Janice Lozano
English is one of the most difficult languages to learn, and reading in a foreign language can be time-consuming. However, there are several tips and tricks that international students can use to read English faster and improve comprehension. These include reading out loud, skimming and scanning texts, learning the most common English words, and practicing reading different types of texts. Additionally, students can improve their reading speed and comprehension by writing out new vocabulary, listening to English podcasts, and joining reading groups to discuss texts with others.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reading out loud | Helps to understand written words by "hearing" them in your head |
| Active reading | Look for the greater meaning of a text by identifying important keywords, topic sentences, and supporting details |
| Skimming | A faster version of active reading, useful for long articles |
| Scanning | An even faster version of skimming, useful for finding specific information |
| Practice | Practicing reading at an appropriate level for the learner |
| Context clues | Help understand the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases |
| Speaking practice | Speaking English with others helps build confidence |
| Writing by hand | Writing out new information by hand helps transfer it to long-term memory |
| Variety of texts | Reading a variety of texts helps get a well-rounded and comprehensive reading practice |
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What You'll Learn
Learn the most common words
Learning the most common English words is a great way to improve your reading and speaking skills. English has over 100,000 word families, which can be intimidating for new learners. However, research shows that learning the top 300 most common words will help you understand about 65% of all written material in English. Knowing between 2,500 to 3,000 words will help you understand 90% of everyday English conversations, newspaper and magazine articles, and English used in the workplace.
There are many effective methods to learn the most common English words. Here are some strategies that can help international students improve their vocabulary and reading comprehension:
Flashcards
Flashcards are a classic and effective way to learn new words. They help you learn through repetition and allow you to focus on the words you don't know yet. You can make your own flashcards or use flashcard apps, which can track your progress and identify the words you need to work on.
Vocabulary Exercises and Language Apps
Vocabulary exercises and language learning apps like Duolingo, Memrise, and Quizlet can be very useful. These apps often use spaced repetition and interactive exercises to make learning faster and more engaging. They help you retain new vocabulary and apply it in real-life situations.
Reading and Writing
Reading books, articles, and essays exposes you to new words and their context. Writing every day, such as keeping a diary, helps reinforce the words you've learned and identifies gaps in your vocabulary. Reading aloud and recording yourself can also help you track your progress and improve your pronunciation.
Conversations and Media Exposure
Practising conversations with native speakers or language exchange apps can improve your fluency and speed. Watching English movies or series with subtitles can help you pick up natural phrases and improve your reading speed. Shadowing native speakers—repeating what they say in real-time—is another effective method to improve your fluency.
By combining these strategies and consistently practising, international students can quickly expand their English vocabulary, improve their reading comprehension, and become more confident in using the language.
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Practice active reading
Active reading is a great way to improve your reading speed and comprehension. It involves engaging with the content and evaluating its relevance to your needs. Here are some tips to practice active reading:
Pre-Reading
Before you begin, ask yourself some questions. What is the topic, and what do you already know about it? Why has this text been assigned to you? Identify any unfamiliar terms and look up their definitions. Read the title, subtitles, and summaries carefully, as they can give you clues about the content.
During Reading
Look for the main idea or thesis of the text, and identify the topic sentences and supporting details of each paragraph. Summarize each section in one sentence. Read each paragraph carefully and determine "what it says" and "what it does". To answer "what it says", use only one sentence. To answer "what it does", describe the paragraph's purpose within the text, such as providing evidence or introducing an opposing view. Make annotations in the margin to summarize points, ask questions, challenge what you've read, and jot down examples. Instead of highlighting, try underlining or making marginal notes, as this will help you remember the content better. Focus on reading the first line of each paragraph, as it introduces the main idea. When you come across an unfamiliar word, look it up and write down the definition.
Post-Reading
Write a summary of the entire text in your own words. Capture the essential ideas and perhaps one or two key examples. Write your own exam question based on the reading. Try to teach what you've learned to someone else, as this is an effective way to reinforce your understanding. Without looking at your notes or the text, try to recall what you read and review your notes afterward.
Skimming and Scanning
Skimming and scanning are faster versions of active reading. When you skim, you quickly read through the text to get an overall impression. When you scan, you are looking for very specific information. These techniques are useful when you need to answer reading comprehension questions or find specific information.
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Read a variety of texts
Reading a variety of texts is an excellent way to improve your English reading skills and keep your learning sessions interesting. Different texts will expose you to various vocabulary, writing styles, lexicons, themes, structures, and grammar constructs.
You can start with reading materials that you are comfortable with, such as English news articles, and then branch out into other text types like books, magazines, online articles, and blogs. Each of these text types has distinct features. For instance, books can be further categorized into fiction, non-fiction, science fiction, fantasy, biographies, and investigative journalism, to name a few. By exploring different genres, you will encounter diverse writing styles and themes.
Fiction books, for example, tend to use imaginative language and descriptive narratives, whereas non-fiction books are more likely to use precise and informative language. Similarly, newspapers and magazines often use concise and direct language to convey information, while blogs and online articles can vary in style depending on the topic and target audience.
Additionally, pay attention to the context in which new words are used. Context clues are hints in the sentence or surrounding sentences that help you understand the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases. By understanding the context, you can often grasp the general meaning of a passage without needing to look up every unknown word in the dictionary. This approach will help you read faster and improve your comprehension.
