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Masaryk University

Pedagogical Faculty

PEDAGOGICAL DEPARTMENT

English Language and Literature Department

The Benefits of Extensive Reading in EFL

Supervisor: Author:

Mgr. Naděžda Vojtková Mária Kredátusová

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Prohlašuji, že jsem diplomovou práci zpracovala samostatně a použila jen prameny

uvedené v seznamu literatury.

Souhlasím, aby práce byla uložena na Masarykově univerzitě v Brně v knihovně

Pedagogické fakulty a zpřístupněna ke studijním účelům.

Mária Kredátusová

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I would like to thank my supervisor, Mgr. Naděžda Vojtková for her help in connection

with my work.

Mária Kredátusová

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Contents:

Introduction 1

I. Theoretical part 3

1. What is extensive reading? 3

1.1 The Benefits of Extensive reading 3

1.2 The basic principles of Extensive Reading by Julian 4

Bamford and Richard R. Day

1.3 Extensive reading vs. Intensive reading 7

2. Establishing an Extensive Reading programme 9

in the Second Language Classroom

2.1 Teacher’s preparation 9

2.2 Curriculum 10

2.3 Funds 10

2.4 Choosing books 11

2.4.1 The number of books 12

2.4.2 What books to choose? 12

2.4.3 Graded readers 13

2.4.4 What exactly happens when we are reading graded readers? 14

2.4.5 Graded readers or authentic material 15

2.4.6 Check-out system 16

2.4.7 Classifying the books 17

2.5 Teacher’s role 19

2.5.1 Introducing the ER to students 19

2.5.2 Helping students to choose books 19

2.5.3 Encouraging students to read 20

2.5.4 In-class activities 21

2.5.5 Monitoring students’ reading 21

2.5.6 Rewards 22

II. Practical part 23

1. A long-term project 23

2. Research 58

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2.1 Subjects 58

2.2 Evaluation 58

2.3 Motivation 59

2.4 Monitoring 59

2.5 Results 60

2.6 Comments 62

III. Conclusion 63

Appendices 64

Bibliography

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Introduction

“The best way to improve your knowledge of a

foreign language is to go and live among its speakers.

The next best way is to read extensively in it”

(Nuttall, 168).

Reading is one of the skills that a learner of foreign language should acquire. In the

language classroom it is most often taught by careful reading (or translation) of shorter,

more difficult foreign language texts. The goal of reading is usually complete and

detailed understanding. But reading is also considered by many people as a very

pleasurable free time activity that broadens ones knowledge and vocabulary. However, if

you ask pre-intermediate learners of English whether they like reading in a foreign

language their answer will tend to be mostly negative. Students who are learning to read

in English usually dislike it and the time they spend reading is very limited. Stanley,

Graham. “Extensive Reading”. BBC /British Council teaching English – Reading. 7 May

2007. <http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/read/extensive.shtml>.

Suppose you are a student of an EFL class where reading is being taught. What you

will probably encounter is a standard procedure of reading for comprehension consisting

of pre-, during- and after-reading stages with the reading focused on teaching of a

particular language area or reading skills. Vaezi, Shahin. “Theories of Reading 2”. BBC

/British Council teaching English – Reading. 7 May 2007.

<http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/read/reading_tips.shtml>.

This procedure that may be called intensive reading has proved to be beneficial for

learning language but it is far remote from the experience one encounters when reading

literature for pleasure. As Alderson and Urquhart claim:

“Such a pedagogic practice--of focusing on the language of a text--may be justified as a language

lesson, but it may very well be counterproductive as a reading lesson. Often what is known as

"intensive reading" (as traditionally opposed to "extensive reading") is actually not reading at all:

the lesson consists of a series of language points, using texts as points of departure. Reading

texts, in other words, are sources of language exercises, rather than reading exercises”

(Alderson and Urquhart qtd. in Susser 1).

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If one is asked to fulfil a task after reading and has to bear this task in mind while

reading, the purpose of reading is diverted from its principal aim i.e. to read for pleasure

and information. Considering these propositions the students’ answers to the question

whether they like reading in English do not appear that surprising. After all, students did

not have the real possibility to establish the attitude towards reading as an engaging and

pleasurable activity. Their idea of reading is associated with tasks that have to be

fulfilled, they view it as one of the exercises they do during class.

The aim of this thesis is to present an alternative approach to intensive reading, an

approach that will not focus on exact translation of the text but that stresses the pleasure

of reading - Extensive reading. Extensive reading involves students in reading large

quantities of books at the level appropriate for them; only one to two words per page

should be unknown to a reader. The primary goal of Extensive reading is reading in order

to gain information and to enjoy texts. A variety of books that cover various topics are

provided and students choose titles according to their interests. Students who find a book

difficult or not interesting might stop reading and choose another book instead. Their

reading is based on choice and purpose that are the basic elements of real-life reading

(Bamford, Extensive Reading Activities 1). No exercises, no questions at the end of the

chapter, and no looking up every word in a dictionary are required. “It is the kind of

reading highly literate people do all the time” (Krashen, Power of Reading 1).

ER programmes have become very popular in many countries over the last decades.

The success that lies behind this approach is that students do not feel the pressure of

requirements and are aware of their own choice. It is ‘strictly forbidden’ to give students

grades or any rewards after reading, the reading should be solely voluntary.

Presently, there have been many complaints about our students’ lack of independent

reading at the primary, secondary and even university level. Students seem not to have

developed the habit of reading. Steven Krashen, who calls this situation ‘a literacy

crisis’, sees the cure “in doing one activity, an activity that is all too often rare in the

lives of many people: reading” (Krashen, Power of Reading 1). As Bamford suggests

EFL teachers should pay attention to developing a habit, indeed love, of reading in their

students (Bamford, Extensive Reading: What Is It?” 1). If students are not given the

opportunity to experience reading in English as a pleasurable and useful activity and on

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the other hand are exposed to texts that are above their level and that they have to

translate word by word, they will hardly create a positive attitude towards reading.

Extensive Reading programme offers a solution how this change may be done. The

reading material is deliberately chosen to be easy for student and therefore larger

amounts of text are read. Students have the possibility to enjoy reading what strengthens

their confidence in reading and increases their motivation to read further. And this is in

fact the only way how they can become fluent readers – by reading.

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I. THEORETICAL PART

1. What is extensive reading?

“We learn to read by reading”

(Nuttall 168).

Extensive reading is a language teaching procedure where learners are supposed to read

large quantities of material or long texts for global understanding, the principal goal

being obtaining pleasure from the text (Bamford, Extensive Reading Activities 1). The

reading is individualized, what means that students choose books they want to read, they

read it independently of the teacher and they are not required to do any tasks after

reading. Moreover, they are encouraged to stop reading whenever they consider the

material not interesting or too difficult. Extensive reading can be introduced to any kind

of EFL class whatever the content, intensity, age of students or their language level, the

only condition is that students already have a basic knowledge of foreign language and

are literate in it (Bamford, Extensive Reading Activities 1).

Extensive reading belongs to Free Voluntary Reading approaches that share the common

idea of independent, voluntary reading. Other examples of FVR are Sustained Silent

Reading or Self-Selected Reading (Krashen, Power of Reading 2).

1.1 The Benefits of Extensive reading

Extensive reading is a topic that has been widely discussed over last decades and its benefits

have been generally approved by many researches. Bamford states that students who read

more will not only become better and more confident readers, but they will also improve

their reading, writing, listening and speaking abilities and their vocabularies will get

richer (Bamford, Extensive Reading Activities 1). Bamford praises the motivation aspect

of Extensive reading, seeing its primal benefit in developing positive attitudes toward the

foreign language and increased motivation to study this language (Bamford, Extensive

Reading Activities 1).

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1.2 The basic principles of Extensive Reading by Julian Bamford and Richard R. Day

It will be useful to familiarize the reader with the basic principles of extensive reading

approach as they are presented in Extensive Reading Activities for Teaching Language by

Julian and Richard R. Day.

1. The reading material is easy.

Learners read material that contains few or no unfamiliar items of vocabulary and

grammar. (There should be no more than one or two unknown vocabulary items per page

for beginners and no more than four or five for intermediate learners). Students would

not succeed in reading extensively if they have to struggle with difficult material.

2. A variety of material on a wide range of topics is available.

There should be a variety of materials available in the library for students to choose what

they really like. This contains graded readers, magazines written for language learners at

different ability levels and children’s literature. For high-intermediate learners young

adult literature can offer a bridge to ungraded reading materials. Advanced learners are

supposed to read books, magazines and newspapers written for native speakers of

English. The variety encourages a flexible approach towards reading as the learners are

reading for different purposes (for information or pleasure).

3. Learners choose what they want to read.

Self-selection puts students in a different role from that in a traditional classroom, where

the teacher chooses or the textbook supplies reading material. This is what students really

enjoy about extensive reading. They are also encouraged to stop reading anything that is

not interesting or that they find too difficult.

4. Learners read as much as possible.

The language learning benefits of extensive reading come from quantity of reading. For

the benefits of extensive reading to take effect, a book a week is an appropriate goal.

