A Jointly Led Teacher-Student Extensive Reading Practice and Its Effect on Enhancing English Learning by Linking It with Autonomous Learning

Abstract

This paper discusses the practice of the “English Extensive Reading & Listening Marathon,” a learning activity that aims to enhance in-class English education by linking it with out-of-class autonomous learning activities. It uses the extensive reading (ER) practice as a foundation. In implementing the practice, ER activities were employed as a part of an English class in order to encourage students to read on their own. An English reading circle was also created to support the practice. The related voluntary, after-school activities were planned and run by the students themselves with guidance from the authors. The collaborative effort between teachers and students was effective in autonomous English learning, resulting in an increase in the average reading volume of the students. Four students attained the goal of reading 300,000 words in a year.