Which novels are not to difficult to read? Which stories can you read with only a limited knowledge of Dutch? The 'Steunpunt NVT' is frequently asked similar questions. There is a need for texts, stories, poems, novels and comics which students can read just for fun, without processing exercises, because reading just for fun boosts reading proficiency. In order to answer these questions the 'Steunpunt' developed a list of criteria that can attest to the difficulty of texts.

 

A start has been made on a list of books suitable for non-Dutch speakers by applying the criteria to several recent literary texts (novels, short-stories). The list can be requested at the 'Steunpunt'. A little peek inside: The novel Drie slechte schaatsers by Tim Krabbé is highly recommended.

 

Vocabulary is an important criterion in determining the difficulty level of a text. The vocabulary used in the examined texts has also been charted. In some titles for beginners, words have been annotated when they did not belong to the 2044 words that are most frequent in Dutch (De Kleijn & Nieuwborg 1983). These annotations will ultimately be available online.

 

Background information on the 'Leeswijzer' can be found in the article by Eva van Lier and Roza Spanjaard (in Dutch) : www.snvt.org/publicaties.