Extensive reading and class readers: the case for no choice (2024)

FAQs

Extensive reading and class readers: the case for no choice? ›

Four participants indicated that choosing their own books allowed them to choose those that more closely matched their level, which shows that in any large class it might be difficult to choose a class reader that closely corresponds to all the students' reading levels.

The objective of an extensive reading programme is to encourage reading fluency, so students should not be stopping frequently because they do not understand a passage. However, the books should not be too easy as this may well demotivate students, who feel they are getting nothing out of the books.

Extensive reading involves learners reading texts for enjoyment and to develop general reading skills. It can be compared with intensive reading, which means reading in detail with specific learning aims and tasks. A teacher reads a short story with learners, but does not set them any tasks except to read and listen.

Book reports (where learners write 200 words about the content of their books) can give some idea of whether or not the contents were understood. Another way to assess Extensive Reading is to measure reading speed at the beginning of the term and at the end.

Specifically, you will be introduced to strategies of reading namely: skimming, scanning, SQ3R, active reading, reading for comprehension.

In detail, the ten principles are (1) The reading material is easy; (2) A variety of reading material on a wide range of topics is available; (3) Learners choose what they want to read; (4) Learners read as much as possible; (5) The purpose of reading is usually related to pleasure, information and general ...

Extensive reading enhances general language competence

In ways we so far do not fully understand, the benefits of ER extend beyond reading. There is 'a spread of effect from reading competence to other language skills ~ writing, speaking and control over syntax.

What are the challenges of extensive reading? ›

The challenges of extensive reading

These include the fact that ER is often teacher-oriented (i.e. teachers struggle to relinquish control and give learners a choice of what to read), learners may hold negative attitudes towards reading and there may be time constraints in different school contexts.

The extensive reading group read graded readers and engaged in several extensive reading activities. The results revealed that the extensive reading group showed significant improvements in reading comprehension and reading rate.

There are many benefits of Extensive Reading in language learning. These include gains in reading and writing competence, oral and aural skills, vocabulary growth, and increases in motivation, self-esteem and empathy. Students who read extensively also become more autonomous learners.

Extensive Reading provides opportunities to see grammar in context so learners can deepen their understanding of how grammar is really used. Extensive Reading helps learners to build reading speed and reading fluency.

It is not done for finding our minute details rather it involves reading longer texts for pleasure. Extensive reading involves reading in quantity without bothering to check every unknown word or structure. It plays an important part in the process of second language learning.

The aim of intensive reading is to help students construct detailed meaning from the text; to develop reading skills, such as identifying main ideas and recognizing text signals; and to enhance their knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, namely formal schemas.

In detail, the ten principles are (1) The reading material is easy; (2) A variety of reading material on a wide range of topics is available; (3) Learners choose what they want to read; (4) Learners read as much as possible; (5) The purpose of reading is usually related to pleasure, information and general ...

ER leads to vocabulary acquisition because learners encounter words repeatedly in context, learn to infer the meanings of words in context, and the sheer quantity of words read facilitates incidental vocabulary learning, in terms of general and academic vocabulary.