Tuning into the news is important — it broadens our perspectives, fuels conversation and elevates our understanding of world cultures. But these aren’t the only benefits: News publications can also serve as highly effective educational resources for learning English as a second language.
4 Benefits of Learning English as a Second Language
1. The English Language is Widespread
The English language is spoken in over 60 countries as the primary language. For students who enjoy traveling, learning English is a huge advantage. English is also the most widely spoken language, with 1.5 billion speakers. Only 25% of total English speakers are native to the language. The majority of speakers learn it as a second language and as such it is commonly used in business and academic settings.
2. Used Often in Business
International business can be diverse and English can play a role in connecting multiple businesses across the globe. It can make communication methods and trades much easier. In the European Union for example, English is one of the three languages that is used for internal business.
3. Certain Jobs Require English
Specific jobs have language requirements to move forward. Below are some examples:
- Pilots and air traffic controllers must have a certain proficiency in English in order to be in the business.
- Scientific researchers who want to reach a wider audience with their findings must publish in English. SCImago Journal Rank, which ranks scientific publications based on its reputation, shows that the top 50 journals are published in English.
4. Connect with People Across the Globe
Social media is everywhere, and students can easily make friends and connections through their phones. English can be the great connector when it comes to social media and meeting new people.
Improving English Through Reading
Learning languages through content is a valuable strategy for educators. Reading, especially, is a great tool to improve language skills. By analyzing texts and writing, students can benefit by learning new vocabulary words and engaging with new ideas. They can be better immersed into a culture. Some ideas to include into your curriculum include:
- Books: These should be based on language levels, but classics can include A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Animal Orwell by Geoge Orwell, The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling or The Giver by Lois Lowry.
- Newspapers: Newspaper articles should also focus on the level of the students. However, for more advanced students, we recommend world-renowned publications such as The New York Times or Harvard Business Review.
Is News Good for Learning English?
The news is a great tool for further developing language skills. Reading articles by world-class journalists teaches students writing and reading skills. This can particularly help when teaching English to adults. News in audio or visual formats can also improve listening comprehension. Additionally, news articles often cover more complex topics, allowing students to progress from pure conversational skills to more academically-focused or business-oriented ones.
How to Use Newspapers to Improve English
One factor that sets the news apart from English language-learning applications and programs is the expansive subject matter that it covers. Studies have shown that content relevance and links between learning materials and real-world situations can be the key to effective, enhanced performance in the classroom. In addition to the variety of subject matter that news publications cover, they also offer real-world context, making the educational content relevant, timely, original and informative. Breaking news and reported stories are compelling and to the point, providing a learning experience that is sure to hold the attention of learners and significantly improve English-language skills. Leveraging news sources is also a convenient way to learn English. Not only are many sources free to use, they can also be accessed at any time, in virtually every major format from print and digital text to audio and video.
Language Skills Acquired by Reading Newspapers
Language learners can acquire a wide array of skills by reading news articles. These skills can help them reach English learning objectives related to writing, reading, and comprehension. These include the following:
Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and Grammar:
Newspapers can introduce students to new words and phrases, helping them to improve their critical vocabulary skills. Teachers can also reinforce grammar rules through newspaper texts by showcasing how world-class journalists write and structure their sentences. Finally, engaging with news articles will allow students to further develop their reading comprehension skills.
Analysis and Writing:
Since newspapers like The New York Times feature articles by world-class journalists, students will learn what constitutes good writing. Additionally, by supplementing news articles with writing exercises, students can further develop their own writing abilities.
Reading Can Improve Writing Skills:
While reading can improve basics like grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary, it can also teach readers popular transitions for sentences and paragraphs, as well as how to build/defend arguments, research stories, infuse personality into writing, and more.
Reading Can Improve Spoken Fluency
Reading out loud brings benefits to fluency because it brings clarity to your voice when you exercise your vocal cords to make different sounds. It can also improve pronunciation and act as practice for intonations, pausing, creating emphasis, and more.
