006: Which is better - intensive or extensive reading?

Today's episode features a question from Marcelo: "Now that I'm at an intermediate level of English, which is better - intensive or extensive reading?"

In this episode:

• What are extensive/intensive reading?
• What are the benefits of each?
• How language teachers use these approaches
• The "intermediate plateau" and how to break through
• Why speaking alone isn't enough to help you reach an advanced level in a language

Strategies for extensive reading:

1. Make sure choose something to read that you're interested in
2. Try not to use a dictionary whilst you're reading
3. Read things that are lower than your current level

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

"Graded readers" are books that have been simplified. Here's a great example of one.

Today's featured resource

Alex Rawlings talking about reading at the Polyglot Gathering 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgQZfS_BMVo

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