What is Tadoku?
皆さんは「多読」って聞いたことがありますか？
漢字を見てどういう意味だと思います？
Tadoku (‘reading a lot’), or Extensive reading (ER), is a reading approach where learners read lots of very easy, enjoyable texts, focusing on the overall meaning of the text. Engaging in ER can help you learn vocabulary and improve your reading speed and fluency through pleasurable reading experiences. In classrooms, reading is often seedoku, or Intensive reading (IR), which typically involves close readings of short, teacher-selected texts, with more emphasis placed on the analysis of language forms than light pleasure reading.
Both approaches are useful to learn how to read, but we hope to offer this club as an opportunity to engage in enjoyable ER while engaging in social interaction!
Some guidelines for doing ER:
Start with Easy Books (やさしいレベルから読みましょう)
Why: Reading books that are too difficult can be discouraging and slow down your progress in reading a lot of texts. Starting with easy books helps you build confidence, enjoy the reading process, and quickly grasp most of the content, making it more fun and effective. Try to select texts you don’t have more than a couple of unknown words in one proper page. Ideally, you should perceive you comprehend at least 90% of the content / story. Typically, 95% to 98% comprehension is recommended for ER.
Avoid Using a Dictionary or translating （辞(じ)書(しょ)を引(ひ)かないで読みましょう）
Why: Constantly using a dictionary can interrupt your reading flow and turn it into intensive reading, which is not the goal of Tadoku. By guessing meanings from context, you practice understanding the language naturally and improve your reading fluency. Sparing dictionary use, if needed, is okay if it does not interrupt the flow of reading.
Skip What You Don’t Understand（分からないところは、とばして 読みましょう。）
Why: It’s okay not to understand every detail. By skipping difficult parts, you keep the reading experience enjoyable and prevent frustration and ‘reading pain.’ When you don’t understand, try looking at the pictures and think about the meaning.
Switch Books if Needed（進(すす)まなくなったら、他(ほか)の本を読みましょう）
Why: If a book isn’t working for you, it’s better to switch to one that’s more suited to your interests and reading level. This ensures that you stay motivated and continue making progress in your reading practice.
-Most importantly…Have fun reading! 楽しく読みましょう！