The method for teaching linguistics with an electronic reading system (10) having a book with selectable content and reader having a controller (30) with a plurality of modes of operation and having a memory (32) having stored material associated with selectable book content. The method includes the following steps: allowing a selection of one mode of the plurality of modes of operation (110) ; operating the controller in an active mode corresponding to the one mode if the one mode has been selected (115), otherwise operating the controller in an active mode corresponding to another mode of the plurality of modes or operation.