Voracious Reading Does Not Vouch for Language Improvement

Do you read materials to improve your English? One of our members introduces one interesting theory on reading style for language improvement. Take a look and think about what style do you have when reading something. Give us your thoughts through comments!

Voracious Reading Does Not Vouch for Language Improvement

 

Cha Su-Min

Korea National University of Education

Dept. of English Education

             As more emphasis has been placed on the foreign language proficiency, learners began to look for effective ways to improve their language ability. One of the most prevalent strategies they choose is to read as much material as possible. It is undoubtedly reasonable to say abundant exposure to various resources may help to establish broad background that will eventually bring linguistic improvement. An educational approach, however, reveals that reckless reading without careful plans, hence the term “voracious reading,” would bear less fruit than learners might expect or none.

             Two notions language pedagogy suggests against voracious reading are “uptake” and “intake.” While “uptake” refers to the state learners store new or unfamiliar concepts in their brain instantly and forget them in near future, “intake” refers to complete internalization of new concepts so that learners are able to apply them to whenever necessary. According to this approach, language learners whose focus is solely on the amount of reading would be able to reach the “uptake” level but would never reach the “intake” level.  To fully understand and vitalize what they acquired, therefore, learners should prepare carefully designed strategies prior to a reading phase. One good tip, especially when it comes to unfamiliar themes, is to broaden preliminary knowledge by reading corresponding material in a native language. After grasping the concept would learners be able to “intake” target language instead of drifting along the paragraphs only to stay in “uptake” level.

             Everyone has different purpose as to learning the foreign language. Once their ultimate goal is to get used to the target language without any feeling of repulsion, voracious reading will help achieve it. If the priority is on native-like communication in the target language, on the other hand, learners had better try to reach an “intake” phase as shown above by arranging well-knit strategies. Voracious reading provides no guarantee for excellent language acquisition. Why don’t you look back to your language learning and cautiously examine the overall process once more?