This is a realistic target as books written for beginning language learners are very short.

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5. Reading speed is usually faster rather than slower.

Because of the fact that material is easily understandable for students their reading is

fluent. Students are discouraged from using dictionaries as this interrupts reading and

makes fluency impossible. Instead, learners are encouraged to ignore or guess the

meaning of a few unknown items they may encounter from context.

6. The purpose of reading is usually related to pleasure, information and general

understanding.

In spite of intensive reading which requires detailed understanding, extensive reading

encourages reading for pleasure and information. The aim of reading is not a hundred

percent comprehension; to meet the purpose of reading sufficient understanding is

satisfactory.

7. Reading is individual and silent.

Learners read at their own pace. Sometimes silent reading periods may be reserved from

class time when students read their self-selected books in the classroom. However, most

of the reading is homework. Students read out of the classroom, in their own time, when

and where they choose.

8. Reading is its own reward.

Extensive reading is not usually followed by comprehension questions. The goal of

reading is reader’s own experience and joy of reading. However teachers may ask

students to complete follow-up activities after reading. These are designed to reflect

student’s experience of reading rather than comprehension.

9. The teacher orients and guides the students.

Before starting an extensive reading programme students have to be familiarized what it

is, why they are doing it, what benefits it will bring them and how are they going to

proceed. The teacher keeps track of what and how much students read, he/she is

interested in their reactions to what was read in order to guide them in getting the most

out of their reading.

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10. The teacher is a role model of a reader.

Teacher gives students a model of what is to be a reader e.g. during the silent reading periods

teacher should read as well. He/she should also be familiar with all the books students

are reading in order to recommend reading to individual students and share their

reading experiences. If teacher and students talk about what was read they create an

informal reading community, experiencing together the value and pleasure to be found in

written word

(Bamford, Extensive Reading Activities 12-3).

1.3 Extensive reading vs. Intensive reading

Extensive reading as a term naming an approach to teaching a foreign language reading

was introduced by Harold Palmer and Michael West after piloting a project of ER in

India. The term was chosen to distinguish extensive reading from intensive reading.

Intensive reading refers to “careful reading (or translation) of shorter, more difficult

foreign language texts with the goal of complete and detailed understanding” (Bamford

and Welsh 1). On the other hand Extensive Reading is based on reading easy material

that contains mostly one to two unknown words per page for general understanding.

Students choose their own materials and can stop reading if the material is not interesting

for them. There are no tests after reading; student’s personal reaction to reading is the

goal. ER imitates reading in the first language in the way that its key elements are

purpose and pleasure (Bamford and Welsh 1). Bamford states that Intensive reading can

be associated with teaching of reading in terms of its component skills i.e. distinguishing

the main idea of a text, reading for gist etc. Extensive reading, in contrast, is generally

“associated with reading large amounts of text with the aim of getting the overall

meaning of the text rather than the meaning of individual words or sentences.” (Bamford

and Welch 1)

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The following chart offers basic characteristics of each approach:

Intensive Reading Extensive Reading

Analysis of the

language LINGUISTIC FOCUS Fluency, skill forming

Usually difficult DIFFICULTY Very easy

Little AMOUNT A book a week

teacher selects SELECTION Learner selects

All learners study the

same material WHAT MATERIAL

All learners read

different things

(something interesting to

them)

In class WHERE Mostly at home

Checked by specific

questions COMPREHENSION

Checked by reports /

summaries

Table 1. (Welsh qtd. in Waring, Getting An ER Program Going 3)

Bamford and Day further claim that skill-based and other traditional foreign language

reading instructional approaches appear to have their properties the wrong way round.

Only after finding reading pleasurable and useful students are eager to read the amounts

of texts that will make them fluent readers. Only then they develop the urge to learn new

skills which would help them to become better readers (Bamford and Day 1).

However, ER is not necessarily the entire answer to teach reading. There are students

who need special help with certain reading skills, or those who need these skills to

achieve particular goals e.g. academic reading proficiency. Here the intensive reading is

appropriate. What is supposed is to find balance between these two approaches in EFL

teaching. Intensive reading helps with faster vocabulary acquisition and awareness of

certain language structures. In addition, ER practices the skill of reading. As Bamford

and Day rightly state teachers’ concern with developing the ability to read should be

combined with developing the habit to read as well (Bamford and Welch 1).

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2. Establishing an Extensive Reading programme in the Second Language

Classroom

“We want our students to be able to read better: fast and with full

understanding. To do this they need to read more. And there seem to

be two ways of getting them to read more: requiring them to do so

and tempting them to do so”

(Nuttall, 168).

When establishing an ER programme teachers need interest, enthusiasm but also

adequate planning and cooperation with their colleagues, students and parents. It is not

an easy task but it is certainly worth the effort.

2.1 Teacher’s preparation

Because of its complexity, Extensive Reading programme involves thorough planning

and well-timed preparation. It is therefore advisable for the teacher to prepare

himself/herself for the work of teaching Extensive reading and coordinating a reading

programme in following ways:

a) teacher should familiarize himself/herself with the rationale of Extensive reading and

its organization. A book Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom by

Richard R. Day and Julian Bamford or an Internet page <www.extensivereading.net> are

good starting points.

b) teacher should borrow and read graded readers in order to know what they are like.

He/she should get himself acquainted with levels offered by different publishers and

make a list of titles that he/she would like to buy. This can be done by reviewing

catalogues of language teaching material or by browsing through them on the Internet

(Hill 2).

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2.2 Curriculum

Hill suggests that firstly, it is probably better to think in terms of starting a reading club

outside the reading timetable which charges membership fee or lending fee (Hill 2). This

way teacher gains experience in using graded readers and gathers evidence that his/her

students enjoy ER and benefit from it. It is also possible to run a three-month extensive

reading programme as a part of EFL classes during which students read extensively as

presented in the practical part. Once the programme is successful and the teacher wants

to make it a part of his/her school’s curriculum he/she has to create a detailed design of

the programme that will be presented to his/her authorities. It is crucial that colleagues,

parents and students understand the programme, its aims, goals and objectives. If a

teacher is planning to establish an ER programme that will cover more years Hill

suggests to project methodology that will help colleagues to establish ER in their classes

and to continue in it even without the founder’s presence (Hill 2).

2.3 Funds

Funding the ER library should be thoughtfully planned before starting an ER

programme. There are more possibilities how to finance an ER library (Nuttall 172; Hill

3; Conley 1):

a) a teacher can ask his/her headmaster to allocate some money for the program. He/she

should be prepared to present budget and the organization of the programme (lending

books, time devoted to ER etc.)

b) a teacher can ask each student to contribute money for one book. This is a good start

but more titles have to be added later.

c) a teacher can also appeal to local donors (individuals, firms, organizations)

d) a teacher can gain money from grants

e) a teacher can also contribute books from his/her personal library or ask his/her

colleagues to lend books

f) a teacher can involve students and their parents, so that students will pay a fee for

borrowing a book, or attending the extra reading class

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2.4 Organizing a library

2.4 Choosing books

When deciding about the type of books teachers are going to buy the most important

factor is whether the books will be interesting for their students. It is therefore advisable

to make a small in class research about the students’ preferences. Teachers can also guide

students in finding their own material for reading in the local library or on the Internet. It

is also interesting to use student-written texts as additions to the library.

Conley does not recommend the use of short stories and non-fiction for ER as the

reading should be smooth and quick (Conley 1). Non-fiction requires a close attention

that can result in “a stop-and-start style of reading” (David qtd. in Conley 1). Conley

further states that a book of short stories is usually read at more sittings what results in

fewer pages read at once (Conley 1). He sees the main advantage of fiction in speeding

the reader along as the plot develops (Conley 1).

Christine Nuttall (Nuttall 172-3) suggests four basic criteria for choosing ER materials:

a) Appealing

The books must appeal to readers; the topics should be interesting and suitable for the

students. During the programme presented in practical part it was proved that it is better

if books are attractive in appearance, well printed and with good coloured illustrations.

“The books should look like the books we buy from choice: i.e. they should not smell of

the schoolroom” (Nuttall 171). Pupils in our programme did not like the older school

library books some of which were bought in second hand bookshop. On the other hand,

when new books from British Council were brought to class few of them were left, some

of the pupils borrowing more than one book. If older books are used it is advisable to

erase notes that may be left in books. (Nuttal 171)

b) Easy

Reading material should be easy in order to be read extensively. The first book students

read should be well below their competence and they should find their comfort reading

zone after they start reading.

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c) Short

With lower intermediate students the books should be fairly short so that the students do

not feel intimidated by the length of the book and do not feel strained or get bored.

d) Varied

Students should be offered a variety of genres and topics to suit their needs

2.4.1 The number of books

Students should have plenty of attractive material to choose from. Conley suggests that it

is ideal to have at least four times as many books of a suitable level as there are students

(Conley 1). However, books that are a level above should be also present for student to

move to the next level. Hill recommends that there should be approximately 15 titles per

one level for the student to be able to proceed to the next level (Hill 3). Of course

teachers will need to buy multiple copies of each title so that there will be always enough

books to read. The limited number of titles at one level also indicates to students when

should they move up to the next level (Hill 3). The advantage of having a limited number

of titles is that most of the students will soon read similar titles and they can then share

their experiences together and a variety of group activities can be done in class (Hill 4).

