271: How to learn vocabulary from reading?

Kristin asks: "How can I learn vocabulary from reading without stopping every 5 seconds?"

In Today's Episode:

Consider this analogy:

When you're pushing yourself on the treadmill and working hard, it can get uncomfortable. However, you keep going because you know it's doing you good. Try to extend that analogy to the act of "reading without stopping". By keeping reading, without stopping to look up words, you're pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone.

Some practical tips to make reading easier:

• Everyone has a strong desire to understand every word, but there is so much value in being content not understanding 100%
• To combat that, try a "zero stopping" policy for a while, and see how it feels. After you finish the entire chapter, go back and look at vocabulary. You'll find that - from continued reading - you've already understood words that flummoxed you earlier
• If you really must look words up, only look up vital words that keep coming up
• Read electronically so you can look up words instantly
• On Kindle, you can select your dictionary (monolingual, bilingual) and highlight words with one touch, then create flashcards automatically
• Separate the tasks of "reading" and "study" - Don't make flashcards while you're reading!

Much of this comes back to our perception of vocabulary being everything. In many ways, it is! But that doesn't mean that stopping to look up every word is the best way to get there!

Resources:

• How to read effectively in a foreign language - my complete guide to effective reading in a foreign language

Helpful tools:

• LingQ
• Kindle Paperwhite
• Readlang

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