Designing and Implementing In-Class Extensive Reading: An Approach to Active Learning

Abstract

This study is based on the recognition that EFL students in the context of a Korean university not only had limited exposure to English but also were reluctant to actively participate in their own learning; thus they needed a useful reading program. Acknowledging the situation, the current study initiated an extensive reading (ER) program incorporating the approach of active learning and applied the ER program to a regular EFL reading class for a semester. The reading class was small with nine students and taught by one of the co-researchers. The exploratory study aimed to examine how students engaged in the ER program and how the participants perceived their new experience of the program. To this end, students’ book reading reports over eight sessions of the ER program and post-task interviews were qualitatively analyzed. The data analysis suggests several findings. First, the analysis implied that students eagerly engaged in their learning processes during the ER program. In return, their confidence and motivation in reading English texts improved. Second, it proposed that during the ER the students were responsible for their own learning and were autonomous learners. The study concludes with suggestions for pedagogical practice and for future research.