2.4.2 What books to choose?

The best reading material is material that is easy. Therefore for lower-intermediate

students graded readers, magazines written for language learners and children’s literature

are advisable. Teachers need to be careful when choosing children’s literature, some of

the titles may contain fairly difficult authentic vocabulary. For high-intermediate learners

young adult literature can offer a bridge to ungraded reading materials. Advanced

learners will be able to read books, magazines and newspapers written for native

speakers of English. The publishers also offer schemes that implement Graded readers

within European Framework of Reference and teachers can conveniently check the level

of their students.

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2.4.4 Reading target

How much reading will be set to your students depends prevailingly on the level of

your students, for lower-intermediate levels a book weekly is a reasonable goal. More

intermediate students or high school students may be asked to read more. Waring advises

to set a weekly target and an overall target for semester

(Waring, Graded or Extensive 3). He says that reading targets give students something to

work toward. If teachers do not set page targets for each semester there might be not

much reading done at the end of semester (Waring, Graded or Extensive 3). However, it

has to be remarked that appropriate reading materials, teachers’ encouragement and peer

example are the best incentives for reading extensively (Bamford, Extensive Reading

Activities 12).

We were happy to observe that in our research students kept bringing their books to

school and were reading before their lessons started. Students were also let to read their

books when they had finished their class work earlier than their peers or after having

written a test earlier. Once the students found that books were easy and interesting they

were eager to read a lot. We could see the satisfaction that they had after finishing a

whole book, especially of those who had not read books in English before and probably

did not know that they can manage to read a whole book. Some of the students offered to

read books they found at home.

2.4.3 Graded readers

Graded readers are ideal source of material for lower-intermediate independent

readers. The typical features of graded readers are simplified sentence structure and the

use of head words which are chosen by the publisher as the words that are most

frequently used by native speakers. If students find their appropriate level they can make

progress in reading quite smoothly without teacher’s instruction and thus develop their

reading fluency. Nowadays there is a wide variety of EFL readers available from

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different publishers and their quality is high enough to call them ‘language learner

literature’ (Bamford, Extensive Reading: What Is It? 3).

Readers may be of course supplemented by children’s books for native speakers, low-

level vocabulary magazines and comics but the teacher has to be cautious to choose only

authentic material that is comprehensible for his/her readers so that the overall pleasure

aspect is maintained. If the reading material is too difficult for readers and they have to

look up too much unknown words in a dictionary, extensive reading turns into intensive

reading.

2.4.4 What exactly happens when we are reading graded readers?

The main purpose of graded reading is to provide material that is easy enough to

enable the reader to read extensively and to develop sufficient fluency in reading. Graded

reading develops reading speed, comprehension, fluency and it enables the reader to

move from “working with words to working with ideas”

(Waring, Graded or Extensive 1). This means that a learner will move from reading each

single word of a sentence and starts to decode language in chunks or short phrases or

“ideas”.

According to Waring, when a learner is beginning to read in the second language

he looks at each letter of each word, decodes the word and keeps it in his working

memory while the next words are processed. By the time he reaches the end of the line

the words from the beginning may easily be forgotten and very little meaning of the text

might be retained.

e.g. The / old / lady / took / her / dog / to / the / park.

(Waring, Graded or Extensive 1)

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As the reader reads more, he decodes words faster and easily remembers the earlier

words. He can therefore read more words within the limited space of his memory i.e.

process the chunks of text or ideas.

e.g. The old lady / took her dog / to the park.

(Waring, Graded or Extensive 1)

At this level reader can make more effective use of background information about the

topic to fill in non-comprehended parts of the text. Furthermore it has been proved that

we tend to remember ideas much better than actual words. Warring uses the example

with recalling words of a text that was read lately. A reader is able to retell an article

from morning’s newspaper in one’s own words far more easily than trying to recall the

exact words in which the article was written (Waring, Graded or Extensive 1).

2.4.5 Graded readers or authentic material

We have described the benefits of Graded Readers for an ER programme, however

some authors claim (Widdowson qtd. in Bamford, Extensive Reading 57) that graded

readers lack authenticity, are simple in their use of sentence structure and also the

vocabulary is limited and therefore do not provide the real life reading experience. We

sympathise with teachers that claim that “however good the simplification, something is

always lost” (Nuttall 32). Therefore if you are able to find unabridged material at right

level it is vital to add it into your ER library. However, it is difficult to find enough titles

for elementary level and you will almost certainly have to use simplified materials at the

beginning. When choosing authentic materials for your students, always bear in mind

whether they will be able to read them independently.

When questioning authenticity of simplified materials it is worth presenting the

ideas of Janet Swaffar. Swaffar argues that authentic material does not need to be

material written deliberately for native speakers. What is important about the authenticity

of material is whether it was written to communicate meaning.

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For purposes of the foreign language classroom, an authentic text . . . is one whose primary intent

is to communicate meaning. In other words, such a text can be one which is written for native

speakers of a language to be read by other native speakers . . . or it may be a text intended for a

language learner group. The relevant consideration here is not for whom it is written but that

there has been an authentic communicative objective in mind.

(Swaffar gtd. in Bamford, Extensive Reading: What Is It? 3)

Swaffar admits that the artificiality may appear in texts written for language learners

especially when writers or editors are concerned less with communication than with e.g.

the usage of particular words or a need to reduce a complicated story to a few pages of

text. (Swaffar gtd. in Bamford, Extensive Reading: What Is It? 3)

We do not deny the importance of reading authentic materials; they should be well

suited for advanced level but to proceed to these levels readers have to be exposed to

large quantities of materials written in English and they will not continue reading if this

was a continuous struggle with unknown words.

2.4.6 Check-out system

There are several ways of organizing the Extensive reading library mostly depending

on the organization of a particular school. Books can be kept in a school library, shelved

in the classroom, or brought to class. It is probably best to set up an ER library in your

classroom. Besides convenience and flexibility books are always at hand to be borrowed

by students. The checkout system depends on the number of books you have. If there are

few books, a checkout notebook or sheet placed on a desk is sufficient.

Name April

1

April

8

April

15

April

22

Akiyo Nagai G5345 G2453 G3232

Bert Nuefelt Y1785 Y2121 Y2778

Shu Wei P2352 P2099 G6435

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Carlos

Sanchez 543 547 444

Table 2. A simple checkout sheet for a single class.

(Waring, Getting a ER Program Going 3)

If there are a lot of books it is useful to paste a pocket in the back of each book to put a

library card in. When the book is borrowed the card is taken from the book and the date

of borrowing and name are marked on it. Other alternative is to set up a personal reading

card for each student on which the student can list the books borrowed, the date

borrowed and date returned.

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Name Akiyo Nagai Number …

032012

Title

Book

numb

er

Date

borro

wed

Date

retu

rned

Alice in

Wonderland G5345

April

13

April

16

The green eye Y1785 April

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Table 3. A checkout sheet for a single learner.

(Waring, Getting a ER Program Going 3)

2.4.7 Classifying the books

To help students find an appropriate book easily the level of each book should be

marked visibly by the use of differently coloured strips on the spine of each book. Books

should be grouped on shelves according to reading level and they may as well be put into

separate boxes according to their level so that they will not get mixed. In larger extensive

reading libraries books can be further shelved by subject or genre within each reading

level.

Several major publishers offer their own schemes of grading readers. However

these schemes often differ and therefore it is advisable that you create your own scheme

according to the number of head words present in each title. The sample system created

adapted from Hill is offered below.

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Table 4. Books categorized by level

Level Number of headwords

1 red 300

2 blue 600

3 yellow 700-1200

4 pink 1300-1700

5 orange 1800-2300

6 green 3000

(Hill qtd. in Conley 1)

The Edinburgh Project on Extensive Reading has up to 9 levels, therefore if you wish

to create more precise categorisation the suggested number of 15 books per level will

have to be changed according to the number of levels you decide on. The more precise

the division the less books are needed to reach the next level.

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2.5 Teacher’s role

2.5.1 Introducing the ER to students

After having prepared themselves for teaching Extensive reading, teachers’ task is to

introduce ER programme to their students and to familiarize them with its aims and

benefits. It is challenging to introduce the programme by asking students about their

attitudes and past experiences of reading. It may be also useful to contact institutions that

did these programs and ask them for handouts or posters with comments from students

who absolved this programme. Videotapes of interviews with students talking about the

program can be especially powerful source of motivation for your students.

Students should also know how to read extensively – teacher has to note that dictionaries

should be avoided as reading fluency and a general, less than 100 percent understanding

of what is read is appropriate for most reading purposes. Teacher should also emphasise

to his/her students that there will be no test after reading. He/she will be only interested

in student’s personal experiences of what they read e.g. whether they found the material

enjoyable or interesting and why.

