Reading in a new language! A conversation

English
#1

Hi all!
Today I would like to bring up the discussion of reading :books: : as a learner of a new language!
Reading plays an immense part in our muscle-memory development :brain: : when it comes to learning a new language. Understanding context :mag_right: while reading is extremely beneficial as it serves as good practice for when you, as a learner, need to write and/or comprehend more difficult sentence structures.

Do you need any book reccomendations?
Perhaps you’re unsure of how to determine at which level you should be reading?
I had some of these questions while I was learning German and it was unfortunate that I didn’t always have someone to help.
Fellow tutors, do you have any relatable experiences, reccomendations, or comments? Please do share.
If this is you, feel-free to ask questions on this post :blossom:

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Who can recommend a good book to learn English for beginners?
#2

Hey @AryoryKarakus I would love to hear some of your book recommendations! What are the last novels that have fascinated you?? :books:
Also, do you have any interesting comics or graphic novels :right_anger_bubble: to recommend to me? :nerd_face:

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#3

Hi there @Amandine :slight_smile: thanks for asking! Of course, in reference to comics/graphic novels I wholeheartedly recommend The Watchmen! I’ve read the book (many times):sweat_smile: but there is also a free animated motion comic on YouTube which I rather enjoyed!

I’m very much into everything but lately I’ve been loving mystery and so I reread ‘And Then There Were None’ by Agatha Christie. It’s a classic and it is really one of the best novels in my opinion.

Do you have any other specific genre preference? :smiley:

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#4

Hey @AryoryKarakus! I totally agree, reading is a crucial part in learning a new language.
Although, I’m not learning English (Spanish-A1 level) I still don’t feel confident to read books or novels yet. I remember when I was learning German it was only at A2/ B1 when I felt I was able to complete a novel.
Nevertheless, do you have any tips to start reading books? Or how can I ease my way into reading texts?

Thanks! :catbee:

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#5

Hi @JoAnn I definitely understand what you mean, I had a very similar experience with German.

With Spanish I’d say there are many options to get started. The obvious choices being to watch tv/movies in Spanish with subtitles but I think these things also depend on the way you, as an individual, learn best.

  • I highly recommend easing in by starting with podcasts specifically for learning (for example: Español con Juan on Spotify) and as you listen, writing down words that maybe you’re unfamiliar with or are part of a dialect, to later translate them.
  • For reading I’d recommend looking for books with literature for learners and also writing down words or phrases you don’t already know and translate them. It’s important to try and find books for A1 learners as they won’t overwhelm you.
  • Writing down and translating words you don’t know can very much help you in the long run to understand context as well as seemingly new vocabulary. It’s also very beneficial for speaking and conversation!

I hope this helps! I’m not currently tutoring Spanish on Chatterbug but do feel-free to reach out if you ever need a book recc., help in general. I’m here!

Kind regards! :slight_smile:

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#6

Thanks so much for your tips @AryoryKarakus! Listening to a podcast first sounds like a great idea! :star_struck:

For learning English I would definitely recommend Young Adult (YA) books for students from A2-C1 like: Looking for Alaska by John Green and practically any book by Meg Cabot (she writes with such a great sense of humor!)
For C1 students, I really enjoyed The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and The Giver by Lois Lowry!

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#7

Hey @AryoryKarakus ! I know Watchmen but I’ve never read the comic, if it’s your favorite then I’ll check it out, thanks! :man_supervillain: :woman_superhero:
I know Agatha Christie well but I read her novels in French, it could be interesting to reread them in English indeed!
I also like family sagas, over several generations, for example I really enjoyed “Lignes de faille” (Fault Lines) by Nancy Huston! :slight_smile:

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#8

Hey @Amandine! Yes, let me know what you think :smiley: I don’t believe I’ve read many novels relating to family sagas but I think that type sounds very interesting :smile:

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#9


Do you mean this? It is very good because I can read and hear the same words. Thank you für your exciting recommendation.
Stay save, all the best
Danielaxxx

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#10

Yes, exactly!! I hope you enjoy it!! I think it is great, especially for language learning and listening. :blush::+1:t4:

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#11

They also have a movie and a series, which I really recommend ! :grinning:

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#12

Perhaps you have a link?