Learners often come to me with questions about their English reading materials. They wonder if the books they’ve chosen are good for practicing English or why certain expressions differ from what they hear daily. For instance, one of my students asked why “you shall” was used in a text. This highlighted a common issue: many learners struggle to distinguish between reading for pleasure and reading to learn English as a second language. This leads to a vital question: How does one choose a book that benefits English learning? However, selecting the right materials involves more than just finding any English text—it requires careful consideration of the learner’s proficiency level and the regional variation of English they are exposed to.
To support language learners effectively, it’s important to showcase how to pick a book that is appropriate to their needs and levels. For example, I set up a reading class once a month and bring books that I think might interest learners. They browse as many books as they can to find out what they like and whether they are good for them to learn and read, following these tips:
Check the Author
Investigate the author’s background to gauge the appropriateness of their work.
1. Is the author still publishing? Contemporary authors are more likely to use modern, relevant language.
2. Where was the author born and where do they live? This helps understand the regional dialect and cultural context.
3. What is the author’s background? Knowing more about the author can provide insights into the themes and language used.
Five Finger Rule
Before committing to a book, have learners read the second page and hold up a finger for each word they are not sure of or do not know. If learners struggle with five or more vocabulary words, it may be too hard for their current level. Frequently encountering unfamiliar words can make reading frustrating. If they spend more time looking up words than reading, the book may be too advanced.
Contemporary and Relevant Content
Encourage participants to select a book and examine its first page or any page. Prompt them to discuss whether the excerpt they’ve read reflects modern language usage. With the instructor’s guidance, learners should discern the differences by the discussion’s conclusion.
Regional Appropriateness
Provide a variety of books from different regions and ask learners to identify expressions that may be either British or American. Record these on the board and stress the importance of understanding such distinctions to prevent confusion and promote familiarity with the specific conventions of the English variant they’re studying.
Engaging and Motivating Texts
Recognize that interest and motivation are crucial in language learning. Choose texts that align with learners’ interests, whether in mystery, science fiction, romance, or nonfiction genres. This approach enhances the enjoyment and effectiveness of reading sessions. At the class’s end, encourage learners to share their favorite genres and selections.
ESL instructors understand the importance of choosing the right reading materials, but learners might not realize this. It’s essential to teach them how to select books that will help them learn effectively and enjoy their reading. Guiding beginners in selecting suitable books, especially contemporary, level-appropriate, and regionally consistent texts, can greatly improve their learning. By choosing materials that match their needs and interests, learners can enhance their proficiency, build confidence, and enjoy learning English. Additionally, learning to check the author and publication date can help them understand and appreciate older literature better.
Bei Zhang
Hello, my name is Bei Zhang. I am delighted to be part of the team to share my ideas and experience. I am currently working at Huron University College as an English Language Learning specialist. My job there is to help international students with their academic English language skills. I also teach ESL and LINC at Thames Valley District School Board, and ESL at London Language Institute, a private language school in London. I graduated in 2018 with a master’s degree in Education Studies from Western University, focused on applied linguistics and teacher education. I also have a background in human resources management. I hope that my unique perspective of teaching ESL in different educational systems can benefit the TESL Ontario Blog and our members.
Hello Bei,
Yours is an interesting blog. Your approach to choosing books for students is thoughtful and innovative (the five finger rule). It is good that you bring physical books to the classroom. It would also be good if you could teach students to find the books in libraries by themselves. Looking for books to read is pleasurable in and of itself. It is also a lost pursuit. I rely mostly on eBooks or PDF’s of books these days but I don’t enjoy reading these as much in those forms.
Many international students I encounter in high schools with plans to enter post secondary education don’t care to read curricular books, let alone reading for pleasure. they even aren’t aware of several genres. And with their reliance on cell phones, they have been conditioned to digest smaller and smaller units of text, relying far more on visual and auditory information at the expense of the written word.
They’re exiting the locale of imagination, reflection and critical thinking ability. Reading requires effort on their part – they frequently choose the far easier, more inclusive and more popular path of “trend” which is afforded by their devices. If you think about it, you’ll acknowledge that cell phones aren’t suitable as portable reading devices. And few people use them in that fashion. Libraries won’t close because books are being digitized; libraries will close because no one will care to use them in the future.