3 Reasons Why Reading Boosts Language Acquisition
Reading is important in developing language skills. While we may speak every day, the vocabulary used is often limited. For people who speak more than one language, reading is an easy way to help o develop their language skills and fluency.
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lidi L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
1. Exposure to Various Topical Vocabulary
Reading books ensure exposer to vocabulary on different topics, words that may not be head otherwise in our daily lives. Many studies have shown that people who read every day have a larger vocabulary than those who don’t. this is because they are exposed to more words which turn to increase their vocabulary. Learning to read boost linguistic awareness in so many ways; apart from an increase in vocabulary, other things like moral values and a greater understanding of a text can be picked from reading especially learners who love reading. Reading books with children helps develop their language skills by increasing their exposure to the language.
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2. Exposure to Speech Patterns and Imagination Activities
Stories that rhyme is very helpful for teaching speech and language skills. Reading also engages a child’s imagination, stimulating imaginative play, and introducing a child to things and places they may not have the chance to learn about otherwise, such as dinosaurs or boogeyman. Books are said to be good companions and a lot of people adopt it as a hobby. By reading scripts or materials written by different authors, your language rapidly improves. You come across new words, phrases, sentences, slangs, and locally used dialects. Many of those phrases are worth remembering and useful daily. Difficult or challenging vocabulary encountered during reading are looked up in a dictionary, and by so doing the words turn to stick to your memory.
Children learn a lot of things from watching and listening to an adult read to them. For example, they learn the different sounds made and the way they are formed using the mouth and lips. Through the use of books, specially designed and colorful baby books, they learn first words such as; colors, shapes, and names of animals. It is brilliant hearing children practicing new words in context after they have heard them being read in their favorite books! Books don’t just help children learn new words, you may notice a child also start picking up things such as how we use tones or voice during reading to emphasize words, or how simple sentences are structured.
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3. Access to Different Social Contexts
Reading can be used as a tool for reasoning and problem-solving. This can be done by asking students or reader questions about the plot of a book and what they will do to work through the problems faced by characters in the book. Playing a memory game based on a book can encourage both long-term and short-term memory. From my personal experience, I am an avid reader who has developed to a hobby over the years. I've picked up so many new words during my reading, positively strengthening my vocabulary. Reading has been a great tool in language development and acquisition. I am constantly exposed to a very wide range of words which gives me an edge over the language.
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Reading is a very effective method of learning a language because not only does it provide you with a plethora of new words, it also develops cognitive skills. Reading will certainly not make learners suddenly develop native speakers’ or skill in learning a second language (L2). However, reading plays an important role in vocabulary growth provided that post-reading activities are done. For example, copying expressions or vocabulary and try using them in speaking or writing if not the new vocabulary will stay in learner’s passive vocabulary. Reading is an important aspect of cognitive development and critical thinking.
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