In this article, Charlie Taylor offers a commentary on Yang et al.'s 2021 "Reading in a Foreign Language" article, "Text Difficulty in Extensive Reading: Reading Comprehension and Reading Motivation." In their study, Yang et al. analyzed the effects of text difficulty on the reading comprehension and motivation of high school…

Reaching a reading goal of 150,000 words in a semester is no easy feat for many language learners. To reach this goal, an extensive reading (ER) program needs to invest in and select a format that can best enable this achievement. This preliminary study compares the use of two different extensive reading (ER) formats that employ two learning…

Although the benefits of extensive reading are well known, very little research has investigated the validity of assessment tools to measure general comprehension of graded readers. To address this, quizzes were authored for 42 level 2 Penguin graded readers and administered to 166 students over a semester. Item facility for high-scorers and…

The Extensive Reading Foundation's bibliography now boasts over 530 articles with "Extensive Reading" in the title. About 35% of this rich and diverse body of papers were published in the past decade. A meta-review of this literature shows it is quite fragmented as evidenced by considerable variability in the conceptualization of…

Most of the students majoring in the English Language Teaching Departments, as in other foreign language departments, have difficulties in pronouncing the words correctly in Turkey. The National University Entrance Exam delivered annually does not test oral and aural competencies of the prospective English language teachers. As they are not…

For this research, learners did extensive graded reading (EGR) with traditional graded readers, and they also interacted with short graded stories in the liberal arts and sciences (LAS). This study describes the purpose and format of the LAS stories used by hundreds of university students and adult learners in Japan. It summarizes the results of…

This article offers five instructional enhancements that help students become better readers. These classroom practices coincide with five key elements of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading instruction: "extensive practice and exposure to print," "commitment to building student motivation," "attention to reading…

Describes a university-level English-as-a-Second-Language program that includes integration of text and film that bolsters the extensive reading process. Criteria for the selection of resource materials included a challenging vocabulary, an interesting plot, compatibility of film and text version, and universal themes. Integrating books and films…

The present case study investigated the impact of a short-term summer literacy approach on writing performance and self-perception of writing for young adolescents of low-income families residing in urban housing projects. The approach offered intensive literacy engagement to offset summer achievement loss; assisted ethnic-minority, low…

Describes an experiment that looks into the effect of a 90 hour extensive reading program using graded readers on the language development of a group (N=25) of learners of English-as-a-Second-Language in Pakistan. Results show significant gains in both fluency and accuracy of expression, though not in the range of structures used. (21 references)…

This paper demonstrates how learners can work on problems involved in learning a foreign language on their own through reading strategies and the help of a well-stocked, language resources center. Using this self-access approach and the resources center, the learner can accomplish the goal of learning with only minimal assistance from other…

Techniques and approaches useful for developing reading comprehension and reading skills in second language learners are discussed and illustrated with examples from German. Literature is reviewed on: the effectiveness of reading while listening, transfer of skills and knowledge from one language to another, the role of guessing in reading…

This volume, the first of three texts for use in intermediate Arabic language courses, contains 13 lessons, each consisting of five main parts. They include: (1) preparatory sentences, the text, and drills, (2) grammar notes and drills, (3) taped selections for development of oral comprehension and drill, (4) review materials, and (5) reading…

Selecting course reading materials is not necessarily an easy process. This article discusses selection concerns such as cost, inclusivity and options ranging from traditional textbooks to course packs. A review of literature finds extensive information about adoption of OER materials. Additionally, articles referring to difficulties in course…

Adult language learners have specific learning goals that reflect their lives within a global society, and adults negotiate multiple and changing identities throughout their personal, academic, and professional lives. Chapters in "Authenticity in the Language Classroom and Beyond: Adult Learners" highlight how teachers have the ability…