What do we mean by Extensive
Reading?
Rob Waring
Sendai JALT ER day
October 25, 2015
www.robwaring.org/presentations
Short texts
A Typical Reading Text
Many
difficult
words
Definitions given
Many exercises
What is Extensive Reading?
How do Intensive and Extensive Reading fit
together?
Reading
Pain
(too hard, poor
comprehension,
high effort,
de-motivating)
Intensive
reading
(Instructional
level, can
learn new
words and
grammar)
90%
Extensive
reading
(fast, fluent,
adequate
comprehension,
enjoyable)
98%
Speed reading
practice
(very fast,
fluent, high
comprehension,
natural reading,
enjoyable)
100%
% of known vocabulary
Slow
Reading speed
Low
Comprehension
High
High
Course work and Graded Readers work together
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Be verb
Simple
present
Present
continuous
can
….
Introducing
language
Consolidating and deepening language knowledge
Extensive Reading
The ER spectrum
Bootstrapping ER
Early ER
Scaffolded ER
High instructional
control
Phonics
Bootstrap sight
vocabulary
Phonics readers
Blended ER
Autonomy, less
structured input
Decodable readers
Leveled Readers
Processing of full
stories
Sight vocabulary
Aural vocabulary
Scaffolded reading
Graded readers
Speed reading
Fluency
Easier native
materials
Mid-level
readers
Bootstrapping ER (pre-reading)
Learning the code (probably individually and discrete)
bootstrap sight / aural vocabulary
phonics - learning how letters refer to sounds
decoding how letter combinations work
etc.
Combining phase
combining the discrete items into larger units – simple
sentences, phrases
contextualizing items with phonics readers
Early ER (supported reading)
Phonic awareness
• Listening while reading
• Shadowing naturally spoken text (sight-sound correspondence)
Sight and aural vocabulary
• Intentional word learning
Awareness of discourse features
• text flow, text structure etc.
• Plot structure, Information flow
• ability to process running text beyond the individual word
Decodable readers, Phonics readers - highly controlled input
• Reading is likely to be conscious and laboured
Scaffolded ER
Use of graded readers
• Progress is built on previous knowledge (scaffolding)
• Develop of sense of ‘natural’ reading in L2
• Reading at one’s level
• Wide variety of materials
• Self-selected
• Reading only, reading-while-listening, listening only
Speed, fluency
• Word, pattern recognition automaticity
• automatizing that knowledge to make it less conscious
Blended ER
Processing non-graded texts for meaning
• mid-level readers (3000-5000 headwords)
• Easy native materials
• Blended materials (partially adapted or graded)
Speed is likely to decrease temporarily
Potted History of Extensive Reading
There’s always been graded reading, extensive reading
Basal L2 reading started in started with the vocabulary
movement in the 1920’s – Ogden, West, Hornby, Palmer
West’s Supplemental Readers, New Method Readers (1932) and
New Method Dictionary (1935) really kick-started graded reading
4 principles behind his work
– Only use previously met words
– Extra practice in reading
– Stretches the vocabulary to allow readers to see new meanings
(receptive generative use)
– Enables them to build a foundation for further reading
Supplemental readers highlighted new words in bold with
deliberate recycling
Potted History of Extensive Reading II
1970’s - John Milne suggested vocabulary control was not
enough.
- Good clear writing
- Relevant content
- Careful explanation
- High redundancy
- Good control over information
- Intuitive grading and structure control
This led to the modern Graded Reader and the ER Foundation
Milne Award
ER/EL in two spheres
• The pedagogy of ER/EL
speed
materials
levels
assessment
design of libraries
book record systems
pre- while- post- activities
volume read (listened to)
material selection
choice
silent vs aloud
read only, listen only, read-while-listen
motivation
role of teacher
etc. etc.
• ER/EL research
– Academic papers
– ?? Reports of programs – sharing action research
– ?? Program comparisons
Why is it important to define ER/EL?
• So we all know what we are talking about
• So we can compare results between studies, programs
• To be clear what type of reading we are doing
Program A (‘just read’)
Program B (‘guided ER’)
Self-selected
300,000 words per semester
No assessment
Variety of materials
No/little follow up
Self-governed
Fluency reading only
Teacher advised
A few books a semester
Mreader quizzes
Narrow ER
Follow-up activities
Careful monitoring
Some phonics, shadowing,
reading aloud
Defining ER
• Most definitions include the following words
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Read
Books
Easy
Fast
Fluent
A lot
Enjoyable
Own level (comprehensible)
Defining ER – not straightforward
• But it’s not straightforward
–
–
–
–
–
–
Easy – what is easy? Who decides
Fast – is there a minimum speed?
Fluent – what is fluent?
A lot – what minimum?
Enjoyable – only enjoyable?
Own level (comprehensible) – what about i+1, i+2?
