Reading in a foreign language: some strategies...
Reading in a language that is foreign to you can seem a little overwhelming at first. You might be tempted to look up every word you don’t know, or focus too much on a word you can’t figure out. That can take up too much time and just be frustrating for you. Instead try these strategies:
- Read the passage multiple times. The first time you read the passage, you should try to just get the gist of what is being communicated.
- Read again, but always finish the sentence or paragraph before looking up an unfamiliar word or phrase
- Try to determine the meaning of the sentence from context
- Underline and pronounce words in question, but do not write the English translation into the text. That just distracts from the German. Try to learn those words, even if it is just passively.
- Finally, read the text again a third time. See how many of the unfamiliar words you remember. If a word or phrase still remains unclear, ask your instructor/tutor about the meaning.
Reading is a great way to learn a language! Start with children's books and work your way up. They tend to use not only simple language, but also different tenses and colloquialisms. This way you can learn many fun new phrases!
The website Children's Books Forever features free digital copies of books in German, French, Dutch, Japanese, Swedish and many more.
Take a look at their free resources here:
http://www.childrensbooksforever.com/
Bis bald! Frau Burk
December 14, 2016
