06/27/2026
Is reading in a foreign language worth it?š
Definitely YES!
When you want to practice English or another foreign language but youāre still a bit scared of watching movies/videos, listening to podcasts, or communicating with natives, itās time to turn to books. Reading never fails. I was preparing a list of books adapted for the elementary level for one of my students, when I realized they donāt quite understand how it works. Reading is essentially a leisure activity; however, when we read in a foreign language, it's hard work, especially for beginner and elementary students.
When choosing an A1-A2 book, you should know that they are either easy fairytales weāre familiar with from our childhood (which doesnāt make them boring, though ā you are familiar with the plot, and you can understand it better), or easy short tales but with a bunch of new words. Buckle up ā youāre going to translate a lot!
I want to share some tips for reading books in English. Iām sure they can be applied to any other foreign language. Iād be happy if you shared advice that works for you and your students in the comments.
1. Donāt try to remember every new word. Some of them need to be translated and forgotten.
2. Pay attention to collocations. You saw a new word, you checked the translation, you learned it, but the usage is still not clear. Sometimes there are words that come with particular prepositions; sometimes there are common, easy phrases that are not obvious to non-native speakers. For example, a beginner English learner might incorrectly say āgo to homeā or āin the upstairsā, but the preposition is not needed there. Look at the whole phrase, not separate words.
3. Write down the translation above new words while youāre reading. Every book has its own vocabulary, and those words repeat every 2-3 pages. It will help you memorize them faster.
It is crucial to listen to the pronunciation of unfamiliar words. Online translators can make mistakes, so itās better to use online dictionaries. If you memorize the wrong pronunciation, it might be difficult to correct it in the future.
4. Try to get both a book and its audio version. Listen and repeat sentences, keeping the same pronunciation and rhythm. I know it sounds weird, but itāll help you improve your language skills.
5. Last but not least, donāt give up! Itās tough to read in foreign language, especially, when youāre a beginner because youāre working with the text on your own. Sometimes it feels difficult; constant translation can be annoying; it seems like you donāt comprehend anything. Imagine a 4-year-old kid reading a book in their native language. Do they understand every single thing? Youāre in the same situation, but youāre not 4. You donāt have to understand and memorize everything. At this point, try to focus on the language itself ā grammar, word choice, and spelling. Unfortunately, until you reach the intermediate level, you wonāt enjoy reading in a foreign language. Itās hard work.
You can find almost any book adapted for a particular level of language proficiency. There are some books with exercises after each chapter; some have a vocabulary list with the most common words in the book; some have translations of each page. Try whatever feels right for you, but do not start with original versions ā it might blow your mind.