After the explanation of the organization of the library and the check-out system students

should find books that are of a suitable reading level for them. Teacher may assist in

selecting appropriate reading material that will be interesting as well as easy.

2.5.2 Helping students to choose books

Students should find the first books they read really easy and finish them quickly. They

should move quickly (after reading a minimum of ten and maximum of fifteen books) to

the level that is comfortable for them and continue reading at this level. The starting level

can be found by using a placement test developed by EPER (The Edinburgh Project on

Extensive Reading) or by the use of a cloze test. Teachers can also copy pages from

different readers and have students simply read them. The activity ‘Find Your Level’ is

useful in helping students to find the reading level at which they can read comfortably

and fluently and it is described in the practical part.

26

2.5.3 Encouraging students to read

“The foundation is teacher attitude and example”

(Bamford 207)

As already mentioned in the introduction, example is the best motivation, therefore

teacher should be familiar with all titles that are in ER library so that he/she can talk with

students about their reading and recommend titles according to students’ needs with

knowledge and enthusiasm. Students will be very pleased to discuss their own

experience with the teacher. This way teacher will also control the quality of chosen

material.

It is advisable to schedule silent reading periods or shared reading in class regularly. By

doing so, teacher demonstrates the importance he/she attaches to reading. If he/she reads

and if students see him/her reading the same books they are reading extensively, it is a

great encouragement to them. “Students follow the example of people they respect. If the

teacher is seen to read with concentration, to enjoy reading and to make use of books,

newspapers and so on, the students are more likely to take notice of her when she urges

them to do the same” (Nuttal 171). If silent reading seems odd to students, administrators

or parents explain its benefits to them (Nuttal 171).

Using class activities is an invaluable source of motivation for students. Hitosugi and

Day observed that students who have not done their reading felt left out and this

motivated them to read (Hitosugi and Day, ER in Japanese 8). They see performing the

activities in class as a way how to show students that ER is an integral part of their

course. Students’ presentations of their personal readings are valuable in terms of

strengthening the class as a language-learning community (Hitosugi and Day, ER in

Japanese 8).

Making posters based on students’ reading and displaying them in class creates a

pleasant atmosphere and gives students the possibility to share their experience. A notice

board where students’ book reports and achievement are traced should be present in each

class. At the beginning of the course students can make a poster about the benefits of the

ER programme that can be put on the notice board. The overall idea is to incorporate

students in creating the program and thus foster reading community.

27

2.5.4 In-class activities

The most basic activity is a book report in which students are asked about their

personal experiences of what they read e.g. whether they found the material enjoyable or

interesting and why, whether they liked some characters from the book or what did

reading make them think of. They can also be asked whether the reading was easy or

difficult for them. There are also many activities that utilize students’ reading for

learning language skills such as oral fluency, writing, reading or vocabulary.

Students are not required to demonstrate their understanding by answering

comprehension questions; however teachers may need to ask students to engage in

follow-up activities after reading for a number of reasons:

a) To discover what the students understood or experienced from their reading

b) To keep track of what students read

c) To monitor their attitude towards reading

d) To link reading with other aspects of the curriculum

(Hitosugi and Day, ER in Japanese 1)

2.5.5 Monitoring students’ reading

There are several ways how teachers may monitor their students’ reading. Students fill in

Instant Book Records and present their reading during classes. Teacher may use one-to-

one interview to check sensitively whether students are reading. Another possibility is to

ask students to finish sentences that describe events in the story they read. Nice

variations of book reporting are e.g. choosing an appropriate gift for the character in the

story or comparing the character with the schoolmates. All activities can be found in

Bamford, Extensive Reading Activities for Language Teaching.

28

2.5.6 Rewards

Even if rewards in form of points or grades are not recommended to be used in an ER

programme we found that for younger learners it is very motivating to run a competition

for the best reader that is presented as ‘Reading Marathon’ in the practical part. Students

are not given grades for reading but everybody who reaches the target number of books

is rewarded. The reader who reads most titles is given a special award. The competition

brings challenge to reading and it is associated more with fun than learning and we

therefore do not consider it harmful.

29

II. PRACTICAL PART

1. A long-term project

Further a long-term project for teaching Extensive reading is provided. The project

was designed for a group of 15 students at a pre-intermediate level. It covers the period

of three months provided that 45 minutes a week are allocated for Extensive reading.

This frequency is sufficient as the main students’ task was reading that takes place

outside the class as homework. The goal of the programme was to read one book a week

i.e. students should have read twelve books after finishing the programme.

The project suggests how an Extensive reading programme can be designed. The aim

was to start with motivating activities and activities that provide enough input for

students and to proceed to activities that include more active participation and output of

students. The project offers only theoretical background as the activities were not piloted

in class.

The project was designed to follow the rationale of Extensive reading programme

described in theoretical part. The aims of the project are:

1. to inform students what Extensive reading is

2. to teach reading and ‘reader’s’ skills

a) how to choose materials from a library (e.g. finding appropriate reading

material, distinguishing different genres, knowing one’s preferences, reading blurbs,

predicting what the book is about according to the title)

b) reading skills (e.g. ordering events from a story, predicting how a sentence

will finish)

3. to integrate extensive reading with other skills

a) oral skills (e.g. expressing opinions about reading, presentations, talking

about what was read)

b) writing skills – reporting about what was read (Instant Book Reports,

writing short poems)

4. to create positive feelings about reading ( e.g. learning about other students, playing

drama, making posters, teacher reading stories to students)

5. to motivate students to continue reading after the programme finishes (presenting

reading as a pleasurable activity – teacher as a role model of reader)

30

A long-term project was chosen because of the nature of Extensive reading – it supposes

continuity and thorough planning. It is advised to plan the whole procedure of Extensive

reading programme before starting it.

All activities were adapted from Extensive Reading Activities for Teaching Language

by Julian Bamford and Richard R. Day because this title contains activities deliberately

designed for ER programme. Activity 3.4 “It was Proved That ...” was self-created, the

facts being taken from The Power of Reading by Stephen Krashen; activity “Remember

when” was taken from Top Class Activities by Peter Watcyn-Jones.

31

Lesson 1

Level: Pre-intermediate

Length of lesson: 45 minutes

1.1 Brief introduction of the extensive reading programme

Time: 3 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Aims: to inform students that they are going to participate in extensive reading

programme

Procedure:

1. Tell students that their class is going to join an extensive reading programme what

means that they are going to read a lot of interesting and easy books in English at home

for a period of three months. Before you explain this in more detail tell them that you are

interested in their opinions on reading in their first language and in English.

2. Proceed to the following activity.

1.2 What do you think? (Bamford 18-20)

Time: 15 minutes

Interaction: ind. Ss, pairs, T – whole class

Aids: one enlarged copy of eight sentences per three students, blu-tac

Assumptions: students have already read some books in their first language and

probably some of them have read books in English

Aims:

- students state their opinions about reading

- students learn more about extensive reading

32

Procedure:

1. Copies of the sentences are attached to the walls of the classroom.

2. Students take a piece of paper and divide it into two columns. One is headed

“I think ...“, the other “I don’t think ...”

3. This is a memory activity. Students will walk to the wall, read one sentence, remember

it and return to their desks. If students agree with the sentence they write it under “I

think...“, if they disagree they write it under “I don’t think...” They will continue like this

until they copy all the sentences.

4. Students compare their opinions in pairs and find out how many times they agree with

their partner.

5. Have a whole class discussion of the answers.

Sentences for discussion (Bamford 19)

Reading in my first language is fun.

Reading English is difficult.

I should usually look up new words in my dictionary.

Reading English is boring.

It is easier to read about sports than science.

If I read very fast, it is hard to understand meaning.

Reading out loud is a good idea.

Reading English is fun.

Points to share with students during discussion. (Bamford 20)

Reading in my first language is fun.

Most students like reading at least certain things in their language: children’s books,

magazines, romances, adventure books or encyclopedia. Explain that Extensive reading

in a foreign language is the same: People choose things they enjoy reading and then it is

fun.

Reading English is difficult.

Explain that with extensive reading students will read a lot of easy materials and that

there will be no more than two new words per page.

33

I should usually look up new words in my dictionary.

A dictionary is a tool. It can be useful but many learners use dictionaries too much. Most

of the time, they should just skip over new words. If the word seems important, they

might want to guess at it. If they try that and they really cannot figure out the word, then

it is OK to look it up.

Reading English is boring.

This depends on students’ interests. They should choose books they are interested in.

It is easier to read about geography than computers.

This again depends on students’ interests and background knowledge. Most of us find it

easier to read things when we already know a bit about the subject.

If I read very fast, it is hard to understand meaning.

The opposite is often true. To really understand, one needs to read fairly quickly (for

example 200 words a minute). That means reading easy books.

Reading out loud is a good idea.

Reading out loud is not very useful if one person is reading while the rest of the students

look out of the window, go to sleep, or wait for the reader to make a mistake. However,

reading to students, or using recordings can be useful and enjoyable.

Reading English is fun.

This should be the goal of a language teacher, to develop both ability and attitude that

make reading fun. Extensive reading programme is a way how to make it happen.

