What are the benefits of Extensive Reading?
- Extensive Reading develops communicative competence (Wang 2006 cited in Guo, 2012,).
- Extensive Reading expands, strengthens and maintains vocabulary growth (Soltani, 2011 cited in Guo, 2012).
- Extensive Reading improves writing skills (Hsu and Lee, 2007; Smith, 2007 cited in Guo, 2012).
- Extensive Reading generates and keeps up motivation to read more and help students to become autonomous learners (Greenberg, Rodrigo, Berry, Brinck and Joseph, 2006 cited in Guo, 2012).
The following video was made by Professor Richard Day. In this video, he briefly explains the benefits of Extensive Reading in improving language learning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie37EQ3DRxk (Uploaded on Dec 20, 2010)
In addition to talking about the benefits of extensive reading, Richard Day encourages teachers to implement extensive reading in their classes. It is well worth watching the following three videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydj-UaRjhXQ(Uploaded on Sep 6, 2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMKS4I7BHuE (Uploaded on Sep 6, 2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZMUMjBh_FQ(Uploaded on Sep 6, 2011)
On the other hand, Extensive Reading doesn't enhance reading comprehension. Moreover, it doesn't promote the learner’s critical thinking, as they don't need to evaluate and synthesise the information in the text. It might also be time-consuming if every student wants to present a summary or report about what they are reading. It might also be boring for some students as they have to read and summarise what they have read individually, as it lacks pairs or groups. In addition, a teacher may not have sufficient time to implement it.
- Greenberg, D., Rodrigo, V., Berry, A., Brinck, T., & Joseph, H. (2006). Implementation of an extensive reading
program with adult learners. Adult Basic Education, 16(2), 81-97. - Guo, S. 2012, "Using authentic materials for extensive reading to promote English proficiency", English Language Teaching, vol. 5, no. 8, pp. 196-206.Available from :http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079781.pdf [Accessed 18/04/2016]
- Hsu, Y. Y., & Lee, S. Y. (2007). A three-year longitudinal study of in-class sustained silent reading with Taiwanese vocational college students. Selected papers from the Sixteenth International Symposium on
English Teaching. Taipei: Crane. - Soltani, R. (2011). Extensive reading: A stimulant to improve vocabulary knowledge. Studies in Literature and
Language, 2(3), 161-167. - Wang, Y. C. (2006). The impact of extensive reading on communicative competence. Selected papers from the Fifteenth International Symposium on English Teaching. Taipei: Cran