Books for a non-native English speaker

[Steve Rindsberg]

We have a young guy from Japan living with us. He's just passed the test he needed to pass in order to get into the local university. The phrase "skin of teeth" leaps to mind, however. His oral/listening skills are fairly good but reading/writing has a way to go before he's really college-ready, IMHO.

He won't start school until winter semester and will be back in Japan until then. I'm thinking of giving him homework:

- A couple of required reading books
- A few writing assignments concerning the books
- The occasional Skype chat (can you say "Orals"? Sure ya can)

And maybe in the spirit of carrot and stick, telling him he has to pass MY test if he wants to live here when he comes back. Muah, Ha, and Ha.

So to finally arrive at the chase after that warmup:

Book suggestions? I'm thinking of short books that might appeal to a 19-year-old guy. Simple, direct English.

First thought was Hemingway, Old Man and the Sea.

I'd like to give him half a dozen or more, let him choose.

Thoughts?

[annc]

I would suggest any of the 44 Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith, preferably starting with the first, but it doesn't really matter all that much. Because the chapters are all stories published in a newspaper, they're each self-contained and fairly short. And his English is very, very good.

Plus they're all available as e-books.

My first inclination was to suggest Michael Leunig's Short notes of the long history of happiness, but I'm not sure a 19 year old Japanese student would get the concepts in English. Particularly Leunig's off-beat Australian slant.

And for American English, maybe one or more of Michael Connelly's short Harry Bosch e-books. Plenty of everyday description and action.

[Steve Rindsberg]

Smith ... good call, especially since having read them, he can also listen to them as audio books.

I'm not familiar with the others, but given your track record on recommendations, will have to become so. ;-)

My wife (excellent teacher) has him figured as a tactile learner, so regular books will probably be better for him. But since I plan to read them too, eBooks will be handy for me.

Thanks!

I'm also thinking of The Martian by Andy Weir. He can read the book now, then watch the film when it comes out.

[annc]

Originally Posted by Steve Rindsberg

Smith ... good call, especially since having read them, he can also listen to them as audio books.

I'm not familiar with the others, but given your track record on recommendations, will have to become so. ;-)

My wife (excellent teacher) has him figured as a tactile learner, so regular books will probably be better for him. But since I plan to read them too, eBooks will be handy for me.

Thanks!

I'm also thinking of The Martian by Andy Weir. He can read the book now, then watch the film when it comes out.

Here's a link to the publisher's page for the Michael Leunig book.

[terrie]

steve: First thought was Hemingway, Old Man and the Sea.

Oh ugh...yes...it's considered a classic but...it's boring as hell...'-}

While I've not read any of the Harry Bosch series, I've always heard good things about them and who doesn't love a mystery/detective story??

Let me give some additional thought and perhaps I can come up with a decent title or two...

OHHH!!! Just had a thought!

Ray Bradbury?


Terrie

[Steve Rindsberg]

Hmm. I think it was the only thing I had to read that year in English class that I enjoyed. Maybe because my teacher was unable to suck the life out of it?

I've shuttled a eHarry Bosch to the kindle/ipad and will give it a try. Bradbury ... hmm. He says he doesn't like SciFi but ... maybe. Just maybe. And short stories instead of whole novels ... I like that idea.

[terrie]

steve: Bradbury ... hmm. He says he doesn't like SciFi but ... maybe. Just maybe. And short stories instead of whole novels ... I like that idea.

It was not only Bradbury (who while classified as SF, is perhaps not the SF he's thinking of) but also that much of his work is short stories and, for someone who is not much of a reader a short story is less of a chore to be gotten through than an entire!!! book...'-}}

Do keep us posted on what happens...'-}}


Another (odd) thought I had was that perhaps he should read Mishima in translation--specifically "Runaway Horses" (English title, 2nd of his Sea of Fertility quartet/tetralogy)--perhaps reading both the Japanese original with the English translation sort of side-by-side/chapter by chapter. He might find it interesting to see how someone translates his own language into English. Of the 4 books, "Runaway Horses" is, I think the most beautifully written/translated--Mishima's descriptions of landscapes are so very different from how Western writers might describe the same scenes.


Terrie

PS: I will admit that it's been many (many) eons since I read it (Old Man and the Sea) so, I might think differently now...'-}}

[Steve Rindsberg]

If he were more literate in Japanese in the first place, the Mishima idea would be a good one, but I'm told by native speakers that even his Japanese isn't so good.

Herself had an idea last night though; newspaper articles. Granted, newspaper English isn't normal English and considering the Cincinnati Enquirer, not always even passable English, but it caught his fancy. He got quite excited about it, in fact. Now he wants to do regular Skype sessions while he's back in Japan.

It's kinda cool when the victim suggests the outcome that you've already got in mind. ;-)

[terrie]

steve: It's kinda cool when the victim suggests the outcome that you've already got in mind. ;-)

LOL!!


Perhaps this project might also (in a round about way) end up improving his Japanese because he may come to enjoy reading and I think reading improves one's use of language...

Do keep us posted...


Terrie

[Bo Aakerstrom]

As a non-native English speaker I might have an idea of his situation - studying in a foreign language can be a hard thing.

It might be good to choose something he has an interest in. Or related to what he will study. Instead of something really boring even if it is great from a language point of view.