This advice sheet is specially designed for students who want to know about how to enjoy reading.
In order to find out how to enjoy reading, you need to know yourself better as a reader. Apart from reading for your studies, what else do you read? How much do you know about yourself as a reader? Below is a table with questions that will help you find out more about yourself as a reader before you start trying to read for fun. Please be honest with your answers.
Aspect
Questions
Your attitude Is reading enjoyable and fun to you?
Yes.
No.
Sometimes, it depends.
Your reading habits
How often do you read?
Every day.
Only at weekends.
Once a month.
Rarely.
What do you usually read?
Newspapers.
Magazines.
Comic books.
Novels.
Nothing except course materials.
Others: _________________________
At what time of the day do you usually read?
In the morning when I am still fresh.
At night when it is quiet.
Not fixed.
Others: _________________________
Reading materials
Put the following reading materials in order of preference.
Newspapers.
Magazines.
Comic books.
Novels.
What are the most important factors that affect your choice of materials?
The reading is short.
The reading is easy.
There are pictures or drawings.
I can learn something from what I read.
The reading raises an issue that I can think about.
Others: _________________________
Your reading ability
Is vocabulary a problem for you?
Yes.
No.
Sometimes.
What do you do when you don't understand what you read?
Use a dictionary.
Ask someone.
Ignore it.
Post-reading activities
What activities do you usually do after you have read something?
Write a journal.
Discuss it with my friends.
Nothing.
Now that you have answered all the questions, please read the strategies we recommend.
Aspect
Strategies
Your attitude If you do not find reading enjoyable and fun,
Think about any positive features in relation to reading in your own language. Try to transfer these features to reading in English. For example, if you enjoy reading about a certain topic, or reading a certain type of material in your language, do the same in English.
Try and see if you tend to choose some material far too difficult for yourself. To help you choose a level suitable for you, we have a vocabulary level chart for our readers (see *key to "vocabulary levels of our readers" on the next page).
Try different ways to help yourself enjoy reading. For example, you can form a reading group so you can share your reading experiences with other people.
Your reading habits
If you do not read very often now, try to build up a regular reading habit, even though you might only spare a few minutes each time.
Any reading material is fine. But if you want to enjoy reading, choose materials that you really like. Please refer to the next section for more details.
Again, time is not an issue as long as you feel relaxed.
Reading materials
Start with what you enjoy most. As you progress with your reading, you may want to try out other materials. Even though you may not enjoy some of them very much in the beginning, you may learn about different writing styles.
In the SAC, we have newspapers, magazines, comic books and readers. The readers are put in different categories and vocabulary levels, and this should help you choose something suitable for you. For example, we have short stories that you can finish fairly quickly. Also, there are books that raise issues about our lives and the world, and they are suitable for discussion.
Your reading ability
If you have a vocabulary problem, you can refer to the different dictionaries available in the SAC. There are CD-ROM pronouncing dictionaries and book dictionaries such as Collins Cobuild, Longman, etc. We also have specialised dictionaries about culture, sports, idioms and slang. If you find yourself spending more time checking dictionaries than reading, you have probably chosen something too difficult. Use the vocabulary chart on the "Readers" shelves to help you choose the right level of materials. For further advice on how to learn vocabulary, please refer to Vocabulary Learner Advice Sheets.
If you need someone to share your reading with, you can either find your own reading partners, or come and talk to an SAC Adviser. You can also get advice on how to improve your reading skills from Reading Learner Advice Sheets.
Post-reading activities
In real life, many people choose not to do anything after their reading. So if you prefer not to do anything after reading, then don’t force yourself, and simply enjoy your reading.
There are, however, people who enjoy talking to their friends about what they have read. So you may do the same by sharing with your friends about your reading.
If you are really serious about your reading, take some follow-up action. For example, if you have read about some theory on swimming, you may want to put this theory into practice. Alternatively, you may write a book review or a journal after reading.
If you cannot think of a reasonable follow-up task for yourself, come and talk to an SAC Adviser. We have plenty of innovative ideas to help you enjoy your reading.
To summarise, here are our tips on how to make reading fun:
Read something short and easy to begin with, for example, news headlines, comics, or even signs you find in the streets and public places.
Read something with lots of pictures.
Buy a book you like. Since you can write in it, you will have a sense of ownership. You can also lend it to your friends.
Read aloud some of the dialogues in your reading. Or ask someone to read aloud with you. We also have audio-tapes for you to listen to some of the readers. You may find listening to the story more exciting and involving.
Act out a small part of the story. This will help you get a better understanding of the story, and you will find reading more fun.
After reading for some weeks, you may want to answer the questions in this advice sheet again. It would be interesting to compare your answers before and after your reading project. If you try some of the tips in this advice sheet, you will start to enjoy reading. Have fun!
