A large-Scale Study on Extensive Reading Program for Non-English Majors: Factors and Attitudes

Ching-Yi Tien

doi:10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.4n.4p.46

Abstract

Reading is a complex method of drawing information from some form of text and then interpreting it. The importance of reading in an academic context cannot be underestimated in its influence on learning. It is commonly agreed that students should read extensively in order to enhance their reading skills and to learn other knowledge through that reading. This paper presents an analysis of teachers’ and students’ perceptions toward an extensive reading program located in an EFL higher education context. Particularly, the study aims at assessing factors that may influence the students’ attitudes toward extensive reading (ER) and both students’ and teachers’ perceptions to the newly implemented extensive reading program. In this paper, the author attempts to analyze and understand the effectiveness of an extensive reading program. The results show that: first, differing majors among students and the amount of time spent weekly on reading graded readers directly impacts students’ attitudes toward extensive reading. Second, although many students verbally express a dislike for ER programs in class, they strongly agree that ER is a good way to learn English on the survey. Third, in spite of teachers’ skepticism prior to the ER program, results confirm the linguistic benefit ER brought to learners upon completion of the program. Notwithstanding the preliminary resistance of the ER program, teachers’ and students’ attitudes noticeably changed over the two semesters of engagement.

Highlights

Reading is a complex method of drawing information from some form of text and interpreting it
This study aims at examining factors that may influence non-English major students’ attitudes toward extensive reading (ER) and both students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the newly implemented extensive reading program
It found that teachers were somewhat resistant to a given ER program prior to the research; at the end of the program, teachers became highly positive toward the ER program and recognized that linguistic benefits could be made available to the learners

Summary

Introduction

Reading is a complex method of drawing information from some form of text and interpreting it. There has even been great debate on the promotion of the Communicative Approach in Taiwan’s English teaching and learning context; most instructors still rely heavily on the Grammar Translation Method due to the pressure of getting students passing all kinds of English language assessment. This is especially true in light of the localized high school and university entrance exams. A study done by Yamashita (2013) examined the effects of extensive reading attitudes among 61 undergraduates who were teaching and learning English as a foreign language at a Japanese university after 15 weeks implementation with extensive reading. As Hill (2001) stated, graded readers assist learners in four important ways: 1. They motivate

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Conclusion