TELC UK- Training, Education and Language Courses in London
helping you learn and develop your skills

Graded Readers- what are they and why you should get them when learning English?

Are you an English Language learner who seeks some advice and help in order to improve your English? Or maybe you’re a teacher trying to find new ways of encouraging your students to learn and read in English? The solution for both is Graded Readers.

It is difficult to accurately track your or your students’ progress when learning a new language, as it gradually happens over a period of time. It takes hours of studying and practising any foreign language to achieve true fluency. Many frustrated learners and teachers ask the same questions – how can I improve my English? How can I  learn new words? How can I learn faster? How can I learn to speak English fluently? Joining an English Language course is the best solution, however it might be difficult financially to sign up full time. If you want to see much faster results, other methods and tools are now available to help you do so. Watching English movies without subtitles, listening to and translating English songs and listening to podcasts or YouTube channels are just a few ways to speed up your learning. These examples might not suit everyone. Some eager bookworms might find it beneficial to read in English. I mean read English books!  There are books available to suit every level of English language ability. Whether you’re an elementary level student or an intermediate one, there are Graded Reader books for everyone.

What are Graded Reader books?

The Graded Readers are simplified versions of original books – in other words, adaptations of classic novels adjusted to all age groups and learners’ levels. A wide range of books have been published by Cambridge, Oxford, Macmillan, Burlington and Penguin. The choice is vast and appeals to fans of all genres, be it suspense, romance, sci-fi or comedy. The extensive classification of levels (from beginner to advanced) in line with the Common European Framework (A1, A2, B1 etc.) means you can easily find the book to best suit your level of English.

Get a list of FREE books in English to learn and improve the language:

 

 

8 reasons to start reading the Graded Readers

  1. No dictionary necessary
There is ‎no need to look up hundreds of words in a dictionary as vocabulary used in a book is relatively easy and almost identical with your level. There might be a few odd words you won’t understand, but fear not as there’s a glossary of new terms within each book.
  1. ‎Read and listen at the same time
Most of Graded Readers Also include a CD with the version of the book in audio (audiobook) to also enhance the practice of oral comprehension and, consequently, improvement of pronunciation.
  1. Entertainment for everyone
Whenever you’re into crime, romance, history or sci-fi Graded Readers have it all. Everyone can enjoy a far from complicated but very stimulating and entertaining story.

  1. Books for all age groups
Graded readers are accessible for almost any age and level of English, from very young learners to mature students.
  1. Motivation and satisfaction
Being able to understand what you read motivates you, it also brings a sense of achievement, satisfaction at the end of the book and reinforces confidence.

  1. It’s not only the language

Graded Readers books are an amazing tool to learn not only the language but also familiarise yourself with the culture. Knowing more about customs and traditions brings you closer to the language.

  1. Lexicon and grammar boost
Having read several books almost guarantees improvement of your vocabulary range and reinforcement of grammatical structures.
  1. Affordable
Compared to price of original books Graded Readers are much more affordable and can fit all budgets. On average the price of a new Graded reader book is about £7 however you can also find second hand books which cost round £3 and you can find them either on ebay.com or amazon.com

 

If you’re a book savvy reader or want to take your English to the next level Graded Readers are just what you might be looking for.  As you well know, benefits of reading in your native language as well as a foreign language are vast. Whether it’s the conversation skills, listening skills or vocabulary boost Graded readers have it all and it’s all in your hands to make a good use of them. So don’t wait and get your first English book that you’ll enjoy reading.

Here are few of our recommendations:

Easystarter:  Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves 

Beginner: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 

Elementary: Frankenstein 

Pre-intermediate:  I, Robot 

Intermediate: The Great Gatsby

Upper-intermediate: The Talented Mr Ripley 

Advanced: Room with a View 




Facebook
Instagram