Homework Center – Speaking & Listening Skills
Listening Skills
You probably spend more time using your listening skills than any other kind of skill. Like other skills, listening takes practice.
What does it mean to really listen?
- Real listening is an active process that has three basic steps.
- Hearing. Hearing just means listening enough to catch what the speaker is saying. For example, say you were listening to a report on zebras, and the speaker mentioned that no two are alike. If you can repeat the fact, then you have heard what has been said.
- Understanding. The next part of listening happens when you take what you have heard and understand it in your own way. Let's go back to that report on zebras. When you hear that no two are alike, think about what that might mean. You might think, "Maybe this means that the pattern of stripes is different for each zebra."
- Judging. After you are sure you understand what the speaker has said, think about whether it makes sense. Do you believe what you have heard? You might think, "How could the stripes to be different for every zebra? But then again, the fingerprints are different for every person. I think this seems believable."
Tips for being a good listener
- Give your full attention on the person who is speaking. Don't look out the window or at what else is going on in the room.
- Make sure your mind is focused, too. It can be easy to let your mind wander if you think you know what the person is going to say next, but you might be wrong! If you feel your mind wandering, change the position of your body and try to concentrate on the speaker's words.
- Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk. Speakers appreciate having the chance to say everything they would like to say without being interrupted. When you interrupt, it looks like you aren't listening, even if you really are.
- Let yourself finish listening before you begin to speak! You can't really listen if you are busy thinking about what you want say next.
- Listen for main ideas. The main ideas are the most important points the speaker wants to get across. They may be mentioned at the start or end of a talk, and repeated a number of times. Pay special attention to statements that begin with phrases such as "My point is..." or "The thing to remember is..."
- Ask questions. If you are not sure you understand what the speaker has said, just ask. It is a good idea to repeat in your own words what the speaker said so that you can be sure your understanding is correct. For example, you might say, "When you said that no two zebras are alike, did you mean that the stripes are different on each one?"
- Give feedback. Sit up straight and look directly at the speaker. Now and then, nod to show that you understand. At appropriate points you may also smile, frown, laugh, or be silent. These are all ways to let the speaker know that you are really listening. Remember, you listen with your face as well as your ears!
Thinking fast
- Remember: time is on your side! Thoughts move about four times as fast as speech. With practice, while you are listening you will also be able to think about what you are hearing, really understand it, and give feedback to the speaker.
Improve Your English Speaking and English Pronunciation Skills
My first piece of advice is not to get too hung up on trying to sound like a native speaker. Would you start learning the piano in an attempt to sound like Mozart? The first rule of speaking English is to learn to speak clearly and concisely and remember you won't just be speaking to native speakers: There are roughly 380 million native speakers out there, but as many as a billion people speak English as a second language, you do the math.
Try to avoid using idioms and slang (I always say learn it, but don't use it). It might sound clever to say "You're barking up the wrong tree," but if you use it in the wrong situation, or if the other person simply doesn't understand you, you'll only look silly when you try to explain what you meant to say, or what it actually means.
There's also a saying in English "Have you swallowed a dictionary?" It is applicable to anyone who uses long, complicated words when a shorter word will do. Short sentences are just as good (if not better) than long rambling explanations. The value in what you have to say is what you say, not how clever you look or sound when you say it. So it's a good idea to try to use simple, clear vocabulary, KISS - keep it short and simple, Here's a fun video that illustrates what I mean.
English speaking tips
Get over any fear you might have of making mistakes. You will make mistakes.
Be patient with yourself. Learning any language can be frustrating, but frustration won't help you, so let it go.
Grasp every opportunity you have to speak with people in English.
Talk to friends who are also learning English. Go out together for coffee and only speak English to each other!
Read short stories out loud and try to see, say and hear the words to reinforce your memory. Record yourself and play it back later, how does it sound?
Find English speaking friends:-
You might not be able to find any friendly native speakers where you live, but you can find English speaking people on the Internet! If you can't find anyone who'll actually help you, don't worry, you'll still be able to figure out if they can understand you.
Get onto Second Life. It's the one place I've found where you're guaranteed a conversation - it's an adult environment, and you won't always want to talk to the people you meet, but for every blood sucking vampire who asks if they can bite you, there are at least ten, nice people who just want to socialise. If you want a list of nice places to go, just contact me on the forum.
There are several internet based voice chat programmes out there: iVisit | Pal Talk | MSN Web Messenger | Yahoo! Messenger | Google Talk | Skype and I'm sure there are lots more.
Look for people with the same interests as you. It's no good asking everyone you meet to help you with your English, rather develop natural friendships based on your hobbies etc. Eventually you will make friends and they will be much more likely to give you correction / guidance.
