Extensive reading
Extensive reading is an approach to language learning, including foreign language learning.
The idea behind extensive reading is that a lot of reading of interesting material that is slightly below, at, or barely above the full comprehension level of the reader will foster improved language skills. Graded readers are often used. For foreign-language learners, some researchers have found that the use of glosses for "difficult" words is advantageous to vocabulary acquisition [1]( but at lest one study finds it has no effect [2]). A number of studies report significant incidental vocabulary gain in extensive reading in a foreign language (e.g., Huckin and Coady [3]). Advocates claim it can enhance skill in speaking as well as in reading.
Day and Bamford [4] gave a number of traits common or basic to the extensive reading approach. These were: students read as much as possible; reading materials are well within the reader's grammatical and vocabulary competence; the material should be varied in subject matter and character; students choose their own reading material and are not compelled to finish uninteresting materials; reading material is normally for pleasure, information or general understanding; reading is its own reward with few or no follow-up exercises after reading; reading is individual and silent; reading speed is usually faster when students read materials they can easily understand; the teacher is a role model who (also) orients the students to the goals of the program, explains the idea and methodology, keeps records of what has been read, and guides students in material selection and maximizing the effect of the program; teachers orient students to the goals of the program, explain the methodology, keep track of what each student reads, and guide students in getting the most out of the program and reading in general.
Some recent practitioners have not followed all of these traits or have added to them, e.g., requiring regular follow-up exercises such as story summaries or discussions and the using audio materials in tandem with the readings [5].
References
- ^ Rott, Susanne, Jessica Williams, and Richard Cameron (2002), "The effect of multiple-choice L1 glosses and input-output cycles on lexical acquisition and retention," Language Teaching Research 6(3): 183-222.DOI: 10.1191/1362168802lr108oa
- ^ Holley, Freda M. and Janet K. King (2008), "VOCABULARY GLOSSES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE READING MATERIALS," Language Learning 21(2): 213 - 219
- ^ Hucklin, Thomas and James Coady (1999)"INCIDENTAL VOCABULARY ACQUISITION IN A SECOND LANGUAGE," Studies in Second Language Acquisition21: 181-193. doi:10.1017/S0272263199002028
- ^ Day, R. and J. Bamford, (1988). Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, U.K., pp. 7-8
- ^ Bell, Timothy (1998) "Extensive Reading: Why? and How?" The Internet TESL Journal IV (12); http://iteslj.org/
- Day, R. and J. Bamford, (1988). Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, U.K.
- Furukawa, A. and al, (2005). Eigo Tadoku Kanzen Bukkugaido) [The complete book guide for extensive reading] Cosmopier Publishing: Tokyo.
External links
- http://www.extensivereading.net/
- Extensive reading in Japan: http://www.seg.co.jp/sss/information/SSSER-2006.htm