Integrating
Extensive Reading (ER)
into the
Freshman Reading Course
What is the new requirement for
graduation for all Freshman
entering university starting
September, 2011?
Beginning 2011-12 academic year,
all university students must pass a
language proficiency test.
What is the present situation?
1. Most of you have little confidence in your
English ability
2. You avoid English as much as you can; you
won’t speak it unless asked to do so by your
teacher; you won’t listen to it; you don’t read
it on your own and naturally, you won’t use it
in writing unless it’s a homework assignment
3. Many of you will find your English not
improving after high school; in fact, it
worsens in college;
4. Many of you will have a difficult time passing
the graduation language proficiency test;
5. Worst of all, you can’t get your graduation
diploma.
A Vicious Circle
Read slowly
Don’t enjoy
Don’t understand
Don’t read much
How can you solve this problem?
How?
by what means?
The best way is to read as much
English as possible!
Freshman Reading Course –
2 parts:
(1) intensive reading (IR)
(2) extensive reading (ER)
Think of it in terms of learning to
drive or learning to play tennis
driving lessons + practice on the road
tennis lessons + practice on the court
Intensive Reading (lessons)
+
Extensive Reading (practice)
Extensive Reading
What is extensive reading (ER)?
What is the rationale behind ER?
How do you do it?
When and where do you do it?
Definition
What is Extensive Reading (ER) or
Pleasure Reading ?
1. Reading longer and easy-to-understand material;
2. Reading is done mostly outside the classroom;
3. Reading is done at one’s own pace and level;
4. Reading material is chosen by the students
themselves based on their own interest; hence,
another name for extensive reading is “Pleasure
Reading”
STUDENT ORIENTATION to Extensive Reading
Chart contrasting intensive and extensive reading
TYPE OF READING
INTENSIVE
EXTENSIVE
CLASS GOAL
Reading accurately
Read fluently
READING PURPOSE
Translate
Answer questions
Get information
Enjoy
FOCUS
Words and pronunciation
Meaning
MATERIAL
Often difficult
Teacher chooses
Easy
You choose
AMOUNT
Not much
A lot
SPEED
Slower
Faster
METHOD
Must finish
Use dictionary
Stop if you don’t like it
No dictionary
Rationale
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why do we need to do Extensive Reading (ER)?
Reading skills enhanced;
Reading speed (fluency) increased;
General language proficiency improved;
Attitude toward reading and language
learning changed - from “studying” English
and “passing tests” to enjoying reading and
learning.
And, among the 4 language skills,
reading is the most essential. And
it effects all the other skills…
Reading effects all the other skills
Reading
comprehension
Speaking
Vocabulary,
grammar
Reading
Listening
Writing
(spelling,
grammar,
etc.)
Procedure
How do we go about doing extensive reading?
1. Find out your reading level (test); See chart for level
and color scheme;
2. Find a graded reader that interests you
(romance, mystery, science fiction, etc.);
3. Read for general understanding, information and
pleasure;
4. Follow 5 basic rules;
5. Keep a reading journal/reader’s response log
(Online Discussion Forum)
Samples of graded readers
More Samples of Graded Readers
Some Samples of Popular Novels
Publishers’ Series by EPER Level
(available in PCCU library)
EPER LEVEL
(headwords)
TOEFL
TOEFL – ibt
TOEIC
GEPT
CEF
PUBLISHER
SERIES
G
F
E
Starter
(300)
Beginner
(400-500)
Elementary
(600-800)
350
A1
A1
A2
A2
Level 1
Level 2
Level 2
Penguin Readers
D
C
B
A
Low Interm Intermediate Hi Interm
Advanced
(1000-1200) (1500-1600) (1700-1900) (2000-2200)
390-400
457
480
527
90+
137+
--197+
350+
550+
--750+
Elementary Intermediate Intermediate Hi-Intermediate
X
Bridge
(3000)
550-560
220
880
Advanced
B1
B2
C1
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 5/6
B1
Oxford Bookworms
Black Series
Starter
Stage 1
Stage 1-2
Stage 2
