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Foreign Language Books and Other Reading Materials

There are many sources of reading materials, many of them free. Look at the list below. The ones marked with * won't cost you anything more than time and effort. If they are marked (*), they will be free of charge most of the time. Try to do some extra reading each week, or better still, every day.

• * The Internet. One great advantage of working on web sites is that you learn a lot of vocabulary unconsciously from recognising the function of buttons without knowing the words in advance. Use search engines to find information about topics in your chosen language.
• * Multi-lingual packaging. You know, the instructions which come with your new electric kettle. However, beware of bad translations. Only look at the language if it matches the country of origin of the product. You do have the advantage of a gist translation into your own language. These make excellent texts for intensive work.
• * Junk mail or advertising left on your car or picked up at the shops when you are abroad. You will understand much of this quite easily because you recognise the form.
• (*) What your learning partner writes to you. You could even ask them to send you extra materials in your areas of interest.
• Reading schemes for learners of your chosen language. These reflect your level of ability in reading but not your interests. Unfortunately, these are not always produced for adults.
• Reading schemes for young readers in your chosen language. Again, these may be a little childish in content, but they will provide you with simpler but still authentic texts.
• Reading schemes in your chosen language for adult native speakers who are learning to read. These are ideal, as they will be a stepping stone to more complex texts and will be of interest to any age group.
• (*) Manuals to do with your work produced for the countries which speak your chosen language.
• Texts in your course book. (Perhaps you could read intensively those texts which were meant for extensive reading.)
• Subscription magazines. These come at all levels and may be produced monthly or termly. Sometimes, a university continuing education centre or adult education centre will stock a few. If you are in a class, ask your teacher to organise a bulk purchase of these - discounts are often given.
• Many university continuing education departments have access to the main language departments at the university which will have their own bank of resources. Find out how to use these.

Have fun reading!