Activities for Students to Reinforce English Learning
Even if you read magazines or articles and genuinely enjoy the content, you will also learn new words, as well as sentence structures and sayings. To reinforce the text and vocabulary, we recommend the following activities for teaching English to students:
Vocabulary Review:
Before introducing a new topic, identify vocabulary words that students may not know. Prior to diving into the relevant articles, review the vocabulary so that students have an understanding of what is being discussed.
Use the Crawl Method:
When you read, you usually skim paragraphs and pages, and don’t pay attention to tidbits such as punctuation, grammar, style, and so on. Picking a sample of your daily reading, and reading it way slower than your normal reading speed allows you to pay attention to the details and rules mentioned and used.
Read Articles that Match your Level and Interest:
If you aren’t a big reader and have trouble with vocabulary, don’t set yourself up for failure by starting with difficult reads. Start with simple articles, like newspapers. Within newspapers, choose articles with topics that interest you, like sports or entertainment.
Describe Pictures and Images:
Magazines and newspaper articles have a lot of pictures. Choose pictures and describe what you see in English, out loud or in a written format. You can also incorporate photojournalism into these discussions, which will often introduce more complex themes into the classroom.
Summarize the Articles:
You can test yourself and how much you understood by trying to summarize the article. Try describing what the article is about in a few sentences. If you have trouble, try reading the article again and try the exercise again.
Write Essays:
Ask students for their opinions on specific articles to further develop their writing ability. This can be as easy as asking “What did you learn from this article?” or assigning advanced prompts that ask students to compare insights across a range of materials.
Discussion:
Break students into groups to discuss the themes of an article. If possible, you can have the groups give presentations to the class on their findings.
Quizzes:
Newspaper clips can also be used during tests to determine a student’s level of reading comprehension. Use a short article or clip with relevant questions for students to answer.
Games:
Word puzzles such as Sudoku or crossword puzzles, can help students further build their vocabulary.
How to Improve Your English with News in Levels
Reading News Articles
Reading the news is an excellent way to improve English language skills, as it exposes you to a variety of vocabulary, grammar structures, and writing styles. Here are some ways to make the most of reading the news to improve your English:
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Choose a reputable news source: Select a news source that uses proper English and avoids colloquialisms, slang, and regional dialects. This will help you learn standard English and avoid picking up bad habits.
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Read regularly: Consistency is key when it comes to improving your English. Make reading the news a part of your daily routine, even if it's just for a few minutes a day.
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Look up unfamiliar words: If you come across words you don't know, look them up in a dictionary or use a translation app. This will help expand your vocabulary and help you understand the article better.
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Pay attention to sentence structure and grammar: As you read the news, pay attention to the sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation. Analyze how the writer constructs sentences and uses grammar rules.
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Practice summarizing: After reading an article, practice summarizing the key points in your own words. This will help you practice your writing skills and reinforce what you've learned.
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Discuss what you've read: Finally, discuss what you've read with someone who is also learning English. This will give you an opportunity to practice speaking and listening skills and get feedback on your comprehension and grammar.
Listening to News Articles
Listening to the news is also a great way to improve your language skills. It introduces students to different accents, and speech patterns. Below are some ways to make the most of listening to the news to improve your English:
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Choose a news source with clear audio quality: Select a news source that has clear audio quality and uses standard English pronunciation. This will help you learn the correct pronunciation of words and phrases.
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Listen regularly: Make listening to the news a part of your daily routine, even if it's just for a few minutes a day. Consistency is key when it comes to improving your English.
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Take notes: As you listen to the news, take notes of new vocabulary, phrases, and expressions that you hear. You can look up their meaning and use them in your own speech.
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Repeat after the speaker: Practice your pronunciation and intonation by repeating after the speaker. This will help you improve your speaking skills and sound more natural.
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Use transcripts or subtitles: If the news source provides transcripts or subtitles, use them to help you understand unfamiliar words or phrases. This will also help you improve your reading skills.
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Focus on specific skills: Listen to news stories that focus on specific skills, such as listening for details or understanding different accents. This will help you develop specific skills that are important for improving your English.
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Discuss what you've heard: Finally, discuss what you've heard with someone who is also learning English. This will give you an opportunity to practice speaking and listening skills and get feedback on your comprehension and pronunciation.
