READING ORIGINAL ENGLISH BOOKS - GOOD WAY TO ENLARGE STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY.

This article is rather an instruction for the teachers in their preparation work. Anyway, this piece of instruction can give our readers the understanding of the methods our online teachers apply while working with studentsonline.

First, you should choose the level of the book according to your student. The book hasn’t to be too long. The student may use this book for home reading (good idea, even for homework). Then (it’s very important) choose the theme of it. The book must be interesting for the person who reads it. It is great when the book has useful information (there is no need to read about personal relations if a student is interested in business, and on the contrary it won’t be effective for a person to take a book on world economy if he/she doesn’t have a clue of it). In addition you may find something about biography of the author; it will be the “food for discussion” as well.

Before reading it’s better to make a list of some unknown words (glossary). Later it will be used in the English by Skype lesson – students will be able to read, pronounce, guess the meanings, make own examples with the new vocabulary and so on. We need this phase to make reading easier and interesting. Two variants of organization are possible in this case: giving this list of words (glossary) to study at home, or organize the work with the dictionary at the lesson.

Then you need to prepare questions and ask them after reading.Why do we need it? The answer is simple – to check how your students have understood the plot and the text of the book.Next step is to make interesting grammar and vocabulary exercises and games. It’s a great opportunity to train the spelling of new words, to memorize grammar structures and enlarge vocabulary by using in the sentences. It will be also very efficient to encourage your students to give the synonyms for each vocabulary unit in the exercises.

At the end of working with this text, help your student to prepare a story about the problem (plot or idea) given or ask them to Retell the story on the part of one character or better organize a Role Play (in case it is a group discussion) These kinds of tasks always provoke interesting debates and push students to train their speaking skills.

Let’s give the example:

“DANCING IN SOOT” by Richard Brown.

When I was little, my granddad owned a small farm, which was near our house. There was a stable, a corn house and a dovecote to explore. There was an orchard to run through and two gates to climb over. ……….”

1. Glossary
   own
   stable
   corn
   dovecote
   explore
   orchard

1. Questions
   1) Where did all family go off once a year?
   2) Where did the children go when they were sent outside?
   3) What did they cover themselves with?
   4) What was Mum’s reaction?
   5) Did they eventually set off for the fair?

1. Exercises.
   1) Finish the sentences.
   I think it’s exciting to…
   I feel happy when I …
   I find…
   In my opinion it’s terrible to…
   I enjoy………. because it’s amusing.
   It’s funny to…… . 
   I find……. boring.
   
   2) Complete the words.
   d_s_rv_
   f_ _wn
   tr_u_er_
   sh_ _t
   t_e
   m_n_g_

Good luck with your reading!

In the next articles you will read:

• What original English books are suitable for each level?
• Three strategies of reading an original English book.
• Why do we need to read original English books