Chapter 8 – Reading Skills
Reading Principles to Live By
Cameron Keaton; Bibi Halima; and Keli Yerian
This chapter is about reading, so we will be discussing both the interpretive mode (receptive skills) and the interpersonal mode (interactive reading and writing skills). As in the previous chapters on listening and speaking skills, in this chapter we provide principles that can help guide you, this time in developing your reading skills. We then discuss some of the theory and research supporting these principles, and finally show a variety of strategies and stories that have been gathered from students in LING 144 at the University of Oregon.
So what are the principles we recommend for reading in a second language?
Read for fluency at your level
Have you ever tried to read something in your L2 and felt completely overwhelmed looking up words in every sentence? Reading doesn’t have to be this way! You can read fluently as long as you’re reading at a level that’s right for you. If you are at a novice level, for example, you can read simple texts fluently, meaning you can process the meaning easily and at a fast pace without looking up many words. This kind of reading experience is called extensive reading, and it’s a great alternative to learning new vocabulary just by studying decontextualized words with flashcards.
Think of reading like training a muscle: effective reps make the muscle grow while ineffective reps can result in lack of progress and frustration. It is always good to challenge yourself, but not so much that you stop reading! You ideally should limit the amount of unknown words and grammar structures you are reading so that it stays motivating. Finding your level is as important in reading as it is in listening.
Graded readings is the term for readings that are designed to be stepping stones for different proficiency levels. For example, in most majoritized languages you can find short books written specifically for readers at different levels, such as novice, intermediate, and advanced. These books are called graded readers and are defined by Lima (2012, para. 1) from the Extensive Reading Foundation as “…books of various genres that are specially created for learners of foreign languages.” The term “graded” refers to how “the syntax and lexis are controlled in order to make the content accessible to learners of the language”.
There are options for graded readings other than graded reader books. Most textbooks include readings written for the level of the class. In addition, magazines, blog posts for learners, or even reading subtitles for simple videos in your L2 can help you read at your level of fluency. It is important to remember during your language learning journey that it takes time and you don’t have to jump into the most advanced levels of anything, at least not at the beginning!
You might ask, how can I find readings at my level?
Here are some ideas for you!
Research Note
Kara (2019) shows that students who used graded r