newsweek. We would then share the periodicals among our classmates and took turns to read articles of interest.
In class, we would be called upon to present oral summaries and engage in discussions and debates on many of the topics in those magazines.

My purpose in describing these experiences in some detail is to illustrate how teachers who are competent and dedicated can innovate various methods for students to develop the reading habit and, combined with the learning of literature, enhance their ability to gain competency and communicate effectively in the English language.

Rueben Dudley
Petaling Jaya

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How Literature can influence the English Language Learning?

How Literature can influence the English Language Learning?

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“ Literature just adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become” C.S.Lewis (British Scholar and Novelist, 1898-1963).
As far as we remember we used to look forward to the English Literature classes every week when we were in high-school.  Were you as excited about new stuff and great information taken from the class?
Since English has become an international important language, more and more people are studying it. “ The study of literature allows people to develop new ideas and ethical standpoints, and can help individuals to present themselves as educated members of society. Studying literature can be enriching, eye-opening experience” ( Joshua Cruz, eHow contributor, www.eHow.com).

Traditionally, the role of Literature was not taken into consideration in English Language Teaching programs due to the importance given only to functional language. Today, Literature in second language classes has a very important linguistic input for students and it is a valuable source for learners’ motivation.
* Usually, students who study only English Language  emphasising on reading and writing skills, sometimes fail to see the point of studying English literature, especially if they have no plans to study English or Translation at University. But English Literature can introduce students to a range of aspects, not only of the English Language but also of the English culture.

There are parts of the English culture that are “encapsulated” by English Literature. Of course this is quite evident when studying the works of Shakespeare or other writers, poets and playwrights of  last centuries.
Teachers are the basic pillars to reach students through literature trying to attract them to this field that can be interesting to everyone. Teachers should think about everything that they are going to do without  falling in boredom and keep their students interested in the topic. Also we, as teachers,  consider that we are the ones who must make students get closer to Literature so that they can realise that it is not as abstract as they think, trying to avoid their frustration. Also it is useful to have literary texts and their analysis easier made for students.
The next two points are to help teachers in the hard labour of keeping students interested in Literature.

USEFUL QUESTIONS THAT TEACHERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF
*What has been your experience, as a teacher, when using Literature?
*Do you prefer using originally literary texts or short versions for your students?
*What kind of supplementary material, if any, would you use to raise students’ motivation?
*How can you include the four skills when using Literature in class?

SOME TIPS TO INCLUDE LITERATURE IN AN ELT CONTEXT
?         Students can learn about allusions and references to different aspects of English culture.
?        They can also learn the context and meaning of famous quotes and phrases.
?        When studying Literature, students can improve not only language such as vocabulary, but also the language that can be used for specific purposes.
?        The study of Literature can provide students with a fresh and creative angle with which they can approach their studies in particular and their lives in general.
?        English Literature makes students learn about their creativity and imagination, interacting with the text themselves, and playing different literary roles.
?        Literature must be presented as an authentic task, so the students can get through the texts discovering their different learning styles.
?        Students can live literature not only read it. Plays can be represented so that  students can be immersed in a different time and into a different person.
?        By following the histories presented throughout English Literature, it is possible to understand how contemporary Western culture has developed into what it is today.
?        Reading new words and new phrases can increase any one’s lexicon.

“ The study of literature offers many ways to improve literacy: it gives access to language, reading,  writing, a shared culture and one’s own self. “ (J.Trounstine, “Literature in Prison?” ).
?        Through the reading of literary texts, students can develop their autonomy and independence, making hypothesis and guessing unfamiliar words.
?        The use of authentic literary texts give learners the opportunity to connect to real world issues at the time they can learn true values for their lives.

CONCLUSIONS:

Literature has been proven as a great tool to approach English language and English culture. Even though there are students and teachers that consider it as too abstract or bored, we, as teachers now and students in the past have experienced the situation and we can say that it works. It gets you closer to the language, culture as well as customs and it is always a way of learning how to write and spell correctly.  Teachers should make literature interesting for students.
That is the reason why this quotation resumes in one sentence what we truly think: “Literature will increase all language skills because literature will extend linguistic knowledge” Povey (1972:18)
***

Do you agree with us? why? why not?
Bibliography:

Joshua Cruz, eHow Contributor, www.eHow.com, extracted on 23.09.2010

http://www.middlesex.mass.edu/PeoplePages/trounstinej/, extracted on 24.09.2010