Join an English club or conversation group. Around the world there are many English speaking clubs, these clubs aren't just for expats but for people interested in the English way of life. They can be friendly and fun. For a list of English clubs click here. Check magazines as well as your phone book, your local newspaper and your local university. Or if there isn't one in your area - start one! Place an advertisement in your newspaper for people interested in starting a group or go to Meetup.
Visit an Irish/English/Australian theme pub or British food shop, you can usually find one in the larger cities. Often, the waiters and waitresses come from English-speaking countries, the menu is often in English too!
Once your English is good enough, go shopping in some tourist areas. You'll find lots of shop assistants speak very good English.
If you can travel to an English speaking country, do it.
Singing
Try singing along to English songs. With friends or in the privacy of your own bathroom. Lots of the major games consoles have karaoke games nowadays, like Sing Star on the Playstation.
!On the internet :- You can speak to me on Skype or in Second Life (see the forum calendar for times and dates) - you can also listen to or chat with other learners and native speakers there, or join one of the many social networking sites. They are all free, so there are no more excuses.
!On the network:- Use the pronunciation pages to improve your understanding. Use my Voice Thread to practise tongue twisters, introductions etc.
!On this site:- You can find some karaoke resources and ideas on the learn English through songs page.
!On the Network: You can find the words to some popular songs on the English magazine.
Pronunciation skills
Accents really don't matter any more. You can spend a fortune and waste a lot of time trying to "get rid of" your accent, time and money that you could spend learning more English. So, unless you are up for a role in a film, don't worry about your accent too much. That said, people need to be able to understand you, so pronunciation and enunciation are important.
Be playful. Mimic famous people, play with the different accents in films etc. I do a mean John Wayne.
Learn the phonetic alphabet.
List words that have the same sound add to the lists as you learn more words.
For example words that rhyme with me:-
phonetics
Work on one problem sound at a time. Read slowly concentrating on the pronunciation of particular words. Record yourself, keep the tape and record yourself later, have you improved? Don't be shy - ask a friend to listen to the tape too.
Don't worry about sounding like a native, it is more important to speak clearly and pleasantly than it is to sound like the Queen of England - Even the Queen of England doesn't sound like she used to.
The most important thing to think about is can people understand you? If you have a problem being understood then find someone who speaks English clearly and try to copy the way they speak. Pay particular attention to speed and enunciation.
Writing better English means writing clear English, correct English, and persuasive English.
Read on to discover the skills you must develop in order to improve your writing ...
1. Improve Your Vocabulary
A good writer has a good vocabulary — one that is both broad and deep — because a good vocabulary is essential to clarity, power, and precision. If you have a large stock of words, you can choose the most effective word. The more words you know, the easier your words will flow.
Improving your vocabulary can come from incidental learning from context, direct learning, or a combination of these.
The best incidental learning comes from reading good books and associating with people who have a good spoken vocabulary and written vocabulary.
Direct techniques include looking in a dictionary for unfamiliar words.
Another direct technique is to record definitions of new words in a notebook, which you review whenever you get spare time. You should try to learn at least one new word a day.
These days, the quickest and easiest form of direct vocabulary learning is through vocabulary-building software.
For more on how to improve your vocabulary, read our knowledgebase of free articles (from the top menu, Resources » Articles » Improve your vocabulary).
When purchasing software, you should always be sure to read credible online reviews before you make your decision. Here is a site that provides excellent objective software reviews.
2. Improve Your Spelling
Learning to spell is integral to good writing, because correct spelling ultimately helps you communicate your message to others. Since language is shared, then your spelling must follow the accepted standard pattern.
And, crucially for persuasive writing, correct spelling gives writing credibility.
These reasons are why we have dedicated a lot of this website to providing free articles on how to improve your spelling.
3. Improve Your Reading Skills
Better writing usually comes from doing — that is, through practice.
But reading other people's writing also plays an important role in improving your own writing.
For example, reading helps you develop your vocabulary and improve your spelling, which in turn helps your reading, which in turn continues to improve vocabulary and spelling. The cycle goes on.
Reading also gives you writing styles to emulate.
You can improve your writing by not only doing, but also seeing how others do it.
This is why we have uploaded quite a number of free articles on improving your reading, including improving your reading speed, so that you can read more in less time.
4: Improve Your Grammar
Good grammar prevents ambiguity. By contrast, bad grammar confuses your reader, slows their reading, and shows your ignorance, which can lose you respect, influence, and credibility.
Make sure you at least know the parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Find fun ways to learn the parts of speech.
Know the difference between the active voice and passive voice. Using the active voice is one of the best ways to give power to your writing.
Also, learn the basics of punctuation, especially when to use a comma.
For more tips, read our articles on correct grammar. Also have a look at English Language Skills for some great info on this topic.