Evaluation: This activity was chosen in order to make students realize how important

reading in their first language is and to compare it with reading in the foreign language.

The positive aspects in L1 were emphasized in L2 as well and several principles of

Extensive reading procedure were introduced.

34

1.3 Introducing the Extensive reading programme - rationale, procedures (library,

reading marathon, Instant Book Reports – not too broadly at this stage)

Time: 12 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Aids: a poster for running marathon, a book from library that has been labeled for level,

copies of filled in Instant Book Reports (one copy per student)

Assumptions: students are literate in English, students know the benefits of Extensive

reading (previous activity)

Aims: to inform students about the rationale and organization of Extensive reading

programme

Procedure:

1. Explain to students that in the following three months they are going to read

interesting and easy books in English. 45 minutes a week will be allocated for doing

different activities connected with reading (e.g. they will listen to a serial, learn

predicting the context, create posters, play drama and have fun)

2. Explain the organization and the check-out system of the library. Tell students that

books will be labeled for levels with coloured stickers that are on the spine of each book,

show them example.

3. Explain that a competition called reading marathon will be a part of Extensive reading

programme. Explain the rules.

4. Tell student and another activities will accompany the Extensive reading programme

(e.g. Top ten chart, Rate it chart)

5. Show students a copy of filled in Instant Book Report; tell them that they are going to

fill in this report after reading each book. Give out the master copies of Instant Book

Report.

6. Write three rules of Extensive reading on the board and have students write them into

their notebooks:

1) Enjoy!

2) Enjoy!

3) Enjoy!

35

Evaluation: It is important that before starting the Extensive reading programme

students are

familiarized what it is, why they are doing it, what benefits it will bring them and how

are they going to proceed.

1.4 Find your level (Bamford 31)

Time: (10 minutes)

Interaction: ind. Ss, T – whole class

Assumptions: students are literate in English

Aims: to help students find reading level that is convenient for them

Preparation: For each of the reading levels of your library find a book that starts in a

clear and interesting fashion, with language fairly representative of that level. Copy the

first page of each selected book and paste all these first pages on one large sheet of

paper, with reading levels clearly marked (Box 1c). Include also the title, author and

publisher of each extract so that students can borrow the book itself if they wish. Make a

copy of this Find Your Level sheet for each student.

Procedure:

1. Tell students that this activity will help them make a quick, rough estimate of a

comfortable level at which to begin reading.

2. Distribute the Find Your Level sheets. Instruct students to read each passage, circling

or underlining any words, phrases, or sections they cannot understand or follow clearly.

3. After students finish, point out that they should start at a level with no more than two

difficulties per page. They should be able to read comfortably, with enjoyment.

Evaluation: This activity was chosen to help students find the reading level to start with.

It is crucial that the first book students read is within their comfort zone.

36

1.5 Homework - Reading and you Questionnaire (Bamford 10-12)

Time: 5 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Assumptions: students have already read some books in their first language and

probably some of them have also read books in English

Aims: to present students how to fill in a questionnaire

Aids: copies of a questionnaire (one copy per student) (see Appendix)

Procedure:

1. Distribute the questionnaire in class and go over any questions that might be difficult.

Give examples of possible answers. Assure students that there are no right or wrong

answers. Ask students to answer the questions for homework. Ask students to write the

answers on computer on a separate paper and bring it together with answers to the next

lesson.

Goals of the lesson

- students are informed about the rationale and organization of ER

- students know what library level they should start reading

- students can express their opinions about reading

37

Lesson 2

2.1 Reading and You Questionnaire + Getting acquainted (Bamford15-16)

Time: 25 minutes

Interaction: whole class, groups

Assumptions: students have already read some books in their first language and

probably some of them have also read books in English, students know each other

Aims: to help students examine their general reading habits and attitudes, as well as their

feelings about reading in the new language; to give teacher insight into student’s reading

preferences and their attitudes toward reading in the foreign language for enjoyment and

learning

Procedure:

1. Collect the sheets with students’ answers to the questionnaire.

2. Give each student one sheet with his peers’ answers. Students try to identify the author

of the answer sheet. They mingle and ask Yes/No questions e.g. Are your first memories

of reading ‘your mum reading to you before going to sleep’?

3. When students find the author of the text they give him/her the answer sheet.

4. Students work in groups and share their answers. They can discuss whatever items

seem interesting to them, in no particular order. Ask students to take notes on their peers’

answers if the answers seem particularly important, unusual or interesting. Explain that

they will create a reader ID for each member of the group. Explain to the class that ID is

something that helps others to identify the person.

5. Tell each group to decide on one interesting fact about each group member’s reading

experiences. This fact will be that student’s “Reader ID.”

6. Call on the groups in turn. Ask a member of each group to introduce the other

members to the rest of the class by name and Reader ID. Model an introduction: “This is

Jane. She likes love stories.” Note down the information about each student so that you

can end the class by reviewing each student’s name and Reader ID.

7. In the next lesson, ask for volunteers to recall another student’s name and Reader ID.

You may have to be the first volunteer.

38

Evaluation: This activity enables students to state their opinions about reading. It is a

chance for the teacher to see how the students feel about reading. Student are made to

remember the positive memories they have on reading from childhood and the ideas that

are raised during the discussion may offer a nice bridge to introducing Extensive reading

programme.

2.2 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day” (Bamford 60-61)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Aims:

- to provide tips on good book

- to model reading for knowledge and pleasure

- to model oral presentation skills

- to provide listening practice

- to keep the extensive programme in the forefront of students’ minds

- to model book reporting

Preparation: Keep a written log of the books you have read from the Extensive reading

library. Note any points that particularly interested or impressed you. Bring one of these

books to class. Fill in a copy of Instant Book Report according to your reading and make

a copy for each student.

Procedure:

1. Offer a quick book recommendation. Present a preview of the plot or content and say

what particularly impressed you or why you enjoyed the book. While you are talking

hold the book up for all to see.

2. Present an Instant Book Report that you filled in according to your reading so that

students get the idea of how to fill the form themselves. Ask them to fill in such report

after each reading and hand it in to you. Copy sufficient amount of unfilled Instant Book

Reports and place them in class for students to take away any time.

3. Invite anyone who would like to read the book to come up and get it after class.

39

Comments: Use a few spare minutes at the end of each following lesson by offering a

new book recommendation. When students are used to this procedure (after three

lessons), invite them to offer their own book recommendations.

Evaluation: This activity gives the teacher opportunity to present several books from the

ER library what is especially useful at the beginning of the programme. Later in the

course it enables students to state their opinions about books they read and to practice

oral reporting skills.

2.3 Radio Serial (Bamford 55)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Aids: an appropriate graded reader

Aims: to give students opportunities to experience extensive listening which motivates

extensive reading

Procedure:

1. Read the first chapter of graded reader to the class.

2. Set aside some class time each week for the next few weeks to read successive

installments of the book, so that it becomes a serial story.

Goals of the lesson

- students know they can read for knowledge and pleasure

- students are aware or the importance of ER

- students are motivated to read extensively

Evaluation: This is a very important activity in terms of motivation. A teacher as a

model reader has invaluable effect on students’ enthusiasm to read. Moreover, it creates

positive atmosphere in class and develops listening skills. The Radio Serial extends over

seven lessons.

40

Lesson 3

Warmer – Reader’s ID (Bamford 16)

Time: 5 minutes

Interaction: S – whole class

Aim: to personalize teaching, to practice oral presentation

Procedure:

1. Ask for volunteers who remember some of the student’s IDs from previous lesson and

have them present it.

Evaluation: This activity creates a nice atmosphere at the beginning of the lesson.

3.1 Identify the Books (Bamford 21-22)

Time: 15 minutes

Interaction: individuals, T – whole class

Preparation: Select ten books that you plan to introduce to your students. On a sheet of

paper, copy the blurbs from nine of ten books. Number the blurbs. Photocopy the list for

each student.

Aims: to introduce new books to students, to teach reading blurbs

Procedure:

1. Tell students that many books have blurbs (short descriptions of the content) on back

covers. Explain that the purpose of a blurb is to tell readers what the book is about and to

interest people in reading the book. Tell students that they will read some blurbs and will

try to guess the names of the books the blurbs describe.

2. Arrange the ten new books around the room. Be sure only the front cover of each book

can be seen. Distribute the list of nine blurbs to each student. Ask students to examine

the books on display. Tell them to look carefully at each book – the title, cover design,

pictures and so on – but not to pick up the book or look at the back cover. Students

should match each blurb on their list with a book on display and write the book title on

41

their sheets below the blurb describing that book. Also tell students that one of the books

on display has no blurb on their lists.

3. After all the students have finished the task, pick up the books one by one and read the

blurbs aloud.

Evaluation: This activity is enjoyable and it helps student to find books they are

interested in.

42

3.2 It was proved that...

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: pairs, T – whole class

Aids: slips of cut sentences (one sentence per pair), one marker per pair

Aims: students learn about the benefits of reading

Procedure:

1. Write “It was proved that...” on the board.

2. Give out the cut sentences into pairs.

3. Tell students that they are going to unscramble the sentences about the facts that have

been found about reading and write them on the board.

