Incorporating Extensive Reading in Two EFL University Level Reading Classes

• Main Authors: Hsin-Chieh Tsai, 蔡欣潔
• Other Authors: Ching-Yi Tien
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/07558498445409580941

碩士 === 義守大學 === 應用英語學系 === 102 === Reading is believed to be a basic skill with which to learning foreign languages. Most fully-developed countries, England and America in particular, emphasize the importance of literacy (skills in reading and writing) in early learning. Comparatively, although an emphasis on early literacy acquisition in Taiwan has gained much attention, there is still room for improvement. Taiwanese students’ reading practices are insufficient after graduating from senior high school. To find out how a reading class is actually conducted in a higher educational context, this study intends to investigate the effectiveness of using extensive reading for two freshmen English reading classes at a private university in southern Taiwan. In this study, a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data for two instructors and 88 subjects. Specifically, three research questions addressed in the study: (1) Is students’ reading ability improved by the practice of extensive reading?; (2) Does the length of the articles used in extensive reading have great impact on students’ reading performance?; and, (3) What are the instructors’ and students’ perceptions towards extensive reading used to improve English proficiency? The finding shows that students’ reading ability in the two classes did not improve significantly by adopting extensive reading. However, students’ attitudes towards the practice of extensive reading changed significantly over one semester. Based on the results, some implications have been proposed for EFL teachers interested in helping students improve their reading skills, enhance motivation, and change their reading attitudes extensive reading practice.