When we study a foreign language, one of the most exciting dimensions is undoubtedly accessing literature, mastering the reading of the target culture, knowing how to interpret what we find in this vast field, letting ourselves be carried away by the immensity of the ocean that is hidden among books, newspaper articles, essays, the posters that surround us or the simple notes we find in our office or even on our mobile phone. Reading contributes a lot in all imaginable contexts, but if it is a question of reading in a language we want to learn, reading is not only expanding our vocabulary, but also gaining access to the target culture, opening doors to the society we want to communicate with, letting ourselves be carried away by the tide of so many pens that give unimaginable meanings to our lives. And as if all this were not enough, knowing how to read also means being generous and learning to express ourselves in writing, giving to others what others have given us through (and between) their lines.
If our level of Spanish is initial, there is no need to be afraid. We could compare the lack of lexical comprehension to a wall that slows down reading and makes it an arduous task.
But everything has a solution. Don’t be afraid of books: there are graded readings at your fingertips, specially designed for students of Spanish and classified according to your level (from A1 to B1), which will help you to select your own readings in the near future with maximum autonomy.
Do you know the publishing house SGEL? With a long experience in teaching Spanish, we can help you here. We have at your disposal a long list of graded readings that will surely be of interest to you. As an example, we would like to introduce you to Los Fernández.
Los Fernández (a very common surname in Spain), are a family living in Madrid. The father, Paco, is a drawing artist who works as a graphic designer for a magazine. His wife, Carmen, is a successful lawyer. Luca, the eldest son, is studying biology at university, and Marina, 17, is still in high school. With the four of them you will travel to different parts of the Hispanic world, have fun with their adventures and get to know the gastronomy, history and customs of Hispanic culture.
The books are aimed at beginners A1. A2 and B1. In all of them, as well as a fun and entertaining story, you will find activities to work on reading comprehension. They are activities designed for each level that will help you to revise and expand your vocabulary and develop your reading skills in Spanish.
We find this Los Fernández collection interesting for several reasons: the reading is agile, fresh and achieves a good mix between fun, intrigue and knowledge of Hispanic culture. On the other hand, at the bottom of each page, some of the words in the text appear with their meaning, which makes it easier to understand. And finally, at the end of each story there are activities, divided into chapters, to work on comprehension and vocabulary, together with a final reflection that encourages the reader to get involved with the different characters. The solutions to all the activities are at the end of each book.
In future posts we will offer you more recommendations of graded reading collections in Spanish. In the meantime, enjoy Los Fernández!
