| It takes a long time for students of | | | | in our minds better if we seethem for the first time |
| English-as-a-second-language to learn to readwell. This | | | | while we're doing something interesting -- like reading |
| is not because they have a reading problem: They can | | | | anenjoyable story or article. |
| read perfectly wellin their own language. The problem | | | | The disadvantage of the natural approach is that for |
| is just that they don't know the meaning ofenough | | | | intermediate learners -- oneswho are trying to build |
| English words. In other words, they don't have a big | | | | their vocabulary up to the 20,000-word level -- the |
| enough vocabulary. | | | | mostreadily available texts tend to be far too difficult |
| It's not easy to build a vocabulary that allows you to | | | | and, therefore, they are ineffiicentlearning tools. Books, |
| read as well, or almost as well,as people who grew up | | | | even if they are quite easy to understand, tend to be |
| speaking and reading English. It's quite easy to build | | | | muchtoo long for someone who is reading slowly while |
| thebasic vocabulary of 1000-2000 words that you | | | | using a dictionary and takingnotes. Magazine and |
| need in order to speak English toother people and | | | | newspaper articles, on the other hand, almost always |
| understand what they're saying. You'll probably pick up | | | | contain alot of language that is unnecessarily difficult |
| that manywords, without really trying, during the early | | | | because it is idiomatic or metaphoricalor because it |
| stages of your study of English. And ifthat doesn't | | | | includes unusual words that are not really needed. This |
| happen, you can always sit down with a good | | | | slows downlearners and also makes the experience |
| vocabulary list and adictionary and start memorizing. | | | | of reading less interesting and thereforeless effective. |
| However, to be able to read English well, you need to | | | | The best method of vocabulary building is one that |
| know a lot more than 2000words -- about ten times | | | | combines theadvantages of both approaches while |
| that many, in fact. You won't learn all these words | | | | avoiding the disadvantages. One way to dothis is to |
| withouttrying, even if you spend a lot of time taking | | | | learn vocabulary in context, through reading, but with |
| English courses and talking to Englishspeakers. | | | | texts that have beenspecially written for vocabulary |
| Learning the most basic words in English, or any other | | | | building. This makes for natural, efficient, andenjoyable |
| language, is easy becausethese words are used so | | | | studying. |
| often. 'Second-level words' -- words that are not | | | | Finding this kind of reading material can be difficult, |
| necessaryfor basic communication, but which are | | | | unfortunately. The readingpassages in ESL texts can |
| necessary for reading -- can only be learnedby the | | | | be a good source, but they're often few in number |
| hard work of studying. But what sort of studying is | | | | andvery short. Moreover, the readings in books for |
| most effective and mostenjoyable? | | | | beginners' are often quiteuninteresting and the ones in |
| One method is to take the direct approach and learn | | | | books for more advanced students are often |
| words 'out of context' -- bystudying word lists, doing | | | | aboutquite difficult 'academic' ideas. To succeed with |
| vocabulary 'exercises,' or even by reading through | | | | this method of vocabularyenlargement, you need long |
| alearners' dictionary. There are plenty of textbooks | | | | and interesting texts. The best sources are probably |
| around to help you with this joband you may find | | | | 'simplified' versions of famous works of English |
| English courses that concentrate on this sort of | | | | literature written specially forlearners. Books of this kind |
| vocabularybuilding. | | | | are not used as often in ESL courses now as they |
| It's also possible to take a more 'natural' approach and | | | | were inthe past, but, if you're taking an English course, |
| try to build up yourvocabulary by reading English | | | | your teacher may able to lend yousome, and you |
| books, newspapers, and magazines -- looking upwords | | | | should certainly be able to find some in your library. If |
| in a dictionary as you go along and taking notes. | | | | you go to alibrary or bookstore to look for useful |
| Both the direct and the indirect approach can work, but | | | | reading material, you should also look atchildren's and |
| both have seriousdisadvantages. Most people find | | | | teenagers' books. They are written for readers who, |
| studying word lists and reading dictionaries quiteboring, | | | | unlike you, have |
| and a boring method of studying is likely to be | | | | English as their first language; but like you, they still |
| ineffective. In addition, evenif you're not bored, you may | | | | have to learn more wordsbefore they can read |
| find it hard to remember the words you try to learn | | | | 'grown-up' material easily. |
| inthis way. It seems that words, and other things, stay | | | | |