Reading Harry Potter

Tuesday 31st August 2021.

For today's homework I had to watch a video.  I ended up watching two.  

Why to do extensive reading (when you are ready)

A book that changed my life.

The book that changed Pablo's life is From the Outside In by Dr J Marvin Brown.  Funnily enough, a book I was reading when I first started my course but had to stop because, the amount of homework meant, I did not have time.  What I have read so far tells me language learning should be an immersive experience that happens to us.  The author refers to babies and how they learn to speak (though he has not mentioned how they go on to read and write yet)  I find this interesting because growing up I lived in a home where English was not the first language.  Even though I was immersed in it, I did not learn very much.  I understand words and a few simple sentences.  I feel that if a more proactive language learning experience had taken place, I would have learned more.  It will be interesting to see if I change my view when I have finished the book.

Extensive reading is something I now realise I have been doing since the beginning of this course (two months to the day!) I started by reading two chapter books for children - Pobre Ana and Pobre Ana Bailó Tango.  

After two weeks I started Harry Potter y la Piedra Filosofal!  That was interesting to begin with!  That first chapter was Haaarrrddd!  I barely understood anything and, if it wasn't for my love of the books and my existing knowledge, I would have given up.  But, I persisted and it was well worth it.  I read one chapter a week and am now on chapter 6.  I even started a book club...and we have fun!  We make quizzes, play hangman, guess the character... it's a fun way to engage with learning a language.  

I have noticed a few things while reading this book.  I have, in the main, been reading it extensively as suggested in this video.  Chapter 1 - I understood a word here or there or because I already knew what was happening.  Chapter 2 & 3 - There was a bigger difference here.  I was starting to understand sentences - whole sentences.  There were even a couple of places where I understood whole paragraphs.  This feeling was incredibly motivating.  Chapter 4 & 5 - I understand loads.  By this, I do not mean every word.  I understand what pretty much every sentence is about.  In a whole chapter there may be 5-6 sentences I do not get.  

I have also noticed that some sentences I am reading straight from Spanish.  By this I mean, I don't translate it into English and then understand it...I am understanding it straight from Spanish. I very rarely look up words and this has ended up working in my favour because sometimes after having seen it in a variety of contexts, I realise what the word means - and this is happening more and more.  

I am mindful of clarification strategies for words and phrases such as

Replace with another word

Look for root word

Reread

Read around the word (sentence before, sentence after) 

Think about what would make sense

And whilst I should try them all, I don't always.  The first one especially is one I should try to use.