Writing News Exercises
Incorporating news and writing will help diversify the way your students digest information. Here are a few ways to make the most of incorporating news and writing into your language learning:
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Read the news regularly: Read the news on a daily basis, and focus on a variety of topics and news sources to expose yourself to different writing styles and vocabulary. Take notes of new words and phrases that you encounter, and try to use them in your own writing and speaking.
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Write summaries and opinions: After reading a news article, try writing a summary of the key points in your own words. You can also try writing your own opinion or analysis of the article. This will help you improve your writing skills and reinforce what you've learned.
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Practice writing in different styles: In addition to summarizing and analyzing news articles, try writing in different styles, such as letters, emails, or essays. This will help you practice different types of writing and improve your overall writing skills.
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Use grammar and spell check: When writing, make sure to use a grammar and spell check tool to catch any errors. This will help you improve your grammar and spelling skills and avoid making common mistakes.
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Discuss news topics with others: Discuss the news topics you've read about with others who are also learning English. This will give you an opportunity to practice your speaking and listening skills, as well as learn from others.
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Watch or listen to news programs: In addition to reading the news, try watching or listening to news programs. This will help you improve your listening and comprehension skills, as well as expose you to different accents and speech patterns.
Learning a new language can be fun and engaging!. Just remember to practice regularly and challenge students to try new things!
Speaking Exercises
Including news and speaking into your English language learning can be an extremely effective way to grasp new information. Here are a couple of exercises you can try with your students.
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Listen to news programs: Listen to news programs on a regular basis, and try to focus on different accents and speech patterns. This will help you improve your listening and comprehension skills, as well as expose you to different styles of speaking.
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Practice summarizing: After listening to a news program, try to summarize the key points in your own words. This will help you practice your speaking skills and reinforce what you've learned.
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Discuss news topics with others: Discuss news topics with others who are also learning English. This will give you an opportunity to practice your speaking and listening skills, as well as learn from others.
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Use vocabulary from news articles: Use vocabulary from news articles when speaking. This will help you improve your vocabulary and sound more natural when speaking.
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Record yourself speaking: Record yourself speaking and listen back to it. This will help you identify areas that need improvement and practice your pronunciation and intonation.
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Participate in debates or discussions: Join debates or discussions on news topics. This will help you practice your speaking skills, as well as learn how to present your opinions and ideas in a clear and effective manner.
Types of News Sources for English Learners
Every student has a different learning style; reading text works for some, while others might learn better through auditory, visual or kinesthetic cues. Since students might have different needs, it’s important to be flexible when teaching English. In addition to print and digital articles, many large publications offer news in other formats, such as TV shows, videos, podcasts, audio clips and interactive graphics. This versatility is helpful for those who prefer a variety of learning styles. Seeing and hearing the same story and receiving information through various methods can provide students with a well-rounded learning experience. Having multiple experiences and touchpoints with a piece of content can help fine-tune a new learner’s understanding of a language more efficiently.
Types of News Formats
Print and Digital News Articles
Reading plain text is one of the more common ways to practice language comprehension. Text allows students to read at their own pace and revisit challenging words and phrases. Reading text helps students understand sentence structure and grammar. Printed pieces can be ideal for hands-on learners who benefit from interacting with text by taking notes and highlighting important sections. This method could work well for older learners who might not feel as comfortable with digital text or screens. There are also benefits to digital articles. Most sites have the ability to quickly translate an entire page of text, providing readers the opportunity and confidence to dive into challenging content, knowing that if they get stuck they can translate unfamiliar words in a matter of seconds. Additionally, most digital publications have a comments section associated with each of their digital articles. Students can use these sections to observe how native speakers interact with articles using colloquial language. Advanced learners can engage in these discussions directly to build their conversational skills.
Podcasts and Audio News Formats
Audio and podcasting are some of the newer, more widely adopted news formats. Many publications, including The New York Times, have at least one podcast to appeal to people on the go or to those who prefer acquiring information through listening. Podcasts are a beneficial tool for auditory learners and can also benefit working professionals and students who are learning a new language on top of their busy work or school schedules. Most podcasts are free and give listeners the flexibility of being able to listen and learn while commuting, exercising or doing chores. In addition to podcasts, many digital news sites offer a feature that allows users to listen to text-based articles. Reading and listening to an article simultaneously can provide important context and insight into the language and story that reading alone can’t supply.
