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How to Prepare for Reading in a Foreign Language?
Determine Your Level
Before you start reading in a foreign language, it’s important to know your current proficiency level. It is most commonly assessed according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
There are many free online tests available that can help you estimate your level. If you are taking a language course, ask your teacher to evaluate it. This will allow you to choose the right reading materials, which is crucial for making progress and maintaining motivation.
Create a Learning/Reading Space
When reading, turn off your phone and notifications. Find a quiet moment in your day. Keep a dictionary and a drink nearby so you don’t have to interrupt your reading. Studies show that task switching (shifting focus between tasks) can reduce productivity by up to 40%! Another study found that after being distracted, it takes an average of 23 minutes to regain full focus. On the other hand, eliminating distractions can increase productivity by around 35%.
Respect your time, enter a state of flow, and fully concentrate on your reading.
Reach a Starting Level
If you're just beginning your language-learning journey, your first goal should be to reach B1 level. Why? At this level, you can start reading longer, adapted texts designed for learners.
In English, these books are called "graded readers", while in Swedish, they are known as "lättläst" (easy-to-read texts). More information about these texts can be found later in this e-book.
This doesn't mean that beginners shouldn’t read at all—on the contrary! However, the availability of level-appropriate materials is lower, and texts that are too difficult can discourage further learning.
E-Books or Print Books?
Patricia Alexander, a psychologist at the University of Maryland, found in her research that short texts are understood equally well on both screens and paper. However, for texts longer than 500 words, comprehension is significantly better when reading from paper.
Another factor is the ability to remember locations within a book. When reading a printed book, you might recall that a specific scene (e.g., a grandfather’s death) was described at the bottom left page. This sense of spatial memory is lost when scrolling through a long digital document. (Although some e-readers mimic page-turning quite well.)
Why is this important? Research shows that we tend to create mental maps while learning or reading. When we can physically place an event or fact on a page, we learn and remember it faster.
Screen vs. Paper – Which is Better?
Multiple studies indicate that reading on screens can lead to lower comprehension, often without readers realizing it.
- A 2018 study by researchers from Spain and Israel analyzed 54 studies involving 171,000 readers. They found that printed texts resulted in better understanding. The results were published in the Educational Research Review.
- Another study among university students found that most participants focused better and remembered more when reading printed materials.
- Reading on paper is also less tiring. The stable text layout, the ability to see larger portions of text at once, and the lack of scrolling make reading easier.
Additionally, our associations with screen reading matter. We usually read casual content on screens—texts, social media notifications, short articles—without deep focus. If we associate screens with superficial reading, it becomes harder to concentrate on longer, more demanding texts.
Would you prefer reading in print or digitally? No matter your choice, preparing properly for foreign language reading will help you learn faster and more effectively.
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