Comprehensible-input reading lists

Curated reading & listening lists for every language level

The hardest part of running a comprehensible-input classroom isn't the pedagogy — it's the sourcing. Below is a starter reading and listening list per language, tagged by CEFR or exam level. Everything on this list is free-to-access native content, so you can paste any URL into InputDojo and turn it into a study lesson your students can lookup, save vocabulary from, and review with SRS.

Key takeaways

  • ·Native content plus level tagging beats textbook readings on engagement every time
  • ·Aim for 95% known-word coverage — the tail 5% is what learners actually acquire
  • ·Mix modalities weekly: article, video, podcast, then rotate
  • ·Podcasts with transcripts are the highest-leverage single resource for B1+

Japanese (JLPT N5 → N1)

  • N5 reading: NHK News Web Easy headlines, Tadoku graded readers (levels 0–1), Satori Reader ("Absolute Beginner" set).
  • N5 listening: Japanese with Shun (YouTube, subtitled), Nihongo Con Teppei for Beginners (podcast).
  • N4 reading: NHK News Web Easy full articles, graded readers levels 2–3, Manabi Journey short stories.
  • N4 listening: Learn Japanese with Noriko, Nihongo Switch.
  • N3 reading: Satori Reader intermediate, NHK regular news headlines, blog posts from Matcha Japan.
  • N3 listening: Miku Real Japanese podcast, YUYU no Nihongo Podcast.
  • N2 reading: Full NHK News Web articles, Aozora Bunko short stories, opinion columns in Asahi Digital.
  • N2 listening: ゆる言語学ラジオ (subtitled clips), NHK ラジオニュース.
  • N1 reading: Newspaper op-eds, essays by 村上春樹 / 川上未映子, journal-style long-reads on note.com.
  • N1 listening: Podcasts with transcripts on Anchor, TED Talks with Japanese subtitles.

Chinese (HSK 1 → 6)

  • HSK 1–2: Slow Chinese "beginner" episodes, DuChinese graded stories, Mandarin Corner slow beginner videos.
  • HSK 3: DuChinese intermediate, Mandarin Bean articles, ChinesePod dialogues (with transcripts).
  • HSK 4: Slow Chinese full episodes, Mandarin Corner street interviews, People's Daily 简明 headlines.
  • HSK 5: Original blog posts on 简书, 央视新闻 broadcasts, Chinese TED-Ed talks with subtitles.
  • HSK 6: 三联生活周刊 essays, 单读 (Onereader) long-form, 看理想 podcasts.

English (CEFR A2 → C1, for L2 English learners)

  • A2: BBC Learning English "6 Minute English," News in Levels (level 1–2), VOA Learning English.
  • B1: Simple Wikipedia articles, TED-Ed videos (5 minute talks with subtitles), Breaking News English lower levels.
  • B2: The Guardian long-reads (feature articles), regular TED Talks, All Ears English podcast.
  • C1: The Atlantic essays, In Our Time podcast (BBC), Aeon long-form.

Spanish, French, German, Korean (CEFR A2 → C1)

  • Spanish: News in Slow Spanish (B1/B2), Notes in Spanish podcast, El País articles (B2+), TED en Español.
  • French: RFI Journal en français facile (B1), InnerFrench podcast (B1/B2), Le Monde (B2+), France Culture.
  • German: Deutsche Welle Nachrichten leicht (A2/B1), Coffee Break German (A2/B1), Der Spiegel (B2+).
  • Korean: KBS 뉴스 (with Korean subtitles), Talk To Me In Korean iyagi (B1), 슬기로운 의사생활 clips with transcripts.

How to size a text to your class

Rule of thumb: read a random 100-word (or 100-character for Chinese/Japanese) sample from the text and count unknown words for the median student in your class:

  • 0–5 unknowns per 100: Reading for pleasure. Use for volume.
  • 5–10 unknowns per 100: Sweet spot for acquisition. Use as the main input block.
  • 10–20 unknowns per 100: Requires scaffolding — pre-teach the key words, or use with strong learners.
  • 20+ unknowns per 100: Too hard. Pick something easier or use in short excerpts with heavy support.

You can shortcut this whole process by pasting the text into the InputDojo text-level checker — it'll flag the level and list the words your class probably doesn't know.

Questions teachers ask

How often do you update the lists?

We refresh recommendations quarterly. Suggest additions by emailing hello@inputdojo.com.

Are these free to access?

Every source listed is free without a paywall for at least the first article/episode. Some have optional premium tiers.

Can I import these directly into InputDojo?

Yes — every URL in these lists can be pasted into InputDojo and turned into a lookup-enabled study lesson with one click.

More resources

Lesson plan templates

Free language-class lesson-plan templates (JLPT, HSK & CEFR)

Playbook

How to run a flipped language classroom (that actually works)

Assignment templates

Ready-to-use language assignment templates

Run this in a live classroom

InputDojo turns these resources into an operating teacher workspace — assign real content, track completion, grade with these rubrics.