9 Ways to Get Your Students to Learn English From Reading

English is the most commonly spoken language in the world, but learning English can be a challenge for students. One way to help them learn is by teaching them how to learn English from reading.

Teaching reading skills can be done in a variety of ways, depending on the student’s level and interests. Here are some tips on how to get your students to learn English from reading.

How to get your students to learn English from reading

Choose the right reading material

Reading comprehension is a key part of learning English. If you want to get your students to learn English from reading, you need to be able to select materials that are a good fit for their reading level. If students are constantly struggling with reading material that is too difficult for them, it can lead to frustration and a lack of confidence in their abilities.

It’s important for students to be able to read books, articles, and other materials that are interesting and relevant to them, so they can stay motivated and engaged in the process. When students find reading challenging, it’s often because the material is too difficult or doesn’t interest them.

That’s why it’s essential for educators to help students choose reading material that they can understand and that will hold their attention. This means that you need to understand your student’s English level and select reading material for them accordingly. Get this right and it can help them significantly boost their English reading skills.

At lower levels you should always start with simple texts and then grade the reading difficult level up from there. Just remember to:

• Make sure the texts are accessible to your students.
• Encourage them to ask questions.
• Give feedback on their comprehension.
• Reward your students for their efforts!

Give them things to read that they will enjoy

Speaking of rewards, you should always try and give your students something to read that they’ll enjoy. There are many benefits to reading for pleasure, both for child and adult students. If students enjoy reading, they are more likely to do it for fun and continue doing it into adulthood. And if you know how to teach your students to love reading, you’re really on to a winner!

When you’re learning a language, reading can help improve your memory, vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills in that language. It can also help students develop empathy and understand different points of view from around the world. In addition, reading can be a great way for them to relax and escape from the world for a while.

Depending upon their English level, some great books that students often enjoy include; “The Hunger Games” series by Suzanne Collins and the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling. These books are all action-packed and suspenseful, which keeps students engaged. They also have interesting characters and storylines that students can get lost in. Plus, and most importantly of all, they contain plenty of new vocabulary to learn! So don’t be a muggle and get them reading!

Get them to read with a dictionary

Many students give up on learning English when they feel they can’t understand everything. However, with a dictionary by their side, they can continue to learn and improve their language skills. Here are three helpful tips you can give your students for using a dictionary to improve their English:

1. When looking up a word, read the definition and example sentences out loud. This will help you to better understand the word’s usage and pronunciation.

2. Create a vocabulary list. Write down any new words you learn and add them to it. This will help you to remember them better and increase your overall English vocabulary.

3. Use a bilingual dictionary or translation tools when possible. This will allow you to see the word in both English and your native language, which can be helpful for understanding definitions more clearly.

Use reading to identify vocabulary gaps

For students, there are many benefits to filling in their vocabulary gaps. When you know all of the words that are possible in a language, you can read, write, and speak with greater fluency and precision. You also can understand more of what you read, and conversations will be easier to follow. In addition, your speaking skills will improve as you learn how to use new words in context.

The best way to identify vocabulary gaps in your students is by assigning a reading task and then getting them to take a quiz or answer questions about it afterwards. You can use an online quiz maker to easily set one up. The results will give you an accurate picture of where their weaknesses lie.

Once you know which words you need to focus on, there are a number of strategies that can help you teach them. One approach is to add new words to flashcards and review them regularly. Another option is to find videos or articles that use the words you want your students to learn and get them to listen/read them multiple times.

Doing a quiz is also a great way of getting your students to learn to read and understand questions in English, which just so happens to lead us nicely onto our next point.

Get them to read and understand questions

In all walks of life it is important to be able to read and understand questions. However, it could be argued this is even more crucial when learning a foreign language.

By getting your students to read and understand questions in English you’ll help them understand not only the vocabulary with it, but also the context of the question. This is a vital skill. After all, most students who learn English will need to take a test at some point. This could be for their academic studies or to get that job or university placement abroad.

If you teach English as a foreign language in any capacity you’ll probably know about students needing a good TOEFL or IELTS score to secure a position abroad. This is where learning English from reading can be make or break for their careers and affect the trajectory of their lives. It can even determine the opportunities they have to learn English in future.

When taking tests, it is therefore important that your students are able to read the questions correctly. This means reading and understanding each question and all of the answer choices thoroughly. Sometimes, when students are nervous about tests, they will hurry through the questions and not read them fully. This can lead to mistakes because they may misinterpret the question or not understand what is being asked. However, if you have practiced reading and understanding questions with them in class, they will be better equipped to deal with such challenges.

When practicing reading questions, if your students are unsure of something make sure they ask for clarification from either yourself or another student. You can also get them to practice outside of class, and one way of achieving this is by scheduling in reading time for their homework.

Schedule in reading time

Reading is important for many reasons. It helps students learn new things and improve their vocabulary, writing and comprehension skills. However, in order to see significant improvements your students need to be consistent. One way to help with this is by making sure they have enough time for reading practice by getting them to schedule it into their day.

If you can get your students to set aside a certain amount of time each day or week to read books, short stories, articles, or blogs it will help them immeasurably. By making reading a priority it will ensure that they don’t miss out on the many benefits it provides. A great way to motivate them to do this is by setting your students a reading goal.

Set your students a reading goal

When it comes to reading goals, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The important thing is to find a goal that works for your students and helps them get the most out of their reading. Here are a few tips on how to set a reading goal or your students:

1. Choose a goal that is achievable and realistic. Don’t try to get them to read 10 books in a month if they normally only read one book a month. An example could be to read the news in English each night, or read an article from a blog that inspires them daily.

2. Make sure your goal is interesting and motivating. Students are more likely to stick with a goal if you’re excited about it.

3. Set deadlines for them and find ways to track their progress. This will help keep them accountable and motivated.

4. Adjust their goal as needed. If you find that you’re struggling to meet their original goal, try adjusting it so it’s more manageable.

Get them to read the news in English

When you’re learning a new language, it’s important to expose yourself to as much of the language as possible. This includes reading the news in that language.

Reading the news is an excellent way for your students to improve their English skills because it exposes them to current events and everyday conversations. Not only will they learn new vocabulary, but they’ll also learn about different cultures and how people around the world think and speak English.

There are many different sources of English news, so find one that best suits your students’ interests and level of proficiency. Get them to read the news every day, and try to understand as much as they can. Don’t worry if they don’t understand everything at first – just get them to keep practicing!

Get them to read English consistently

We’ve touched upon this several times already, but when it comes to learning a new language, consistency is key. And by reading consistently, we don’t mean sporadically; we mean getting your students to set aside time every day to read in English. Whether it’s newspapers, magazines, books, or online articles, reading will help your students improve their vocabulary, grammar, and understanding of the English language. 

Even if your students only read for 10-15 minutes each day, it will make a difference over time. Ask them to stick with it for a month and you’ll both be pleasantly surprised by how well your students can learn English from reading!