4. After all the sentences are on board have a class discussion asking the students why

they think reading helps to improve the mentioned areas.

Cut sentences

Students/ who/ read/ a lot become /better/ readers.

write/ better.

are/ better/ at/ listening.

are/ better/ at/ speaking.

have/ greater/ vocabulary.

have/ better/ spelling.

are/ better/ at/ grammar.

know/ more.

have/ better/ scores/ at/ tests.

read/ faster.

read/ better.

(Evidence taken from Krashen The Power of Reading)

Evaluation: This activity was designed to make students aware of the benefits Extensive

teaching brings them.

43

3.3 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day”

Time: 5 minutes

3.4. Radio Serial

Time: 10 minutes

Goals of the lesson

- students know how to read blurbs

- students can select important information about their partners and present it

- students are aware of the benefits of ER

44

Lesson 4

4.1 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day”

Time: 5 minutes

4.2 Genre corners (Bamford 47)

Time: 25 minutes

Interaction: groups

Aids: three CD players, a number of CD recordings of graded readers of different genres

Aims:

- to interest students in reading

- to provide extensive listening practice

- to cater to individual learner preferences

- to make students distinguish genres

Preparation: Assemble three or four CD players, a number of CD recordings of graded

readers covering a range of genres (e.g., romance, thriller, science fiction and comedy),

and copies of the graded readers.

Procedure:

1. Place a player and a small supply of CDs and their graded readers in each corner of the

classroom. Devote each corner to a genre.

2. After explaining how the classroom is setup, invite students to choose which kind of

book they would like to listen to and gather in that corner to listen.

4.3 Radio Serial

Time: 10 minutes

Goals of the lesson

- students can distinguish different genres and know their preferences

45

Lesson 5

5.1 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day”

Time: 5 minutes

5.2 Mind’s Eye (Bamford 107)

Time: 15 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Aids: a CD with soft music, CD player

Assumptions: students have read a book from Extensive reading library

Aims: to give students some preparation time before telling a story, so they can speak

more fluently

Preparation: Familiarize yourself with the Mind’s Eye Script so that you will be ready

to read it out for the students.

Procedure:

1. Have students think of a book they read recently. Tell them that, in a moment, they are

going to close their eyes and think about the story. You will tell them what to do. When

students are ready and comfortable, start reading the Mind’s Eye Script, which guides the

students in visualizing the story. While reading the script, play soft background music

during the pauses while students think and imagine.

2. When students have opened their eyes at the end, tell each to work with their partner.

Students will tell their stories to their partner. They will end by telling the name of the

book and whether they enjoyed and recommend it.

46

Mind’s Eye Script (Bamford 107-108)

(Read the following in a slow relaxing tone.)

Think of a story you’ve read recently.

(Pause)

Close your eyes. In your mind, think about the story. Imagine the main characters. Who

are they? What are their names? What do they look like? Try to get a picture in your

mind.

(Pause)

Notice their faces. Notice the clothes they are wearing.

(Pause)

What are they saying? What do they sound like? Imagine their voices.

(Pause)

Where are they? In your mind, get a picture of that place.

(Pause)

Think about the action. What are they doing? Watch the story as if it were a movie. What

are they doing? Listen to what they say. How do they feel? How do they feel about each

other?

(Pause)

How do you feel about them?

(Pause)

In your mind, watch the story. Listen to the story. Feel the story.

(Pause for about 30 seconds.)

Now imagine that the story was a video. Rewind the video. Go back to the beginning.

Watch it again. This time, as you watch, think about how you will describe the story in

English.

(Pause for about a minute.)

Now take a deep breath. Slowly open your eyes.

Evaluation: This is the first time students talk about their reading in broader terms. The

idea behind this activity was to help students create a mental picture of the story that they

read and thus facilitate oral presentation.

47

5.3 Draw a picture (Bamford 103-104)

Time: 15 minutes

Interaction: ind. Ss, pairs

Aim: to develop oral fluency

Assumptions: students have read a book from Extensive reading library

Preparation: Make a copy of the Talk about a Book handout for each student. Each

student will also need blank sheet of paper for drawing. Be ready to model the activity by

drawing a simple picture based on a book you have read.

Procedure:

1. In class, distribute a blank sheet of paper and a Talk about a Book handout to each

student. Tell students to think again about the book they have read from previous activity

and to draw a picture about the book. It should be a picture from their imagination, not a

copy of an actual illustration. Simple pictures are fine. Demonstrate by drawing a picture

on the board.

2. Tell students they have only five minutes to draw and that they cannot use erasers.

3. When time is up, have students, working in pairs, show their picture and talk about

their books using the handout as a guide.

Evaluation: Again, drawing a picture gives prompt to talk about reading. This time

students may want to change their partners and by retelling the story enforce their oral

presentation.

Talk about a Book (Bamford 104)

(see Appendix)

5.4 Radio Serial

Time: 10 minutes

Goals of the lesson

- students are able to retell the story

- students are able to talk about what they have read

48

Lesson 6

6. 1 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day”

Time: 5 minutes

6.2 Predicting content from title (Bamford 127)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: ind. Ss, groups

Aims: to give practical experience in predicting.

Preparation: Select five books from the extensive reading library that seem interesting

but that most or all of the students have not read. Prepare a handout, listing the five book

titles under the heading Book Title. Make a copy of the handout for each student.

Procedure:

1. Distribute the handout to the class. Tell students to work individually for about five

minutes, predicting what each book is about from looking at the titles only. Ask students

to write down these ideas under the “About What?” heading on the handout. They should

then circle Yes or No to indicate they are or are not interested in reading the book based

on what they have predicted. Finally, for books they marked “Yes”, have students give

two or three reasons why they think the book might interest them.

2. When time is up, have students form small groups to work for another five minutes

comparing notes on their story predictions and reactions. Ask them to find out who in the

group predicted the same or similar content. Have them find out what might have led

others to predict something different.

Format for Predicting Content from Titles (Bamford 128)

Book title About What? Interested? If Yes, explain

1._________ Yes/No

2._________ Yes/No

3._________ Yes/No

4._________ Yes/No

5._________ Yes/No

49

Evaluation: Predicting titles is a reader’s skill that makes it easier for students to choose

the book that is appropriate for them and gives provisional idea of what the book is

about.

6.3 Radio Serial

Time: 10 minutes

6.4 Homework – What next? (Bamford 123-124)

Procedure:

1. Tell several students (a third of the class) to cut a sheet of paper into six strips. On one

strip, the student writes, in large letters, the title of the book he or she has read. On each

of the other five strips, the student briefly writes a different key event that happens in the

book. They cannot include the ending of the story as one of the key events. The student

should not number, order or use connecting words to indicate the sequence of events.

The strips are shuffled so they are in random order.

Goals of the lesson

- students can predict what the book is about according to its title

50

Lesson 7

7.1 What Next? (Bamford 123-124)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: groups

Aims: to help students make inferences, to practice listening and speaking

Procedure:

1. Introduce cues and encourage students to use them:

“Maybe this comes first because...”, “I think this comes afterward because...”,

“This must be last because...”

2. Divide students into small groups, with one student who has done the homework in

each group. Each group looks at the strip of paper with the title of the book. Students

should make sure they are in a group that is working with a book they have not already

read. Each group has five minutes to arrange the events in the order they appear in the

book.

3. When a group is finished, or when time is called, the student who did the homework

tells the group members how “hot” (close) or “cold” (far) they were in inferring the order

of events. The student then explains how the events connect but does not reveal how the

book ends.

Evaluation: This activity offers students to realize that each story is organized in a

logical and meaningful way.

51

7.2 I Know What Comes Next! (Bamford 200-201)

Time: 20 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Aims: to encourage students to improve their reading by anticipating what will come

next through an understanding of collocations and discourse markers

Preparation: Students need books they are reading or have read recently.

Procedure:

1. Explain to students that when we read, most of us are able to anticipate what comes

next. It is the same as when we look at the title of a book and have a reasonable idea of

what the book is going to be about and what kind of language we can expect. This way

we often have a reasonable idea of how a sentence is going to end.

2. Tell the students that you are going to carry out a little test: How good are they at

anticipating? Explain that you are going to dictate part of a sentence to the students. You

will then tell them how many words they must use to finish the sentence. Ask students to

write down the words they think will follow. For example:

I love Jutta but ... (four words). [she doesn’t love me]

3. Have students mark their own answers, giving themselves one point for each correct

word. Students will get no points if the first word is wrong, even if the other three are

correct. However, they will get one point if their first word is correct, even if their other

words are incorrect.

4. More sentences to complete:

a) My sister used to live in the south of Scotland, but ten years ago... (five words).

[she moved to the north]

b) I didn’t want to go swimming because the water wasn’t ... (two words).

[warm enough]

c) Two children are talking.

Boy: Do you like my new bike?

Girl: It’s great! Where did you get it?

