Re-reading

by AJ

Re-reading (for pleasure) is an excellent self-study strategy. This is something that most children and parents do. For example, I can remember reading "Green Eggs and Ham" again and again and again. My Mom read it to me many times. Eventually I could read it myself. I almost had the book memorized!

When I got older, I reread "Lord of The Rings" several times. Actually, my 4th grade teacher read it to our class the first time. But the school year ended before she could read "Return of the King"! I wanted to know how the story ended! So I tried to read Return of the King by myself. It was too difficult and I gave up.

But in 7th grade I read the Hobbit and all of the Lord of The Rings by myself. I read all four books again in 8th grade, and again in High School. When the movies came out recently, I decided to read the books again. I reread them all last year. Each time I read them, I understood more. I understood more of the vocabulary and more of the subtle messages of the writer.

Now Im tyring the rereading strategy with Spanish. Im reading a small children's book called "Abuelo y Los Tres Osos" (Grandfather and the Three Bears). Ive read it twice now. The first time, I didnt understand many of the words. But I understood a little more the second time.

I plan to read it every night before I go to bed (just as many children read a book before bedtime). Each time, I hope to understand just a little bit more..... until eventually I understand the entire book.

I recommend this strategy to my students. If there is an English book that you love, read it again. Read it several times. Your vocabulary and grammar will improve, and so will your understand of the story.

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