Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Teaching & Learning > Teaching and Learning Techniques


Reading Spanish-language Books To Improve Fluency

 

Teaching methodology, learning techniques, linguistics-- any of the various aspect of learning or teaching a foreign language.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old September 21, 2012, 09:36 PM
Amara Amara is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 20
Native Language: English
Amara is on a distinguished road
Reading Spanish-language Books To Improve Fluency

What do you think of reading Spanish-language as a way to increase Spanish fluency?

How effective do you think that it would be, and what advice do you have before I proceed?

Do you frequently read books in your target language?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old September 22, 2012, 09:37 AM
zuma022 zuma022 is offline
Pearl
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 125
Native Language: Swiss German
zuma022 is on a distinguished road
I do try to read a fair bit. I think it helps with getting the flow of the language and helping with vocabulary and of course reading comprehension. I don't think reading books alone will make you fluent but to me it's an important part. I feel that I learn that I don't need to understand every word to get the gist of it, which I think is an important skill in listening comprehension.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old September 22, 2012, 10:39 AM
Kunstliebhaber's Avatar
Kunstliebhaber Kunstliebhaber is offline
Ruby
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Venezuela.
Posts: 31
Native Language: Spanish
Kunstliebhaber is on a distinguished road
Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amara View Post
What do you think of reading Spanish-language as a way to increase Spanish fluency?

How effective do you think that it would be, and what advice do you have before I proceed?

Do you frequently read books in your target language?
Reading is the most effective and flawless, perfect way to master a language.

When I was in high school, some classmates of mine never read a book and when they had to do it, they read even worse than an illiterate or a kid learning to read for the first time.

That's a shame, indeed.

Oh, and just saying: They didn't even know how to write properly and their arguments were worse than fallacies.

In conclusion: Reading just not makes you better in a language, but makes you smarter too.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old September 22, 2012, 11:23 AM
BenCondor BenCondor is offline
Pearl
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 205
Native Language: English-US
BenCondor is on a distinguished road
A trick I've learned is to write out translations in English (or your native language) for texts being read in the target language. It's often amazing how much that you think you understand isn't really understood at all. "False friends" especially can throw you into guessing an incorrect meaning.

A caveat though. Don't dwell on the translation once completed. Learn the words in the target language and try not to look at the translation when you're re-reading the original text.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old September 22, 2012, 06:53 PM
Glen Glen is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 718
Native Language: English
Glen is on a distinguished road
I think it depends on what you want to do with the language: if it's mainly to become a translator, then reading and writing in both languages is essential, but if it's mainly to become an interpreter then reading is probably somewhat less important than listening and speaking. Even so, all four elements are necessary, in varying degrees according to what your ultimate goal is.

I like to read plays, since the dialogue is immediately useful in everyday situations; and comics, just because the characters speak plainly and simply!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old September 25, 2012, 09:50 PM
Qazsdec Qazsdec is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 9
Qazsdec is on a distinguished road
Creo que es vital para aprender el idioma. El español es un idioma muy vasto, así que tienes que tener cuidado con qué autor lees. No vas a comenzar con un autor barroco pues. Personalmente, creo que deberías comenzar por los cuentos que las novelas. Estoy pensando en autores, pero no se me ocurren muchos para comenzar; creo que lo mejor sería que escogas autores que ya hayas leído en inglés (que te hayan gustado) y cuya prosa sea simple. Te recomiendo al japonés Haruki Murakami.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old October 30, 2012, 08:47 AM
magicrob magicrob is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Posts: 4
Native Language: English
magicrob is on a distinguished road
Agree with all points above. I would add though, that as a way of gaining vocabulary it can cause problems - I remember reading a couple of books by Eduardo Mendoza, and took note of some interesting vocabulary I found. When I finally managed to slip those words into conversation (I think one was "rimbombante"), I got some strange looks. People just don't really use those kinds of words.

That was my fault for basically trying to show off. When using books for vocab, it's great for developing passive vocab, but with active vocab be careful because many authors have their own ways of writing, and you can end up sounding quite unnatural.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old October 31, 2012, 09:31 PM
JPablo's Avatar
JPablo JPablo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,579
Native Language: Spanish (Castilian, peninsular)
JPablo is on a distinguished road
Mmmm...

Who gave you "strange looks" for "rimbombante"?

It's a pretty common word in Spain... unless you pronounced in a weird way...?

The way to develop an active vocabulary is to understand the terms as you go, and actually make up sentences of your own, with the new terms (something from 10 to 20 sentences), so you get familiar enough... (You can also google the word or check it in CREA and see the examples there...)

And don't be afraid to make mistakes, it's better to make a mistake and ask people to help you fixing it up, than to refrain yourself from communicating.

My 2 euros...

Link to a search for "rimbombante" in CREA
http://corpus.rae.es/cgi-bin/crpsrvE...1000&tema=1000
__________________
Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."

Last edited by JPablo; October 31, 2012 at 09:34 PM. Reason: Added link
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old October 31, 2012, 10:45 PM
chileno's Avatar
chileno chileno is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Posts: 7,863
Native Language: Castellano
chileno is on a distinguished road
I concur with JPablo.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old November 01, 2012, 11:10 AM
magicrob magicrob is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Posts: 4
Native Language: English
magicrob is on a distinguished road
True - "rimbombante" was perhaps a poor example - and trying out new vocabulary should always be encouraged. I guess my point was that each writer has their own idiosyncracies, which may not lead to the most "natural" sounding Spanish. When reading literature in Spanish, it can be hard to be aware of the register or style used - so what's literary may not be right for a conversation.
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Spanish Audio Books? zoiberg137 Teaching and Learning Techniques 2 September 15, 2012 01:33 PM
Reading in Spanish and English southUS Teaching and Learning Techniques 3 February 02, 2012 11:18 AM
Books: what are you reading? Alex General Chat 63 November 14, 2010 12:35 PM
Introductory Spanish E-books with translations mlun Teaching and Learning Techniques 25 January 08, 2010 11:56 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:42 AM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X