Why Read Books to Learn German?

Think about all of the options you have for learning a new language like German. From chatting with native speakers through Skype to flipping through flashcards on your smartphone, the chances to learn are endless, but few of them offer the advantages that good old fashioned reading provides.

To start, reading German books help simulate classroom learning. I remember reading “The Catcher in the Rye” back in school, and it made my English education that much more enjoyable, because the book was fun and we had a chance to discuss it with others.

Not to mention, many of these books come packed with learning materials(worksheets, grammar guides and flashcards) and CDs to improve your listening and pronunciation skills. Along with that, the authors are experienced instructors and German speakers, giving you connections with people who live and breathe German every day.

The final reason for reading German books is my favorite. Books are mobile! It’s not always reasonable (or safe) to drag a laptop with you while traveling, so tossing a book in your backpack provides fun learning that you can pull out on a plane, while at a restaurant or even while chatting with friends.

At the same time, being able to access books on a smaller device like a Kindle or iPad can be super convenient, and resources like VitalSourcemake it possible to shop for German learning books with exactly that kind of convenience in mind. On VitalSource, you can access your purchases on the Bookshelf app, which allows you to store all your learning books (dictionaries, textbooks, grammar books) together.