Tips for Korean Language Learners: 5 Tips to Master Reading in Korean

 - Author: Good Job Korean team 
- Editor: Good Job Korean team

👍 Contents (Click to navigate instantly)

✅ Learn the Basics: Master Hangul
✅ Begin with Reading Simple Texts First
✅ Build Your Vocabulary Gradually
✅ Practice Reading Aloud
✅ Apply Intensive Reading and Extensive Reading

 As a Korean learner, I am sure one of the main goals is to master reading in Korean. For beginners, reading in Korean may be both exciting and challenging. However, as the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” It takes a lot of practice to be able to read well, especially when reading in a foreign language. 

 In this blog post, we will list some essential tips to help you master reading in Korean. 

Learn the Basics: Master Hangul

 Before you learn to walk, you need to know how to crawl. So the very first thing you need to do is master the Korean alphabet, 한글 or Hangul. Hangul consists of 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels. These consonants and vowels combine to form syllables, which then make up Korean words.

 Firstly, you should familiarize yourself with the characters and their sounds. Flashcards are beneficial in helping you memorize Hangul as they are known to promote active recall in the brain. To help reinforce your memory and understand the structure of Hangul, you should also practice writing the characters repeatedly. This method could help you recognize each Korean syllable quicker and help you read faster.
 

 Understanding the Hangul will then help you to pronounce the words. One of the biggest mistakes (link to mistakes) in learning Korean is over-depending on romanizations. While romanizations help beginners connect the sounds of each letter to the language they are more familiar with, it is less accurate when it comes to Korean words.
 

 If you have not already mastered Hangul, click this link to learn Hangul for FREE!

Begin with Reading Simple Texts First

 So now you have mastered Hangul. What is next? 
 

 To practice reading in Korean without feeling overwhelmed by an entirely new language, you should begin reading simple texts first. Starting small helps build confidence and avoid frustration. Remember, slowly but surely.
 

 Similar to how we began reading as children, look for Korean children’s books. Many of these books use simple language and repetitive sentence structures. You can also make use of Korean learning books, which have many reading passages designed for beginners. At this point, do not stress yourself out too much on the sentence structure and grammar points. When there is too much on your plate, you will find yourself feeling demotivated. 

  It would also be great to make use of technology to help you. There are many language learning apps to help you practice reading, such as 두루책방 and Duolingo. These apps and online tools provide instant translations, pronunciations, and contextual meanings, so they are helpful and convenient. 

Build Your Vocabulary Gradually

 With Hangul under your belt, the next step is to build your vocabulary. As you read along, you will notice the common words and phrases that are relevant to your daily life. Building your vocabulary will not only improve your reading skills but also your overall fluency.

 One of the methods to build your vocabulary is making a list of frequently used words. This list should include common words and phrases in everyday conversations and texts. You may then use the help of flashcards to review and practice new words. Consistency and repetition will help you remember unfamiliar words in the long run.
 

Practice Reading Aloud

 Reading aloud is a powerful technique to improve fluency and comprehension. It helps with pronunciation, intonation, and memory retention. Don’t be afraid of your voice and pronunciation. Hearing yourself speak helps to correct mistakes and improve your accent. 
 

  We would also recommend you to record your reading for you to listen back. Regularly reflecting on your reading practice helps you identify areas of improvement. Analyzing your mistakes in pronunciation will allow you to make suitable adjustments to your learning strategies and resources. It would also be helpful if you could get feedback from your Korean teacher, language partner, or native-speaker friends for improvement.
 

  Besides that, reading aloud forces you to slow down and understand the meaning of each word and sentence. With regular practice, you will soon find yourself more confident in speaking in Korean.

Apply Intensive Reading and Extensive Reading

 What is Intensive Reading and Extensive Reading?
 

  Intensive reading is to completely deconstruct a text by reading in detail. You aim to understand a particular sentence by finding the meaning of each word or phrase that is new to you. This reading method takes a lot of time and effort to complete a text. Therefore, I would recommend this method for short stories or passages so that you won’t feel bored and give up halfway.
 

  Extensive reading, on the other hand, focuses on reading as much as possible. Finding the meaning of each word or fully understanding each sentence is a secondary goal. Your aim here is to enjoy reading and comprehend the unknown words or phrases by looking at the context of the prior and subsequent sentences without using a translator or dictionary, unless necessary.
 

 You may find out more about these reading techniques by reading here. 
 

 To become proficient, you will need to expose yourself to various Korean texts. You may start with materials such as short stories and novels and gradually progress to more complex ones like new articles, Korean blogs, and websites. Websites like Naver and Daum offer a vast number of articles on diverse topics that would help your reading journey.

 I hope the above tips will help you find joy in learning to read in Korean. Mastering reading in Korean requires dedication and patience. Remember to practice regularly and set achievable reading goals to keep yourself motivated.

- Author: Good Job Korean team 
- Editor: Good Job Korean team