Stage 2-3
Stage 3-4
Stage 4-5
Stage 6
CAMBRIDGE
English
Readers
Starter
Level 1
Level 2
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Starter
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
CAMBRIDGE
Discovery
Readers
EPER LEVEL
(headwords)
TOEFL
TOEFL – ibt
TOEIC
GEPT
CEF
PUBLISHER
SERIES
G
F
E
Starter
(300)
Beginner
(400-500)
Elementary
(600-800)
350
A1
A1
A2
D
A2
B1
Grade 1
Longman Originals
Stage 1
B
B1
Grade 2
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 1/2
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 1
Stage 2/3
Stage 4
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Elementary
Intermediate
Upper
Longman Classics
Compass Classic
Readers
Level 1
Level 2
HEINEMANN
Guided Readers
Starter
Beginner
Beginner
A
Low Interm Intermediate Hi Interm
Advanced
(1000-1200)
(1600)
(1900)
(2200)
390-400
457
480
527
90+
137+
--197+
350+
550+
--750+
Elementary Intermediate Intermediate Hi-Intermediate
Progressive English
Readers
Longman Structural
Readers
C
B2
Grade 3
Stage 4
Stage 5/6
Level 6
X
Bridge
(3000)
550-560
220
880
Advanced
C1
Grade 4/5
Graded readers with colored labels
EPER
LEVELS
(Reader Series
headwords)
G
F
E
Starter
Beginner
Elementary
(300)
(400-500)
(600-800)
D
C
Low Interm Intermediate
B
A
X
Hi-Interm
Advanced
Bridge
(1000-1200) (1500-1600) (1700-1900) (2000-2200)
(3000)
What do students do next?
15 - 20 minutes
Go to the
Library
Browse
through stack
to find a book
that interests
you
You can choose
to borrow books
home or read
inside the library.
20-30 min/
7 days/week
Decide on
book and
read it in the
library
If you find that the
book is not interesting,
return and find
another one.
Begin
reading it
everyday;
Keeping a log
of your
reading
Weekly log into
Discussion Forum
Write the log
online in English
in the Discussion
Forum about the
story, character
or anything
related to
the story
For example:
(1)Have you had a similar experience in
your lifetime?
(2)Do you like the protagonist? Why ?
You can borrow graded book from the library,
or read inside the library.
Borrow books from library
4th Floor at Library Building ( Turn left as
you get off the elevator) Call No. 428.6
Read inside library
English Extensive Reading Room
on 7th Floor, library building
BASIC RULES
Suggested by Day and Bamford (Forum 38,3, p.17)
1. Select your reading materials based on your
interests and reading ability (level).
2. Do NOT use dictionaries. Practice the skills of
either guessing at the meanings of unknown
words or ignoring them. In other words, use
the context to guess the meaning of the
unknown word.
3. Do not be concerned with every detail. Keep
reading in the face of difficulty and go to get
the overall meaning or the gist of the story.
4. It is recommended that you should read 10
graded readers of the same level before you
go to the next level.
5. If a book is boring or too hard, stop reading
and find another book. The most important
thing is to enjoy reading. Another term for
extensive reading is “pleasure reading.”
Time and Location
When and where do we do ER?
Time: when and for how long?
Anytime – between classes, waiting for bus,
waiting for someone, weekends and holidays,
any spare time; for as long or short a time as
you like and as often as possible
Location:
Anyplace – outside of classes (sometimes, in
class), coffee shop, in dorm, at home, etc.
Do you remember that vicious circle?
Read slowly
Don’t enjoy
Don’t understand
Don’t read much
Now, that vicious circle can turn into…
Read faster
Read more
ENJOY
READING
Understand
better
Conclusion
Yes, it’s true.
The more you read, the more your
chances of passing the language
proficiency test sooner!
Also, you will continue enjoying
reading and learning on your own for
the rest of your life!
You’ll have time for
a good laugh and a
good cry…
Keep the following in mind…
“You're the same today as you'll be
in five years except for the people
you meet and the books you read.”
- Charlie Jones