Let's Learn Korean - Reading in Korean

Total words: 202

I’m trying to speed up my efforts in learning Korean, because I’m getting impatient with being stuck in the intermediate level.
Right now (if anyone’s interested) I find that reading helps me most to acquire more words and grammar. But it was a little tricky to find an adequate book.

I’ve finally settled on the Korean version of Dan Brown’s “The DaVinci Code” and that works very well for me.

장점
a) It’s easy to read. Comparatively easy words and short sentences.
b) The plot is kind of predictable, which makes it easy to understand what’s going on even when I don’t understand all the words.
c) It’s not a brilliant book (in my humble opinion), but it’s definitely interesting enough to keep me reading. - This, I found, is an important point. When I’m not interested in the contents, reading turns into some kind of nightmare…

단점
Somehow I feel I should rather read something by a Korean author, not something that’s been translated.
But I just didn’t have a clue which author would interest me and be easy enough to read at the same time…

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I miss our peer-editing. Anyone out there who would like to try that again?

Posted by 이유란 on Sunday Nov 25, 2007 in Reading | |

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트랙백:

I too share your opinion. Reading is the best way to learn difficult vocabulary since it’s rather hard to just “pick it up” from listening to native speakers talk - unless your level is extremely high.

저는 요즘 책을 여러 권 읽고 있는데…

1) 전래동화 - 예전의 민족의 전통적인 이야기
Basically folk tales, handed down orally.

2) 한국어 시
특히 한국의 명시 (Classic Korean Poetry)
그리고 “그대가 곁에 있어도 나는 그대가 그립다"라는 시집, 시인은 류시화예요.

3) 연세 즐거운 한국어 읽기 (3급 (1-6급 중)

다양한 내용을 읽어야 다양한 어휘를 배울수있죠!

Good luck with the Da Vinci Code. Hm.. what about Harry Potter?

-한빛

Posted by davcarruth on Wednesday Nov 28, 2007 at 01:35 PM
There’s lots of research to support reading in L2 acquisition. HOwever the key for the reading to be helpful is that you need to read a lot and the readings should be at or slightly below your actual ability.

I would kill for some graded readers in Korean, but unfortunately they do not exist. To learn more about extensive reading go here.

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호랑이 굴에들어가야 호랑이 새끼를 잡는다

Posted by 王音癡 on Wednesday Nov 28, 2007 at 03:25 PM
@ davcarruth
Welcome back!
You are reading Classical Korean Poetry?? Wow! What’s it like? I’d imagine it to be really difficult...is it?!
I’ve tried the Yonsei texts, too, but found the contents a little boring.
But I agree - variety is a good idea!

@ 王音癡
That was an interesting link. Reading has really lots of potential for learning a language, I wonder why many language learners don’t do it (my experience as a teacher )…

Posted by 이유란 on Thursday Nov 29, 2007 at 08:09 PM
They don’t do it, because they choose reading material that is too difficult. Remember the key is to choose books below your current ability. Graded readers are fantastic for learners, but unfortunately there are no Korean graded readers.

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호랑이 굴에들어가야 호랑이 새끼를 잡는다

Posted by 王音癡 on Thursday Nov 29, 2007 at 08:12 PM
王音癡:
Are there really NO graded readers in Korean? That’s a shame…

Well, I’d also like to thank you for providing the link to the information about extensive reading. As an occasional teacher myself, I appreciated getting more insight into how to teach (and learn!) how to read a second language.

David

Posted by davcarruth on Saturday Dec 15, 2007 at 09:46 PM
I can recommend Our Twisted Hero by Yi Munyol (우리들의 일그러진 영웅 by 이문열). It’s an excellent novel, is in English translation, uses relatively simple language and is mercifully short. There’s even a movie. Probably doesn’t fit the “read below your level” thing… But it seems to me that a learner should want to read both below and above their level, no? I’d love to read below my level except that I’d be constantly reading texts written for six year-olds, and six year-olds don’t use the vocab I need!

I’m thinking of reading modern Korean poetry, said to be flourishing lately and, if I can, better comic books which help you along with the pictures… I guess that’s my other suggestion--comic books.

I learned French when I was ten by reading Asterix comics; it really helped.

Posted by mallorym on Thursday Jan 24, 2008 at 04:57 PM
I’m surprised that there wouldn’t be graded readers… everything Korean students do is related to their grade level. You can buy math tutoring books for each grade, so it stands to reason that something similar exists for Korean.

Anyway, I feel like I’ve seen some that are titled “국어”. As I recall they may also teach some vocabulary and grammar, but I think they would also have some short readings.

Posted by Austin on Monday Mar 3, 2008 at 02:26 PM
graded readers refers to material created for second language learners and leveled. of course there is material for different grade levels of native speaker children.

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호랑이 굴에들어가야 호랑이 새끼를 잡는다

Posted by 王音癡 on Monday Mar 3, 2008 at 03:00 PM