For English Book Reading, Avoid This at Least!
For English Book Reading, Avoid This at Least!
  • Korea IT Times (info@koreaittimes.com)
  • 승인 2013.02.25 19:52
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SEOUL, KOREA - Case 1: 'A' has a son in the 5th grade in elementary school. She sends her son to an English private tutoring institution and enjoys taking care of her son whose English communication skill has improved beyond recognition. One day she decides to let her son read English books when she hears the news that English book reading is significantly helpful in improving English communication skill. 'A', having dropped by a bookstore to choose English books, buys the entire series of 'Harry Potter' which was highly noted as film as well as best-seller among children. However, her son who read several pages of the Harry Potter book becomes frustrated and distraught. He avoids reading the English books, complaining that the books are too difficult. The books include too many words that the son does not know. At this, 'A' even prompts the son to read the book by looking up in English dictionary.

 

Case 2: 'B' who has a daughter in the 4th grade in elementary school. Recently she is haggling with her daughter who enjoys English book reading in choosing the type of English books. 'B' who wants the daughter to become a capable doctor desires that the daughter may read English books regarding biology or medicine. However, the daughter likes reading fantasy English novels like Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings. It is no use stopping the daughter. Since the mother believes that reading easy medicine books from childhood would be of significant help when the daughter studies medicine later on, the struggle between 'B' and daughter does not cease at all.

Recently for several years, the market for English book reading is showing dramatic growth. Since Busan Municipal English Book Library opened its doors in 2009, for the first time in the nation, public and private English book libraries are coming into birth like so many mushrooms after rain. Relevant industry is estimating that the libraries number 200 or so. Compared to the past when the focus was primarily on English conversation skills, the English study market is transitioning rapidly toward English book reading.

Jin Yoon, representative of the Korean branch of MetaMetrics®, a U.S. based company, who working with publishing and texting companies to provideLexile® measures for readers and texts, the global standard for matching readers with text, comments "In some sense, it is rather natural that Koreans who feared English as to be rebuked as being unable to speak even one word of English when encountered with foreigner came to absorb themselves into English conversation." He further stated "However, as English conversations are demanded to deliver information as well as exchanging communication, English books delivers the culture of the English speaking world while offering affluent topics of talk. These features of English book reading has caused the English book reading market to expand dramatically."

English experts, however, advise parents to improve their kids' English communication skill through English book reading, but not force the children to read books that do not meet the level of the child or books of fields where the child does not have interest like in the case of 'B'. Dr. Malbert Smith, Co-founder and President of MetaMetrics, suggests that no matter how popular a book may be, it may deter a child from English book reading if the book is not targeted to the child’s level and interests.

Dr. Smith remarks "If an English book is too difficult, the child may lose interest in reading the book, and if the book is too easy, little improvement would be expected from English book reading. Further, if the child does not read English books according to his/her aptitude and interests, he/she may give up reading English book." Dr. Smith also added "If the parents have children read English books by considering the two aspects, the child will make significant growth in his or her reading abilities". Then he pointed out that more important than anything else is that parents should practice English book reading first. He said that it would be self-contradictory if parents only watch TV and yet force a child to read English book.

In the meantime, to have children read English books that meet their level, it is necessary to measure the English reading proficiency of a child. Lexile measures help match appropriate books to children. The Lexile measure is a scientific evaluation index developed for the objective measurement of English book reading capability and difficulty of English book. The Lexile measure presents the English book reading capability of reader and difficulty of English book by using unified barometer. This measure has the purpose to match English books of difficulty that complies with the individual's capability of English book reading. The Lexile measure is taken as standard for classification of books in nearly all English book libraries.

To obtain your Lexile measure, you can take a number of tests including the E-LQ Assessment, the TOEIC® test or the TOEFL® Junior™ test. You can also receive a Lexile reader measure by going to http://www.lexile.com/toefl/ and inputting your score from the TOEFL iBT® test or by accessing EngagingEnglish.com and taking a simple test.


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