Abstract
Material selection is one way through which students are empowered to take a more active role in their language learning. With the shifting of responsibility to the students, however, it is important to understand what criteria students are using in the material selection process. This study investigates the criteria students used when making graded reader selections for the extensive reading component of freshman level reading and writing courses at a university in Japan. Data from surveys showed that few students proved able to consistently make selections that met their expectations and that even after multiple book selections, some students continued to struggle with the task. The paper will conclude with suggestions for assisting students to make more informed choices when selecting graded readers.
Highlights
Extensive reading is a component in the freshman level English classes at the private university in Japan where this study was conducted
Conclusion it can be valuable to encourage students to make their own choices when it comes to material selection, the data from this study showed that after reflecting on their previous four choices, many students were still not able to make a final selection that met their expectations
It appears that informing students of types of criteria and reinforcing criteria that tend to work more often, as well as highlighting ones that do not, is an important part of orienting students to graded readers and how to more successfully select a book to meet their expectations
Summary
Extensive reading is a component in the freshman level English classes at the private university in Japan where this study was conducted. Going against Day and Bamford’s (2004) purist description of extensive reading, whereby learners choose their own books and all learners potentially read different books, this method was decided upon in order to help expose students to a variety of genres and levels as well as to ensure all of them became accustomed to reading in English on a regular basis This procedure may have unduly influenced students later in their independent reading selections, perhaps resulting in students replicating genres previously chosen by their teachers and/or becoming accustomed to reading texts below or above their level. This timeframe is in-line with what Waring (2000) and Nation (2009) suggest exposes students to enough sustained reading and repetition of language
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
