Notes on reading and learning
Essays and guides on learning a language by reading: levels, vocabulary, habits and the research behind them.
A 30-day reading plan for the language you're learning
A realistic 30-day plan for learning a language by reading: 15 to 20 minutes a day, one book at your level, audio, and a clear goal for each week.
How many words do you need to read a novel in another language?
Research suggests 8,000 to 9,000 word families for an unsimplified novel. What that means, how long it takes, and how to start reading whole novels much sooner.
Why classic novels are great for learning a language
Strong plots, stories you half-know and cultural echoes everywhere: why adapted classic novels make ideal reading for learners, and how to choose your first.
How to learn a new alphabet by reading
Arabic, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew, Devanagari or Japanese kana: how to learn a new script by reading with audio, with practical tips for each one.
Reading while listening: why audio plus text helps you learn
What research says about reading while listening, why audio plus text helps with vocabulary, pronunciation and speed, and four ways to build it into your day.
Dictionary or context? When to look up words while reading
Should you look up every unknown word or guess from context? What the research says, why meaning in context beats the dictionary entry, and a simple rule.
How to choose your reading level in a new language
Too hard and you'll quit; too easy and you'll coast. How to find your reading level in a new language, three quick tests, and why easier is often better.
Extensive reading: the case for reading lots of easy books
What extensive reading is, what the research shows, and how to start: why reading many easy books can do more for your language than studying a few hard ones.
CEFR levels A1 to C2 explained: what you can read at each level
The six CEFR levels from A1 to C2 explained for readers: what you can read at each level, with the same passage rewritten from A1 to the original.
Graded readers: a short history, and what makes a good one
What graded readers are, where they came from, what separates a good one from a dull one, and why classic novels make some of the best stories to grade.
The 98% rule: how many unknown words can a page take?
Research suggests you need to know about 98% of the words in a text to read it comfortably. What the studies found, what 98% feels like, and how to use it.
What is comprehensible input? The research, the critics and how to use it
Krashen's comprehensible input explained: what the research supports, where the critics push back, and how to turn the idea into a daily reading habit.