Language Learning through Newspapers

For students seeking to procure material to enhance their visual learning library, online newspapers serve as a valuable source due to their accessibility, frequently updated content, and variety of vocabulary and grammatical presentations.

• ·         A simple entry on an online search engine provides the best method of finding online materials.  However, if student’s require a list of available electronic newspapers, http://libguides.mit.edu/flnewspapers and http://multilingualbooks.com/online-newspapers.html are excellent starting points.
• ·         A rule of thumb for beginning language students is to scan for familiar subjects or headlines.  For example, it is wasteful for a student to attempt an intensive article on economics.  Such a subject requires knowledge of precise vocabulary not found in the common list of words, and the student will easily become distracted or worse, disinterested.
• ·         On the other hand, if a student is in need of precise vocabulary, such as medical terminology, then he should read articles that address affairs in the medical profession.  This, however, will require that the student purchase a medical dictionary, since common dictionaries usually do not cover such words.
• ·         If a student follows the news in his native tongue, then it is advisable that he utilize topics he has already covered.  World news serves as the best source, since it is easily publicized.
• ·         A student should make a habit of using scratch paper or a notebook to list key article vocabulary.  For instance, if he were reading an article on NATO affairs in French, then he should notate that its translation is OTAN.  That way, he will be able to easily refresh his memory in the event that he forgets.