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- Have your dictionary handy.<\/strong> This feels obvious, but it took me quite a bit to cave and dig it out from its dusty sleeping place. I also find it handy to write down words in a steno pad so I can revisit them and add them to my Learned Vocab in Transparent Language Online. (If you’re not familiar, our Learned Vocab Refresh system helped you maintain your vocabulary- and you can now add your own custom vocab!)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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2. Take advantage of context clues<\/strong>. In the sentence \u201cC\u2019est one history de vampires dans un monde en proie\u201d, I was able to pinpoint some obvious words and help realize not only the meanings of the other words, but also that there are vampires in this book which was a bit out of left field but I\u2019m into it.<\/p>\n
3. You\u2019re not going to understand everything and that\u2019s ok<\/strong>. There will be modern slang and there will be ancient idioms, and sometimes it will all be Greek to you. Make your focus getting to the end of the chapter. Once you\u2019ve gotten there, test yourself on the contents. If you feel confident you know what\u2019s going on, keep going. Otherwise, reread the chapter.<\/p>\n
4. Only on the second reading is it advised you dig deep into the language and grammar<\/strong>. The first reading should always be devoted to enjoying and understanding as you would in your native language. If you decide to reread the chapter, this is the time to dig into specifics.<\/p>\n
5. Read out loud.<\/strong> I\u2019ve found this helpful as it slows me down and makes me devote 100% of my brain to the book.<\/p>\n
6. Between reading times, keep brushing up on your language.<\/strong> I always find that spending some time on Transparent Language Online<\/a> reviewing my Learned Vocab or brushing up on some fundamentals helps keep my brain tuned to French and makes getting back into the book much easier.<\/p>\n
7. Enjoy!<\/strong> This is an exciting time in your language learning. It might be slow-going, but you should be proud that you\u2019ve gotten this far! Even if things get a little frustrating, try to remember how far you\u2019ve come to get to this point.<\/p>\n
Now that I\u2019ve reinforced those tips, it\u2019s time for me to get back to those vampires. Happy reading!<\/p>\n
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Sources:<\/p>\n
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- Barca, Igor, Five Hacks to Learn Languages by Reading Literature<\/i>, Fluent in 3 Months. https:\/\/www.fluentin3months.com\/reading\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n
- Hayden, Keith, (2017, December 1) Frustrated with Reading in a Foreign Language? Here\u2019s how to Do It Better, <\/i>Medium. https:\/\/medium.com\/@kwhayden11\/frustrated-with-reading-in-a-foreign-language-heres-how-to-do-it-better-8a348d078128<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n
- Ollie, Richard, How to Read Effectively in a Foreign Language, <\/i>I Will Teach You a Language. https:\/\/www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com\/blog\/reading-in-a-foreign-language<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2020\/08\/pexels-kaushal-moradiya-2781195-350x233.jpg\")
One of the most exciting milestones of learning a language is reading a book written in that language for native speakers. Whether it\u2019s a slim volume like Le Petit Prince or a massive epic such as Cien a\u00f1os de Soledad, to start and finish a book in your target language feels like a badge of…<\/p>\n
- Hayden, Keith, (2017, December 1) Frustrated with Reading in a Foreign Language? Here\u2019s how to Do It Better, <\/i>Medium. https:\/\/medium.com\/@kwhayden11\/frustrated-with-reading-in-a-foreign-language-heres-how-to-do-it-better-8a348d078128<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n
- Barca, Igor, Five Hacks to Learn Languages by Reading Literature<\/i>, Fluent in 3 Months. https:\/\/www.fluentin3months.com\/reading\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n
- <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n