News Videos
Visual elements are important components in a learning curriculum. Leveraging movies and TV shows is a common classroom practice that has proved to be an effective and fun way to engage students of all ages. Watching television is something that most people enjoy, and it can be an effective way to captivate students for long periods of time. Many publications including The New York Times have invested heavily in video. Visual learning tools offer language insights such as tone, accent and emphasis that cannot be learned as easily by reading text. Additionally, seeing characters interact and plots play out while hearing the language can provide the necessary context to facilitate the learning of new vocabulary and commonly used phrases. Seeing the body language and facial expressions of people on-screen can also provide unique insight that other learning formats cannot. The New York Times’ “Anatomy of a Scene," a video series that dissects popular movie scenes, can be a great way to bring a visual element (as well as an element of fun) into a learning experience by fueling discussion around an English-language movie.
Key Elements of a Great News Resource
There are some key elements to focus on when looking for articles. Here are a few criteria to look for when searching for the perfect online news articles to learn English:
- Does the article utilize correct grammar?
- Do the topics cover conflicting, offensive cultural issues?
- Is the vocabulary appropriate for the age of your students?
- Does the article contain vulgar or offensive language?
- What is the length of the article?
Best Newspaper Articles in English for Students
It’s clear that leveraging news sources can be an effective teaching method, but how does an educator know where to start? Virtually any publication can be utilized in the classroom to teach English as a second language; however, in order to be most effective, it is vital that the sources and content used are factually accurate, grammatically correct and relevant.
The New York Times — widely considered the United States’ paper of record and one of the most respected English-language publications in the world — offers both breaking news and soft news content on a variety of subjects and in a number of formats. Through The New York Times Licensing Group, educators, corporations and universities can access content from the Times and other widely recognized and revered publications for educational use. Aside from the Times’ breaking news feed, there are a plethora of other content offerings from The New York Times Licensing Group that can appeal to virtually any student, no matter their skill level, learning style, or interest.
The New York Times News Service
The New York Times Complete News Service offers upward of 120 articles per day. In addition to breaking news content, this service includes softer news topics such as business news and entertainment industry news, as well as news about science, wellness, travel and the arts.
The New York Times Learning Network
The Learning Network provides fresh teaching resources based on the articles, photos and illustrations published in the Times. This service offers everything educators will need — from the Times’ text and news photography to questions and prompts to facilitate discussion, debate and reading comprehension. The Learning Network can work either as a seamless and regular addition to an ESL curriculum, or as a supplement to a daily lesson.
The New York Times for Kids
The New York Times for Kids is a special section that provides relevant and timely age-appropriate content for young English learners that is both appealing and educational. This service features engaging stories for children aged 8 to 13. It mimics the regular New York Times newspaper but is way more fun, with content that includes news, opinion, food, puzzles and more.
The Economist
The Economist is a leading source of analysis on international business and world affairs. With brevity, clarity, opinion and wit, The Economist offers authoritative insights and opinions on the global agenda. The content is ideal for working professionals, as the subject matter covers international business, politics and culture.
Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business Review is a leading management magazine inspiring business leaders, educators and corporations around the globe. Delivering content in the form of articles, listicles and videos, this publication can offer more advanced, business-focused vocabulary and insights to college students and working professionals looking to learn English.
The benefit of publications like The Harvard Business Review, is that it gives students a chance to practice vocabulary that they may use in their professional careers. Consider pairing these articles with exercises to summarize the business news your students are consuming. These can include written exercises and presentations on business best practices.
Licensing News Articles for English Learning Students
It can be a challenge to cater to a variety of skill levels, ages and learning styles when teaching English as a second language. The New York Times makes it easy for educators to bring flexibility in subject and format to the classroom. Licensing articles, videos, audio tools and graphics from The New York Times Licensing Group is an effective way to appeal to a wide range of students with relevant, compelling and accurate content. If you are interested in learning more about the NYTLicensing Group’s content options for teaching and learning English, get in touch today.