52

Boy: My uncle ... (seven words) [gave it to me for my birthday]

5. Congratulate the student who has earned most points. Instruct your students, as

homework, to look in their books for sentences they think have endings that classmates

might be able to anticipate. Tell students it is up to them to decide how many words their

classmates must guess. In addition to the same point system as the one used in the game,

say that if at least one student guesses the full correct answer, the student who selected

the sentence receives double the number of points. (For example, if the selector’s

sentence has four words to guess, he receives eight points).

6. If students found it difficult to find good sentences in their books, ask them to make up

their own sentences.

Evaluation: Students like this activity and they unconsciously practice the word order

rules. Predicting how a sentence will finish is a useful reading skill that makes reading

easier and that helps readers speed their reading and grasp the meaning more quickly.

7.3 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day”

Time: 5 minutes

7.4 Radio Serial

Time: 10 minutes

Goals of the lesson

- students can order events from a story

- students can predict how a sentence will finish

53

Lesson 8

8.1 I Know What Comes Next!

Time: 25 minutes

8.2 Where’ the Drama? (Bamford 113-114)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Aims:

- to help students understand the dramatic and musical qualities of a reading (stress,

rhythm, intonation and pitch)

- to allow students to realize the emotional power of text

Preparation: Select a short passage from a book you have read. Choose something that

has will excite your students. Rehearse reading it aloud. Make a copy of the passage for

each student.

Procedure:

1. Introduce your dramatic reading to your class. You might want to give some

background to your passage. Then read you passage aloud with appropriate drama. After

your reading, ask your students to discuss in groups why they think it is dramatic. Then

distribute the copies of your passage to the class and read it again.

2. For homework, have students select brief passages (about one minute of oral-reading

time) from the books they are reading. Each student should choose a passage that seems

interesting and dramatic and practice reading it aloud. Students should bring their books

to class so that they can read out from them.

8.3 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day”

Time: 5 minutes

8.4 Radio Serial

Time: 10 minutes

54

Goals of the lesson

- students understand the dramatic and musical qualities of a reading (stress, rhythm,

intonation and pitch)

- students realize the emotional power of text

55

Lesson 9

9.1 Where’ the Drama? (Bamford 113-114)

Time: 20 minutes

Interaction: groups

Aims:

- to help students understand the dramatic and musical qualities of a reading (stress,

rhythm, intonation and pitch)

- to allow students to realize the emotional power of text

Procedure:

1. Divide students into small groups and have them read their passages to one another.

Ask them to talk about where the drama is in each passage.

2. After all the students have given their dramatic readings, tell them to choose the most

dramatic reading in their groups. The students whose readings were chosen read their

passages to the entire class.

Evaluation: Students are very happy to perform drama. It also gives them the idea that a

text is a lively portrayal of life.

9.2 Sentence Detective (Bamford 164-166)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class, ind. Ss

Aims: to improve writing proficiency

Preparation: Students bring books they are reading to class.

Procedure:

1. Write a simple sentence on the board, e.g. Jeremy writes books.

2. Ask the students whether the sentence is grammatically correct. (Yes, it is.)

3. Ask students to embellish the sentence with one additional word:

Jeremy Taylor writes books.

Jeremy writes excellent books.

Jeremy writes books quickly.

56

4. Students may also try to embellish sentences with two or three words, but they have to

be written together.

Two words added: Every day Jeremy writes books.

1. Jeremy writes books for teenagers.

Three words added: Almost every day Jeremy writes books.

Not possible: *Interestingly Jeremy Taylor writes exciting books.

5. Have students browse through their books to find a sentence that they can embellish

with one, two or three words.

6. Have students write down the embellished sentences without indicating which words

were added. They also note down the book’s title and the page on which the original

sentence is found.

7. The Sentence Detective – the teacher should then examine the sentence carefully and

to determine which word or words have been added. If the SD detects the added words,

the student loses that number of points. If the student successfully tricks the SD, then the

student is awarded points equal to the number of added words.

8. Ask students to prepare a set number of embellished sentences for homework for the

next lesson.

Evaluation: The benefit of this activity is that students create numerous sentences and at

the same time they enjoy themselves and realize the word order and words’ connotations.

9.3 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day”

Time: 5 minutes

9.4 Radio Serial

Time: 10 minutes

Goals of the lesson

- students realize different word classes and word order of a sentence

57

58

Lesson 10

10.1 Sentence Detective

Time: 20 minutes

Variation: Students work in group after they have appointed their Sentence Detective

10.2 Instant Book Report (Bamford 93-94)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: pairs

Aims:

- to give students a chance to tell each other about the books they have read

- to improve oral fluency

Procedure:

1. Write the following on the board:

I read a book called ___________.

It’s a(n) _____________ story.

i. (adventure, mystery, science fiction,, love, detective, true)

It’s about ____________.

The main characters are ____________.

ii. (names, jobs, personalities)

In the story there was a problem. ____________.

I liked/didn’t like this book because ______________.

2. Have students work in pairs. They each choose a book they have read recently and tell

their partner about it. They use the sentences on the board to help them get started. Most

students’ reports last two or three minutes. It is reasonable to give students a few minutes

before they start to speak. You might want to ask them to close their eyes, imagine the

story and mentally listen to themselves narrate it.

3. After students tell each other their stories they can change partners and repeat their

book reports.

59

Evaluation: Again students share their reading this time with the help of prompts written

on the board. While students are talking about their reading teacher can monitor whether

students have done their reading. This activity is important because students are

stimulated to share their reading experience with peers and thus create a reading

community.

10.3 Poetry with a Character (Bamford 158-159)

Time: 5 minutes

Interaction: ind. Ss

Aids: dictionaries

Aims:

- to improve writing skills

- to help vocabulary development and enrichment

Procedure:

1. Ask students to write a five-line poem about one of the characters in the following

way: the student writes the name of the character on the first and fifth lines. On the

second, third and fourth lines the student writes a two word phrase that describes the

character. The first word must begin with the letter of the alphabet that the character’s

name begins with, the second word with the letter that the character’s last name begins

with. Write an example on the board:

Frank Wormold

Frequently weary

Feeling weak

Film writer

Frank Wormold

2. Begin the activity by having the students write the five-line poem by using their own

names.

3. Have the students read their finished poems to the class.

60

Evaluation: This activity lightens up the lesson and shows students that writing can be

fun.

10.4 “I Read a Good Book the Other Day”

Time: 5 minutes

10.5 Dramatic conversations (Bamford 115-116)

Time: 5 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Aims: to improve oral fluency

Procedure:

1. Divide students into groups of three. Tell them to select a conversation involving three

characters from a book they have read for a three- to five-minute dramatic performance.

For homework, ask students to make photocopies of their conversation for the number of

characters taking the part in the conversation. The number of characters should be equal

with the number of students in the group. Students should also prepare short introductory

remarks about the book from which the conversation is taken (e.g. the title of the book,

author, and type of book) and about conversation (e.g. who is talking, where they are

talking, and what the conversation is about).

2. Have the groups rehearse their conversations and then introduce and perform them for

the class.

Goals of the lesson

- students can talk about what they read

61

- students can create a short poem about one of the characters

- students can select an interesting dialogue from a book

62

Lesson 11

11.1 Dramatic conversations

Time: 20 minutes

Interaction: groups

11.2 Shared dictation (Bamford 128)

Time: 15 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class, pairs

Aims: To practice listening and speaking, to learn how to correct errors comparatively

Preparation: Choose or write a short paragraph to dictate to your students

Procedure:

1. Read a dictation paragraph aloud to the class at natural speed with no pauses while

students listen. Then read it again phrase by phrase in sense groups so that students can

write what they hear. Finally, read the whole paragraph again at natural speed. Have

students correct their own work, using a pen of another colour. Students make correction

by asking classmates.

Evaluation: In this activity students realize the dramatic and musical qualities of reading

(stress, rhythm, intonation and pitch) and have the possibility to practice imitating these

qualities.

63

11.3 Poster Presentations (Bamford 108-109)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: T - students

Aims:

- to allow students to report on their reading in a way that is creative and that integrates

language skills

- to let students share enthusiasm for what has been read

- to introduce students to good books they have not read

Preparation: Gather a few examples of posters in any language or make a poster based

on a book you have read, so you can demonstrate a poster presentation.

Procedure:

1. Put some example posters around the room and let students circulate and look at them.

2. As a whole-class discussion elicit what makes a good poster (a few words written

large, some text, but not too much, an appropriate use of colour, arrows or lines to link

ideas, visual impact and general design).

3. Introduce the idea of poster presentation. Show the students the poster you have made,

talk about the book briefly, using a poster as a visual organizer.

4. For homework ask students to prepare a poster about an interesting book they have

read recently.

Goals of the lesson

- students can perform a short dialogue

- students know how to create a good poster

Evaluation: This activity rounds a course off nicely. Students will create beautiful

posters and will be eager to present them to their peers. This raises motivation to further

reading and develops oral presentation skills.

64

Lesson 12

12.1 Poster Presentations

Time: 20 minutes

Interaction: groups

Aims:

- to allow students to report on their reading in a way that is creative and that integrates

language skills

- to let students share enthusiasm for what has been read

- to introduce students to good books they have not read

Procedure:

1. Have students work in small groups. Ask students to give a poster presentation to the

other students in the group.