We need to be careful
• If the definition is too loose
– We can’t share results meaningfully
• If the definition is too strict
– We may disenfranchise or alienate some people
Day and Bamford's 10 principles of ER
“necessary for success” (1998, 2002)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The reading material is easy
A variety of reading material on a wide range of topics
Learners choose what they want to read
Learners read as much as possible
The purpose of reading is usually related to pleasure,
information and general understanding
6. Reading is its own reward
7. Reading speed is usually faster rather than slower
8. Reading is individual and silent
9. Teachers orient and guide their students
10. The teacher is a role model of a reader
Day and Bamford's 10 principles of ER
“necessary for success” (1998, 2002)
• Important to note they did NOT suggest this as THE way to do
ER/EL
• Day and Bamford never meant them to be a diktat
• It is a list of suggestions
• The principles only showed what happens in many successful
programs
BUT these riders have been routinely ignored by some in the
community
Some incorrectly believe these principles are like
commandments
The present influence of the Top Ten on ER
• Often cited to define ER (e.g. Asraf & Ahmad, 2003; Burrows,
2013; Hitosugi & Day, 2004; Soliman, 2012; Yamashita, 2008).
• Default definition of ER despite these principles only being a
“description of the characteristics that are found in successful
extensive reading programs” (Day and Bamford 1998: 7).
• “we purposely avoided using ‘extensive reading’ terminology
to describe our participants’ reading behavior. This was
because we did not investigate whether the participants
followed any of the top ten principles for ER provided by Day
and Bamford (1998, 2002); rather, we only looked at their
pleasure reading habits” (Ro and Chen 2014; 16).
Day and Bamford's 10 principles of ER
“necessary for success” (1998, 2002)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The reading material is easy
A variety of reading material on a wide range of topics
Learners choose what they want to read
Learners read as much as possible
The purpose of reading is usually related to pleasure,
information and general understanding
6. Reading is its own reward
7. Reading speed is usually faster rather than slower
8. Reading is individual and silent
9. Teachers orient and guide their students
10. The teacher is a role model of a reader
Principles 1, 2, 4
The reading material is easy
A variety of reading material on a wide range
of topics
Learners read as much as possible
• Largely uncontestable
• Includes materials other than books
• But some programs are limited in what they can achieve,
budgets, resources
Principle 3: Learners choose what they want to
read
• Largely, ok
• But they often need guidance, recommendations (implies
teachers should know their own libraries)
• Too much choice can bewilder
Principle 5: The purpose of reading is usually
related to pleasure, information and general
understanding
• Ideally yes, but often we have to read things we don’t want
to, or don’t like to
• Does this pleasure only prepare them for tests, future needs?
• What if the library has nothing they like at their level?
• What if a student only reads say crime novels? - missing out
on meeting general vocabulary
• What if pleasure = easy to a student and they only stay at
level 1?
• What if pleasure = reading only one series?
• What if pleasure = i+5?
• What if pleasure = reading course books, grammar books?
Principle 6: Reading is its own reward
• This suggests reading could be optional (i.e. the message is - if
you don’t like it you can stop)
• This implies all students will very soon find their homerun
book
• Some students hate reading and will probably always do so
• It suggests assessment is unnecessary. But…
– Some schools need to collect data, scores, validate reading
– Many want to be assessed in order to confirm their understanding
– We may need to collect data for action research
Principle 7: Reading speed is usually faster
rather than slower
• Makes sense – reading faster leads to higher comprehension
• But some readers prefer to read slowly so they catch all the
details – e.g. academic writing, data reports, legal documents
• In some ER programs using Reading Circles, students may be
required to read a text more intensively e.g. to collect words,
cultural information etc.
Principle 8: Reading is individual and silent
•
•
•
•
•
Denies the importance of sharing of what we read
Assumes all that a student needs is in their own heads
Focuses students inwards not outwards
Buddy reading? Book clubs?
Reading-while-listening leads to more vocab gains than
reading only
• Reading-while-listening assists listening practice
• Solo reading can be seen as a definition of loneliness
• Denies the oral tradition of reading aloud to others especially
younger students, children
Principle 9: Teachers orient and guide their
students
• Makes sense
• Assumes teachers know a lot about their students,
• Assumes teachers can anticipate their students’ preferences
(when planning a program, syllabus)
• Assumes teachers have read many of the books in their
libraries
• The opposite of Principle 3 (self-selection)?
Principle 10: The teacher is a role model of a
reader
• Is reading in front of students a good use of time?
– Maybe seen as lazy, uncaring, unprofessional, an ‘easy’ teacher
– Better to spend silent reading time monitoring and assisting?
• Not all teachers (or students) are literature fanatics, lovers
• Better to discuss your reading with students, tell them about
your favorite books, articles
What about …..?
Assessment and evaluation
Buddy / collaborative reading
Reading while listening
Follow-up exercises
Reading speed focus
Limited time
Limited resources
Lowly motivated learners
Necessity to read things you
don't want to
The teacher doesn't read much
Asian values and norms
Teacher selected materials
Desire to read something
difficult
Desire to have one's
performance monitored
Desire to share their reading
Extensive listening
Reading Circles?
What’s missing from the top ten?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Setting, context – too universal
The role of pre- while- and post- work
Clear definitions of what each principle means
Listening?
