3644. You Can Learn a Lot by Just Reading Books, Look

 So we have – continuing what said on the previous post – that we can learn a foreign or second language, but also we can acquire it. Subconsciously. Similar to what little children do. 

And we language learners have to receive a comprehensible input, to acquire the language. Thus we will be exposed to that input, which should be a bit above my actual level, thus we can proceed and advance in that language learning. 

All this entails practical points for the classroom. 

Remember all that was already said by Stephen Krashen from the seventies and eighties of last century. A great fellow this expert I guess. 

He also said that you can learn & acquire the target tongue by reading books, and this is good news – I do like reading books and articles. 

He puts that fiction books, like novels, help you a great deal in those learning & acquiring: those books bring everyday lexis and sayings and kinds of expressions. And even it seems better if you select those books. 

The following thing is mine: with those graded readers and books you can also learn – not just acquire. It’s what I do. 

Recently I have re-read the third sequel of Harry Potter (and the Prisoner of Azkaban) in English, and right now I’m reading a book on the Apollo missions to the moon, by Andrew Chaikin. I’ve had fun with those two books. 

I’ve tried to read a B2 graded reader – a retold story from Wuthering Heights, yet it’s rather terrible: the characters are so cruel and evil, and in just a hundred pages, I’m hesitating to read it: I’m so interested in revising that B2 English, yet the retold plot is kind of disgusting. 

So I was saying: when I read those books I also LEARN vocab and expressions and English ways of saying things, for I consciously focus on those expressions, and try and learn them by heart – I wouldn’t wonder some of those expressions are utilized when composing these blog posts! 

So summing up, comprehensible input but a bit above your level, so as to advance and progress, and loads of reading. Have a nice summer (or winter in the southern hemisphere) day.

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