Learning a new language has a lot of moving parts. You need to learn vocab words, speak in the language, write in the language, watch tv shows, etc. It can get a little overwhelming. If you love reading, you might be wondering: Can you learn a language by just reading? How beneficial is reading in a foreign language overall?
To answer the first question: Can you learn a language by just reading? You can learn a language by just reading, but it’s inefficient and it’ll take you longer to reach fluency.
While reading is a great tool for learning a language, you need to practice all areas of communication to get good at, well, communicating in a foreign language.
Does Reading Improve Language Learning?
Reading improves language learning because it’s a great way to increase exposure to the language, increase your input of new words, and get used to grammar structures.
Reading = Core Input
What is input?
As said by the British council, language learning input “refers to the exposure learners have to authentic language in use.”
This can be music, movies and tv shows, podcasts, even real life conversations. And of course, reading. It’s basically anything you would consume in your target language.
Why is Input So Important?
If you’ve never heard your target language before, if you never stumbled across it in the form of input, how would you know how to say anything in it? This is the core value of input.
It introduces you to not only your target language, but all the ways it can be used. Through input, you hear phrases and expressions, the rhythm and pronunciation of the language, and different words.
If you’re never introduced to a new word in the form of input first, you won’t be able to produce it in the form of output. Without input, there can be no output.
Reading in a Foreign Language Broadens Your Vocabulary
The vocabulary used in books is typically broader than what’s used in movies or tv shows. With film, you’re mostly only getting dialogue.
But in books, you’re getting similes and exposition, and all the flowery expressive language necessary to bring the world in pages to life.
Depending on what you read, you can be exposed to curated vocab words and expressions. For example, a science-fiction book will introduce you to metaphors, scientific language, etc.
A news article about politics will exposure you to political language and more concise sentence structures.
Reading Introduces You to Words in Context
Finding words in context means the words aren’t just in isolation, but are part of a sentence and paragraph. This can be super important for remembering them and using them accurately when you’re out in the wild.
Reading Better Familiarizes You with Correct Grammar Structures
We all know that grammar is important.
While it’s beneficial to practice producing them through textbook exercises and when you’re speaking with your tutor, seeing them used correctly in text is useful, too. This is a passive way to familiarize yourself with correct grammar structures.
The benefit of passively absorbing grammar through novels or short stories won’t be immediate, but they’re definitely helpful.
Why? Because you can read much longer than you can plug away at grammar exercises! It won’t be as tiring, so you’ll be able to stay at it for longer. And more time with the language is always a plus.
Tips for Reading in a Foreign Language
- Read books that are at your current language level. A lot of language learners talk about reading Harry Potter. It’s a classic in the community because a lot of people have read it before, and it’s been translated into many languages (and it’s easily found on Amazon). However, if you’re at a A2/B1 level, I wouldn’t recommend it; it’ll be too incomprehensible! The point of reading in a foreign language is to read somewhat comprehensible input. The goal is to understand at least 50-80% of the words. so you can rely on context for the words you don’t know.
- If your target language has them, use graded readers. They’re books created for language learners and specify which level they were created for. If you can’t find graded readers, use children’s books or even the short texts that are in textbooks.
- Write down the new vocabulary you find, and add them to flashcards. So that you don’t just forget the new words you read, I recommend adding them to your flashcard deck. This is especially helpful when context just doesn’t cut it. I love Anki, a flashcard app that uses spaced repetition. This means it shows you words at smart intervals, so that you don’t study one word too much or too little.
- Read what’s interesting to you. The more interesting the books you’re reading is, the more likely you are to stick with it. So try to find texts on subjects that are interesting to you.
Can You Learn a Language by Just Reading?
Now let’s dive more into the question asked at the start of this post: Can you learn a language by just reading? No writing, no speaking, no grammar workbooks, JUST reading. The short answer is yes, but it will take you longer. I wouldn’t recommend it. Hear me out.
Imagine if when you were a baby you never opened your mouth to start copying what your parents would say to you.
They would say “Say mamma! ma-ma!” and you would just stare, mouth closed. No little baby babble as you try to copy. Just…silence.
Imagine if you never started speaking at all until you really needed to. Do you think you’d be very good at it? I doubt it.
The same way it was integral to our development as infants to start speaking, even if it was just one or two words, pretty early, I’d argue it’s the same for learning a second language.
You don’t have to start speaking right away, but I’d suggest incorporating it to your language learning routine eventually. Otherwise, you’re just delaying the practice you’ll need later.
