Friday 1 January 2016

Read a home run book


According to Stephen Krashen, the term 'home run book' was coined by Clifton Fadiman in 1947. It refers to the first book that a child manages to read through in his or her first language. But I believe that it is just as important for anyone learning another language.

That's because it's quite an accomplishment. It gives you a great boost in confidence to complete an entire book in another language. You know that you can do it.

The experience also gives you a great dollop of second language exposure. Read a set of book at the right level (I'm thinking of Mami reading Enid Blyton's Famous Five series, and then C.S. Lewis's Narnian Chronicles) and you are 'in'!

You want something at the right level; something you are interested in; and something that you are familiar with. Illustrations help (there's a good reason why children read picture books first).

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