On vacation, get better English faster with THIS simple strategy!
DO THIS… AND IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH UP TO 10 TIMES FASTER!
Stephen Krashen, widely considered one of the most influential gurus in language acquisition, has argued for years about the benefit of free voluntary reading (FVR), or reading for pleasure.
Most of us may agree that some reading is good, but he goes much further, stating that free voluntary reading “is the most powerful tool we have in language education, first and second.”
He explains that there are dozens of benefits from free voluntary reading, including faster vocabulary growth, better reading skills, better writing skills, a better (natural) understanding of grammar skills, even better speaking skills. In addition, there are further benefits that cannot be taught otherwise, such as intention, irony, humor, double meanings, allusions, and much more. There are numerous studies to support these claims.
Stephen Krashen is not without his critics, but he also has a tremendous following among language teachers. I highly recommend you include FVR in your English-study program. But wait! How do you read the Stephen Krashen way?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO IMPLEMENT FVR
In order to take advantage of this idea, we’ll need to briefly look at a few very simple ideas.
The main idea is to read ANYTHING you like, WHENEVER you like, AS MUCH AS you like.
When he says “anything” you like, take that literally. You could read about your hobbies, your interests, news, comics, books, short stories, magazines, articles from the internet, etc. etc.
HOW DIFFICULT SHOULD THE READING MATERIAL BE?
Obviously, the idea reading ANYTHING is much more reasonable if you have an upper-intermediate or advanced level. You can choose from almost anything there is.
What if you don’t? What if you’re at an intermediate, lower-intermediate, or even high beginner level?
THIS IS KEY: Compared to your current level, the reading material should be at the same level, slightly easier, or the ideal of only slightly more difficult.
Therefore, if you are below an upper-intermediate level, you will need more creativity and flexibility, and help from your teacher regarding what material is appropriate.
HOW TO READ
When Krashen talks about FVR, reading for pleasure, he means just that. Your only goal is to understand what’s on the page, and then move on.
This is what Krashen calls “comprehensible input in a low anxiety environment”. “Comprehensible input” means material at the correct level of difficulty.
Does that mean you should stop and analyze vocabulary or the grammar? No, because that reduces the pleasure and increases the anxiety level. It is not that analyzing vocabulary and grammar do not have their time and place – they do – but that is a different exercise, for different reading material.
This is reading for pleasure. The most you should do with this – and it is totally optional – is have a conversation about it.
Stephen Krashen: “Picking up words by reading is 10 times as fast as doing drills and exercises.”
ONE MORE CONSIDERATION
With all due respect to Mr. Krashen, I would like to add one more recommendation: Read spoken English!
What do I mean? Include dialogues, TV scripts, interview scripts, movie scripts, plays, and even song lyrics, in your reading mix – from time to time. You could read an interview of a famous actor/actress or athlete, for example; or a script from a TV show you like. Ask your teacher for suggestions as to where to find this material.
At American English with Natives, we’re always creating new material, and soon we will be offering ways to read very short, authentic scripts of short videos. This could be just one more possibility of reading for pleasure – after watching a short video! Stay tuned!
TO REVIEW
-Read for pleasure regularly.
-Choose material at or near your current level (lower levels especially should ask your teacher for help)
-Choose any material you find interesting, and include some spoken English
-NO vocabulary or grammar analysis – just ENJOY! (and ALL of the benefits will come naturally)
Happy learning!
Scott Frost