2. Display the posters around the room.

12.3 Evaluation of Extensive reading programme

Time: 15 minutes

Interaction: T – whole class

Assumptions: students have been reading extensively, they have been handing out Instant

Book Reports and filling in their Reading Marathon’s forms

Preparation: prepare certificates for all students and awards for students who have

reached the goal of 12 books read

Procedure:

1. Congratulate winners and give out awards and certificates for taking part in an

Extensive reading programme.

2. Evaluate Top ten Books.

3. Paste posters in class with students’ help.

4. Encourage students to follow reading.

65

12.4 Remember when ... (Watcyn-Jones 10)

Time: 10 minutes

Interaction: ind. Ss, whole class

Aims: to boost morale and create positive feelings, to round off the course

Preparation: Cut out strips of paper and write Remember when ... on each strip, leaving

enough space for a complete sentence. Make at least 20 strips for each student.

Procedure:

1. Ask the class to think back over the Extensive reading classes and to try and remember

nice or funny things that have happened to the group.

2. Ask them to complete the strips in as many ways as possible.

3. After they have been writing a little while, join them up with a partner and ask them to

share their sentences. Then ask them to go on writing, jogging each others’ memories.

4. Finally, ask everyone tin the class to share their memories.

Goals of the lesson

- students can make and present poster

- students find reading an interesting and pleasurable activity

Evaluation: This activity was designed to make students remember on the positive

experiences they had during Extensive reading programme.

66

13. Activities accompanying Extensive reading programme

13.1 Reading Marathon

Aims:

- to encourage students to read books

- to bring a sense of excitement to a reading programme

Preparation: The marathon will last three months and 3.5 km will be awarded per a

book read. This means students have to read 12 books (a book a week) to reach the goal.

Prepare and copy a Marathon Course form for each participating student. If you are

awarding certificates of completion or prizes, prepare those. The best prize is a book (this

contributes also to intrinsic motivation of students)

Procedure:

1. Announce to the class that there will be a reading marathon. Specify that the marathon

will take for three months. Explain that participation is voluntary. Students who read

books during the marathon will be awarded points in the form of kilometers. Stress that

there will be more than one winner as anyone who completes the course will win.

2. Give each participating student a Marathon Course form on which a route is drawn

and marked off in kilometers. Explain that when students complete a book, they will

colour in their route to show the progress made.

3. Recognize students who successfully complete the marathon by presenting certificates

of merit and books and by posting the names of successful students.

Marathon Course form - Appendix

67

13.2 Picking the Top Ten (Bamford 73)

Aim: to find out which books in the Extensive reading programme are most popular

Assumptions: This activity requires that students record their opinions of books using a

rating system (Instant Book Report)

Procedure:

1. Keep all the ratings that students have d=given to the books they read. At the end of

the course, add the total point given to each book (Good=2 points, Fair= 1 point, Poor= 0

points)

2. Make a list of top ten books. Make copies of the list to give to each student at the

beginning of the next term and put the list on the library wall.

13.3 Stimulating Ads (Bamford 74-75)

Aim: to interest students in books through peer recommendations

Assumptions: students write Instant book Reports after reading

Procedure:

1. In the middle of the course, when a fairly large number of student book records have

been collected, read the reports to find appealing comments for ads. Collect such

comments for perhaps half-dozen books.

2. Copy, cut out, and paste comments for one book on a sheet of paper. Add the title and

author of the book.

3. Put the ads on the board in class.

68

2. Research

2.1 Subjects

Two classes that attended courses for children at a language school were chosen. Both

groups were approximately of the same age and sex. Both courses had two hours a week

timetable. The teacher of the control group was similar to the teacher of the experimental

group. Both were young students, aware of contemporary methodologies, non-

authoritarian, outgoing with a good rapport with their students. Both experimental (the

ER group) and the control group were taught two hours a week.

The experimental group followed the school lesson plans and in addition to this an

Extensive reading programme was introduced. Students were encouraged to choose from

a stock of books and students’ progress after the project was measured in three areas –

reading speed, vocabulary acquisition and attitudes towards reading.

2.2 Evaluation

The students’ growth in reading speed was measured by reading speed tests. Before

starting the Extensive reading programme students were asked to read an extract for a

minute in their natural speed. After one minute they were asked to mark the place where

they finished reading. They did the same test after they finished the programme and their

reading speeds were then compared.

A close test was used to assess vocabulary acquisition for its ease of construction and

its high correlation with standardized English level tests. A narrative passage from

Johnny English from Penguin Graded Readers was chosen. Even if the experimental

group was at lower level, this narrative should be considered appropriate for both levels.

The introductory sentences and the end were left unaltered. Twenty-five words were

deleted at intervals of every ninth word. The deletions included articles, pronouns,

adjectives, nouns, and conjunctions.

The motivating activities were measured by a questionnaire that was filled in

after the project. Its aim was to assess students’ attitudes to reading. Student used

emoticons to mark their attitudes to different types of activities that take place during the

lesson. We focused on the attitudes towards ‘reading stories’ that was one of the

activities that students had to mark.

69

2.3 Motivation

To motivate students a score system was developed – students played a game

‘Reading Marathon’. They gained points-kilometres for each book they read and these

were then recorded into a chart that was displayed in class. The display of points gained

– ‘Reading Marathon Chart’ motivated the students to keep up with others. The student

who read the target of twelve books had enough points i.e. ran the marathon and were

awarded by a book.

2.4 Monitoring

Students were asked to fill in Instant Book Reports after reading each book. This was

mainly for the teacher to monitor whether the students have really done their reading.

Moreover, it helped students to learn how to state their opinions about reading and

developed writing skills. Instant Book Reports were then displayed on the class board

designed deliberately for Extensive reading. These reports also served as book reviews

that helped other students with their book selection.

70

2.5 Results

1. Cloze test

Experimental group

Reader Pre-test Post-test Gain

1 13 15 2

2 7 6

3 6 12 6

5 11 8

6 18 18

Total mean: 1.6

Control group

Reader Pre-test Post-test Gain

1 4 13 7

2 10 18 8

3 14 17 3

4 17 16

5 18 19 1

Total mean: 3.8

71

2. Reading speed test

The results are in words per minute.

Experiment group

Reader Pre-test Post-test Gain

1 142 240 98

2 256 453 197

3 213 318 105

4 144 316 172

5 138 231 93

6 282 402 120

7 213 288 75

Total mean: 122.86

Control group

Reader Pre-test Post-test Gain

1 318 564 246

2 174 433 259

3 168 370 190

4 274 433 159

5 174 338 164

Total mean: 203.6

3. Questionnaire

Like reading Neutral

Experimental group 5 -

Control group 3 2

72

2.6 Comments

It can be seen that control group outperformed the experimental group in both reading

speed tests and cloze test. This might be caused by the higher language competence of

the control group. The other fact to consider is that the control group was at slightly

higher level than the experimental group.

1. Cloze test

Even if the overall gain is not high we were pleased by the performance of Student 1

and 3 as these students belonged to those who had read most. The lower scores of

students 2 and 5 could be ascribed to the low level of concentration during the post-test.

2. Reading speed test

The results of the experimental group were very dissimilar. This can be due to the fact

that students have not developed the idea of constant reading speed yet. Students were

reading either too slowly or they tended to skip some words. We do not consider reading

speed test an appropriate means for measuring reading speed at this age. The results are

also not objective as marking of the part that was read is only up to students’ honesty. A

computer programme for measuring speed would be more suitable for this level.

On the other hand, the results of the control group were more consistent. It was

probably because of their age that was one to two years above the experimental group

and their language experience.

3. Attitudes questionnaire

The questionnaire showed the positive attitudes of experimental group to reading

stories that was one or the aims of implementing Extensive reading in ELT teaching. In

control group two of the respondents showed neutral attitudes to reading stories. All

members of experimental groups proved to like reading stories.

73

Conclusion

The aim of this thesis was to introduce Extensive reading approach as a valuable

alternative to traditional teaching approaches. ER has proved to developed students’

reading speed, vocabulary acquisition, writing as well as speaking skills ( Elley et. al.;

Bell). Positive effects of ER on readers’ motivation have also been stated (Mason).

The small gains in vocabulary acquisition and reading speed in our research may be

ascribed to a short period students were exposed to reading materials. Even if the results

of our research did not confirm the gains in reading speed and vocabulary sufficiently,

the fact that students enjoyed reading can be seen as very positive. All students stated in

their Instant Book reports that the material was interesting and even the reluctant

students evaluated the books they read positively. Students kept bringing their books in

class and read them before the lessons. Their interest in reading was also seen after the

programme had finished. Some of the students asked whether they can continue

borrowing books from the library.

Implementing Extensive reading into our teaching was a useful experience as we

observed that if students are given the opportunity and encouragement to read they like

reading.

We are aware of the fact that introducing Extensive reading into ELT teaching places

more demands on teacher in terms of organizing and performance but the results are

certainly worth the effort.

74

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