5 reasons to let the books guide your exchange…

Just over a year ago, SEDA College started organising a Book Club. The weekly reading meetings, which take place at the school, usually lasts over an hour. Participants receive the same book and together discuss the story, try to figure out the plot, research and talk about the author’s life and then start reading. Each of them read part of the book aloud and everyone shares their interpretations. The result was very positive and reflected not only in the classroom but in the routine of educational exchange students.

“Books are great allies for those who are living out in order to learn a language.”

Among the benefits of reading, five stand out in this international experience:

1-Make new friends

Participate in reading groups is a way to approach people in different environments outside the classroom. With issue of common interest, even the most shy can have a conversation with people of other nationalities. In addition, the groups approach the exchange students by the fact that one learns from the other and this exchange of knowledge can help to create a great friendship.

2-Expand vocabulary

“During the reading meetings, the students try to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context itself. Thus, they learn to use this words, they can remember what they have learned more easily and expand the vocabulary.”

3-Write correctly

The books teach how the structure of a text is supposed to be. Moreover, particularly those who read aloud, recall these details more easily, preventing the common spelling errors.

4-Improve self-confidence with the language

Who read English trains in different ways your skills with the language. It can vary the reading speed, voice intonation and pronunciation. When this process happens in a group, the person begins to gain gradually confidence with the language. Practice makes a person to let go the fear of error. From this, the communication starts to happen naturally.

5-Explore cultural aspects

Whether it fiction or non-fiction, reading allows to gain greater knowledge about cultures and countries.

“Irish writers have much to reveal about the country, about the tradition of pubs, the family customs, the peculiarities of each region and all the conflicts faced by its people.”