INTEGRATING EXTENSIVE READING AND READING CIRCLES IN ESL

Abstract

Reading is one of the most important academic skills that enables students to learn new information, and find about different perspectives and interpretations. Fluency in reading is crucial to the students’ academic performance in their content subjects, as they need to read the lengthy prose in text books related to their majors. Students’ inability to read may often lead to their failure in their academic areas. Moreover, ESL learners need to be able to communicate with others through an authentic atmosphere that motivates them to use the language freely with no constraints. Extensive reading (ER) and reading circles (RC) are closely connected. While the former can be defined as reading great amounts of information on a wide range of topics for pleasure and general understanding (Day and Bamford 2002), the latter is to have the same readers sit in groups (circles) to discuss, analyse and answer questions related to the material that was read. This article proposes setting up a reading program that integrates extensive reading (ER) with reading circles (RC) to improve second language fluency.

REFERENCES

Arnold, Nike. (2009). Online extensive reading for advanced foreign language learners. An Evaluation Study. Portland State University.Oregon.

Asraf, R. M., & Ahmad, I. S. (2003). Promoting English language development and the reading habit among students in rural schools through the guided extensive reading program. Reading in a Foreign Language, 15, 83-102.

Bamford, J., & Day, R. D. (2004). Extensive reading activities for teaching language. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Bell,T.(2001).Extensive reading: Speed and comprehension. The Reading matrix, 1. Retrieved from: http://www.readingmatrix.com/archives/archives_vo11_no1.html

Brown, Dale.(2009). Why and how textbooks should encourage extensive reading. ELT Journal Advance Acess,     Oxford University Press.

Camiciottoli, B. C. (2001).Extensive reading in English. Habits and attitudes of a group of Italian University EFL students. Journal of Research in Reading, 24, 135-153.

Clennell, Charles. (1999). Promoting  pragmatic awareness and spoken discourse skills with EAP Classes. ELT Journal Volume 53/2.

Davis, C. (1995). Extensive reading : an expensive extravagance? ELT Journal 49/4: 329-36.

Day, R. & Bamford, J. (2002). Top ten principles for teaching extensive reading. Reading in a foreign language, 14 (2), 136-141.

Day, R., D., & Bamford, J. (1998). Extensive reading in the second language classroom. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University press.

Deung, C. Y.(2002). Extensive reading and language learning: A diary study of  a beginning learner of Japanese.Reading in a Foreign Language, 14, 66-81.

Elley, w. (1991). Acquiring literacy in a second language: the effect of book-based programs. Language learning, 41, 375-411.

Elley, W. and Mangubhai, F. (1983). The impact of reading on second language learning. Reading Research Quarterly, 19, 53-67.

Grabe, W. (1991). Current developments in second language reading research. TESOL Quarterly, 25(3), 375-406.

Grabe, W. (2004). Research on teaching reading. Annual review of applied linguistics, 24, 44-69.

Hafiz, F. and Tudor, I. (1989). Extensive reading as a means of input to L2 learning. Journal of Research in Reading, 12, 164-178.

Hellekjaer, Glenn Ole. (2009). Academic English reading proficiency at the university level: A Norwegian case Study. Reading in a Foreign Language. Volume 21, No. 2, pp. 198-222.

Hitosugi, C. I., & Day, R. R. (2004).  Extensive reading in Japanese. Reading in a Foreign Language, 16, 20-39.

Hitosugi, C. I., & Day, R.R. (2004). Extensive reading in Japanese. Reading in a foreign language,16, 20-39.

Horst, M., (2005). Learning L2 vocabulary through extensive reading: a measurement study. The Canadian Modern Language Review 6355-382.

Hsueh-Chao, M. H. & Nation, I.S.P. (2000). Unknown vocabulary density and reading comprehension. Reading in a foreign language, 1403-430.

Katz, I., and A. Assor. (2007). When choice motivates and when it does not. Educational Psychology Review 19 (4): 429-42.

Katz, I., and A. Assor. 2007. When choice motivates and when it does not. Educational Psychology Review 19 (4): 429-42.

Krashen, S. (1993). The case for free voluntary reading. Canadian Modern Language Review. 50/1: 72-82.

Krashen, S. D. (1985). The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. New York: Longman.

Krashen, S. D. (2004). The power of reading: Insights from the research. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Leung, C. Y. (2202). Extensive reading and language learning: A diary study of a beginning learner of Japanese. Reading in a Foreign Languge, 14, 66-81.

Maley, Alan. (2008). Extensive reading : Maid in waiting in B. Tomlinson (ed) English language learning materials: a critical review. London/New York: Continuum pp. 133-156.

Mason, B., & Krashen, S. D. (1997).  Extensive reading in English as a foreign language. System, 25, 91-102.

Mason, B., Krashen, S. (1997). Extensive reading in English as a foreign language. Pergamon Elsevier Science Ltd Vol. 25. No. 1, pp. 91.

Mu, C., & Carrington, S. (2007). An investigation of three Chinese students’ English writing strategies TESL-EJ, 11. : http:// tesl-ej.org/ej41/al.

Nation, I.S.P. & Wang, K. (1999). Graded readers and vocabulary. Reading in a foreign language, 12 (2), 355-380.

Nation, I.S.P. (2001) Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pigada, Maria. (2006). Vocabulary acquisition from extensive reading: A Case Study. Reading in foreign language.Volume  18.

Renandya, W. A., Rajan, B.R.S. & Jacobs, G.M. (1999). Extensive reading with adult learners. RELC Journal, 30, 39-61.

Rodrigo, V., Krashen, S., & Gribbons, B. (2004). The effectiveness of two comprehensible-input approaches to foreign language Instruction at the Intermediate Level. System, 32, 53-60.

Schmitt, N. (2000). Vocabulary in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Reading in a Foreign Language. Vol. 14, No. 1.

Nishino, T. (2007). Beginning to read extensively: A case study with Mako and Fumi.

Tsang, W.-K. (1996). Comparing the effects of reading and writing on writing performance. Applied Linguistics, 17, 210-233.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Walker, C. (1997). A self access extensive reading project using graded readers. Reading in a foreign language,11, 121-149.

Waring, R. (2009). The inescapable case for extensive reading. In A. Cirocki (Ed.), Extensive reading in English language teaching (pp. 93-111). Munich, Germany: Lincom.