There’s a reason teachers recommend reading with a dictionary by your side. Reading is one of the best ways to learn new vocabulary. Many of us can remember the book that taught us a specific word, despite having read it ages ago. When kids read in a foreign language, they discover new vocabulary naturally, making it easier for the new language to stick. Take a word like “refunfuñar,” which means to grimace. You could quiz yourself on that word for a month and still forget it, but never forget the time your favorite storybook character refunfuñió (grimaced) when he found out his parents were shipping him off to boarding school. 

Reading also makes learning grammar more fun and meaningful.  What was once a topic routinely drilled by lifeless worksheets and flashcards suddenly leaps off the page. Think about the difference between “the dragon will burn down the tower” and “the dragon burned down the tower.” Mix up the verb tense, and the princess is toast, but get it right and prince charming still has a chance! By inviting children to use their imaginations, reading engages learners by bringing the building blocks of language to life.