It is also beneficial to combine reading with listening by using audiobooks or text-to-speech functions. This approach helps improve your reading, listening, and pronunciation skills simultaneously. You can also join a reading group to discuss what you've read, which enhances your speaking and writing skills and allows you to engage with the content on a deeper level.
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Use context clues
When trying to understand the meaning of a new word, it is often useful to look at the surrounding words and sentences. These are called context clues and can help you decipher the meaning of an unknown word. Context clues are hints and extra information in a sentence or passage that help you understand the meaning of a word. They can be synonyms, antonyms, root words, mood or tone, cause and effect, or inferences. For example, if you come across the word "jubilant" in a poem, you might not know its exact definition, but from the rest of the poem's tone, you can tell that it is positive and complimentary.
There are six common types of context clues: root word and affix, contrast, logic, definition, example or illustration, and grammar. Teachers often provide direct instruction on how to use these clues to struggling students or those with learning disabilities. For instance, the sentence, "People who study birds are experts in ornithology," contains the root word and affix clue, where "ornithology" is the root word for the study of birds. Another example is, "Unlike mammals, birds incubate their eggs outside their bodies," which uses contrast to explain that birds are different from mammals in this respect.
Context clues are useful because they help you learn new words without needing to consult a dictionary or other sources, which can slow down your reading. They also allow you to define tricky words in English right then and there. However, it is important to note that context clues may not always be easy to identify, and it takes practice to learn how to use them effectively.
To improve your ability to use context clues, you can practice reading texts at your level that contain new vocabulary. You can also highlight or mark unknown words and their surrounding context to help identify the clues and improve your reading comprehension. Additionally, reading aloud can help you "hear" the words in your head and improve your fluency, which can lead to faster reading.
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Read out loud
Reading out loud is a great way to improve your reading speed and fluency, especially if you are an international student. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of reading aloud:
Prepare the Text
Before you begin reading aloud, take some time to familiarise yourself with the text. Look for keywords, topic sentences, and supporting details in each paragraph. Mark any important words or phrases that you want to emphasise. This will help you convey the main ideas effectively to your audience. Additionally, if there are any words that you are unsure of or struggle to pronounce, take the time to learn their correct pronunciation.
Practice Active Reading
When reading aloud, focus on active reading rather than passive reading. This means engaging with the text and understanding the meaning of each passage as a whole, not just individual words or sentences. Connect with the text and identify key information to improve your comprehension and reading speed.
Vary Your Pace and Volume
Use variations in pace and volume to create emphasis and engage your audience. Speak slower or softer to build tension or draw attention to important moments, and speed up or increase your volume for exciting or action-packed scenes. Decide where to breathe to maintain continuity and ensure your audience can follow along easily.
Practice with Audio Recordings
Record yourself reading the text out loud and listen back to your performance. This will help you identify areas for improvement, such as pronunciation, intonation, or pacing. Compare your recordings with native speakers to get a sense of the natural rhythm and pace of the language.
Seek Feedback
Ask for feedback from your audience or peers. They can provide insights on your clarity, volume, and emphasis. Feedback will help you refine your reading aloud skills and ensure your message is understood by your listeners.
Remember, the goal is to gradually increase your reading speed while maintaining accuracy and clarity. Don't rush the process; take your time to build a solid foundation and improve your reading fluency.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some strategies to improve your reading speed and comprehension:
- Read actively, focusing on the greater meaning of the text and identifying important keywords.
- Read the title, subtitles, and first lines of paragraphs to get an idea of the content and predict what you will read.
- Practice reading different types of texts, such as books, newspapers, magazines, and articles, to expose yourself to diverse vocabulary and writing styles.
- Learn common words, prepositions, and irregular verb conjugations to improve your reading fluency.
- Accept that you may not understand every word and focus on identifying the key words and phrases that convey the main ideas.
To enhance your reading comprehension, consider the following techniques:
- Create mental images of the content to make it more engaging and memorable.
- Listen to audiobooks or use text-to-speech functions while reading to improve your listening and pronunciation skills.
- Write a summary of what you've read to help you review and retain the information.
- Discuss what you've read with others in a reading group to deepen your understanding and gain different perspectives.
- Reflect on the text after finishing it, considering how it relates to your life and identifying areas you need to practice.
Building your vocabulary can help you read English more quickly. Here are some ways to expand your vocabulary:
- Use flashcards or apps to learn new words and their meanings.
- Write down new words by hand, as this can aid in transferring them to your long-term memory.
- Listen to English podcasts designed for language learners, which often introduce new vocabulary and explain its usage.
- Engage in language exchanges or find a language partner to practice speaking and improve your fluency.
- Read context clues in sentences or paragraphs to help infer the meaning of unfamiliar words.
You can employ specific reading techniques to increase your speed and understanding:
- Skimming involves quickly reading through a text to grasp the main idea, allowing you to get an overview of the content.
- Scanning is a technique where you search for specific information within a text, which is useful when looking for answers to comprehension questions.
- Subvocalization, or saying the words in your head as you read, can help improve your reading comprehension, but passive subvocalization without understanding the passage's meaning can slow you down.
Yes, there are several recommended resources to help you practice reading in English:
- Busuu offers downloadable reading materials and exercises that you can access even without an internet connection.
- Wall Street English provides texts tailored to your precise level, gradually introducing new grammar structures and vocabulary.
- Magoosh features articles and practice tests to help ESL learners improve their reading skills and prepare for exams.
- Online exercises, interactive apps, and language exchange websites can also be valuable tools for practicing reading and improving your English skills.
