On the previous two issues of the newsletter, we started exploring the most effective tips and strategies for learning a foreign language as they relate to the four major aspects of language learning: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

In the second post we offered some tips to study the Speaking skill and we will continue on this issue with some tips on how to practice and improve the reading skill:

Reading

Understand grammar

At the core of any language is grammar. Understanding the rules of grammar in your own language will go a long way to helping you understand grammar for the new language you learning. For this reason, it's often easier for language learners to pick up a third language having already learned the grammar rules associated with the second language. Keep a
grammar reference guide handy as you strive to learn a new language.

Read for meaning

When learning a new language, it's tempting to look up unknown words as your read. While you need to have a basic vocabulary to read at all, avoid constantly referring to a dictionary every time you encounter a word you don't recognize. Instead, attempt to figure out the meaning of the word from the context of the sentence. As you read passages and sentences, read for meaning. Focus on the overall message being communicated by a passage or sentence.

Read and Re-read

Read each passage you’re studying three times. First, read the entire passage without attempting to translate it. At this stage you simply want to get a feel for the language used in
the passage, the sentence structure, and how the words work together. Second, read the passage again translating it in your mind or as you read aloud. Finally, read the passage a third
time paying closer attention to the meaning behind individual phrases and sentences.

Read the notes

Read and consider any notes accompanying a passage. These notes often provide insight into meaning, grammar, and style that will help improve your language learning experience.

To be continued…