The same goes for the other three branches of language learning. You can focus on just reading, but if your goal is to communicate effectively in your target language, and not just read in it, then you should practice all the parts of communication.
Practice makes perfect. All the parts of communication— speaking, reading, writing, listening—will require some practice to reach proficiency. Not to mention how your pronunciation, grammar, and vocab benefits from a well-rounded study routine.
Pronunciation
Listening to your target language and speaking it are key for nailing how words are pronounced in your target language. Especially with languages like French that don’t always pronounce words how they’re written.
Grammar
You might be able to pick up on some grammar structures by reading a foreign language, but you’ll master them quicker with some dedicated study in addition to your reading.
Yes, I know I said seeing them passively is beneficial—and it still is! But like everything in life, balance is key for the best results.
For me to really grasp a concept, I need to not only see it in use, but reproduce it myself. I need to practice it in speech, and write with it, too. Many others are the same way.
There’s a reason why textbooks write texts with the grammar structures in use, and then have you practice them through exercises!
Vocabulary
The same goes for learning vocabulary words. Yes, you’ll come across a ton of new words in your target language through reading. But will you understand them all and remember them without any additional practice?
For the average person, probably not. After coming across a word once, it’s critical that you’re reintroduced to it for reinforcement.
This has been backed up by a study that found if, for example, a word’s definition lived in our memory for one week, in order to encounter that word again to get the necessary reinforcement, you’d need to read at least 10k words a week, or one graded reader every one to two weeks.
And as your vocabulary gets larger, new vocabulary is fewer and far between, so you’d need to read more and more to really learn new words. This is pretty unrealistic for the average person.
So what can you do to combat this? Supplement your reading with active vocabulary study.
Instead of spending all of your time reading, I’d say you’re better off using flashcards and adding new words to your deck to ensure you won’t forget them.
Why Learn a Language Through Just Reading?
Here is where I’d ask myself: Why do I want to only read to learn a language? Is that what’s most comfortable? Am I too nervous to practice speaking? Maybe textbooks are too boring. These are all understandable.
Since I’ve already covered how it’s not very effective to learn an entire language through reading, let’s figure out solutions to the points made above. Of course, I recommend finding things you enjoy and feel comfortable doing that are still challenging. But what would those things be?
Too shy to speak with a language tutor? Talk to yourself first. Don’t like typical textbooks? Search around and find some that are more modern and interesting.
It’s 2021. Great strides have been taken in all areas, textbooks included!
It might be more comfortable to stay in your…well…comfort zone, and just read alone to try to reach fluency. But like anything else, staying in your comfort zone won’t allow for the most growth.
RECOMMENDED: iTalki Review: The Language Learning Resource I Can’t Live Without!
Incorporating Reading into Your Strategy: An Effective Method
Instead of just reading, or having reading take up the bulk of your study time, here’s a strategy I’d recommend to be more effective:
- Start to listen in your target language. This can be music, a podcast, the radio, etc. As long as it’s interesting to you and you can understand at least 50% of what’s being said, you’re good to go. For beginners, this can be a podcast created for language learners, or pop songs with simple lyrics.
- Find a textbook or online program that teaches your target language. I love textbooks because they’re usually an all-in-one shop, but there are sites that do this, too. With a textbook (or good online-program) you can learn grammar, vocabulary, and be given exercises to do.
- Write in your target language. Don’t have a language learning journal yet? Start one! This is a great low-pressure way to produce in your target language.
- Speak in your target language. This can be speaking to yourself for a couple minutes a day, or setting up lessons with an online tutor. Either way, practicing what you’ve been seeing in the books you’ve read is crucial to ensuring you can communicate in your target language.
So the point is, to read, but also to write, listen to, and speak your target language to reach full-on fluency!
If you’d like more help creating a winning language learning strategy, check out Part One of my Language Learning Basics Series, where I walk you through how to create a strategy and learn a language by yourself.
All in all…
Reading in a foreign language helps broadens your vocabulary, is a great source of input, and familiarizes you with grammar structures. You’re able to see words in context, and come across words you likely wouldn’t in just tv shows and music.
But, I wouldn’t recommend relying on just reading to learn a new language.
It’ll take you longer and would just be inefficient. To learn a language more efficiently, you’d eventually want to start speaking and producing in your target language. You’d want to listen to it, too.
To figure out the right mix of speaking, listening, reading, and writing to create a well-rounded language learning strategy, check out Part One of my Language Learning Basics Series. It covers how to create a strategy to learn a language effectively by yourself.