Student desires and preferences
Speed reading development
Etc.
Etc.
A uni-dimensional 'necessity for
success' view of ER
Adherents of the 10 principles suggest that to be doing ER,
students must:
… choose their own texts
… read for pleasure not as part of a course
… read without assessment
… experience ER as a solo activity
Adhering to the 10 principles implies there is a right or wrong
way to do ER.
In fact there are many many flavours
No two ER programs are the same
Needs, students, teachers, libraries, levels, goals etc. all vary
What exactly is Extensive Reading?
Read at i+1 (or i- 1) ?
Reading short texts to discuss?
Read only for pleasure?
Start with simple stories?
Reading followed by comprehension questions?
Speed reading?
Pleasure reading only?
Reading L1 materials?
?????
Summary about the 10 principles
• They seem to suggest a single ‘way’
• Not very inclusive, in fact rather restrictive
• Can lead teachers to feel guilty or apologetic that they are not
doing ER/EL the ‘right way’
• We have to be careful about deciding things for students. We
shouldn’t be dictatorial with our philosophies to students who
think differently
• They imply certain elements are in opposition and one side is
‘bad’ or inappropriate
Assessment
Student selects
No assessment
Others select
What are common features of ER?
A central aspect of any ER program
Students should
Read something quickly and
Enjoyably with
Adequate comprehension so they
Don’t need a dictionary
…. or be aiming at achieving this….
Aspects of a definition of ER
The definition should consider
a) the process of reading at the right level
ER is a way of processing texts and isn’t just the reading of
graded readers – magazines, emails, webpages all are part
of ER if they are READ. i.e. build fluency
b) the pedagogy of ER – the selection of materials, follow-up
activities, library management, assessment etc.
A fundamental distinction
• ER as a reading process
– The way people read
– What cognitive processes need to be in place to be reading
extensively? (READ)
• ER Pedagogy (the management of the reading)
–
–
–
–
–
What activities do we do to do ER?
Which materials? Volume?
Pre- While- Post- activities etc.
Assessment?
Etc.
The core - Rauding (Carver, 1992, 1995)
• We can conceive of the IR/ER on a continuum of attentional
resources not as a dichotomy
Intensive reading
Extensive reading
Slow, careful, language
focus
rauding, fast, fluent, high
comprehension
• Rauding represents the “optimal reading rate for
comprehension, and one at which there is lexical access,
semantic encoding, and sentential integration”
– a cognitive process independent of the amount read
– developed through massive practice of comprehended text
Core cognitive and variable pedagogical aspects of
ER/EL
Cognitive
ER is a way of processing texts at an appropriate level
– Magazines
– Emails
– Webpages
The cognitive processing of reading or Rauding, through which
cognitive reading processes are automatized
Pedagogical aspects of ER
Who selects?
What is read?
Follow-up activities? Assessment?
Speed?
Age?
Etc.
Level?
Volume?
'Big Tent ' ER – the need to be flexible
We need to accept that many students are not brought up to be
responsible for their learning
Encouragement to self-directed learning are often ignored in
favour of clubs, social life, part-time jobs or pleasure time
(Robb, 2002)
Students often won’t start with a home-run book, therefore we
have to require reading so they can find it
Finding an hour of pleasure reading is hard for many students
Motivating disinterested students can be close to impossible
Massive choice can overwhelm
Class reading is a valid form of ER
ER is more than just graded readers
ER Program types
Purist ER program
Lots of self-selected reading at home with no / little assessment or
follow up. Often is a stand-alone class.
Integrated ER program
Lots of self-selected reading at home and in class. Follow up
exercises / reports which aim to build the 4 skills.
Class reading - study
Students read the same book and work through it slowly. Lots of
follow up / comprehension work and exercises.
ER as 'literature'
Students read the same book and discuss it as if it were a work of
literature.
Easy ER – start with simple stories
ER program types - summary
Many different types of ER program
Different aims
Different levels of involvement for teachers / students
Some programs may adopt two or more types at the same time
Some programs can start more easily than others
Each type is scalable – from a single class to a whole school
No 'best' type for all situations
ER types
Classical
(Top ten)
ER
Integrated
ER – part of
a 4 skills
course
Class
Reading
ER as literature Easy ER – to
build
fluency
Style
Individual
Individual
Lock-step
Lock-step
Individual
Amount
Lots
Lots
Little
Little
Lots
Speed
Fast
Fast
Slow
Slow
Fast
Control
Student
Student
Teacher
Teacher
Student
Language
focus
No
No
Yes
No
No
Assessment
Little
Little
Lots
Lots
Viable
Materials
Library
Library
Class sets
Class sets
Library
Skill work
Reading
3-4 skills
3-4 skills / 1-3 skills
language
Reading
Class time
needed
Little
Little
Lots
Little
Lots
Core elements of an ER program
(to retain the label ‘ER’)
The program should be aimed at …
• Fluent, sustained comprehension of text as meaningfocused input
• Large volume of material
• Reading over extended periods of time
• Texts are longer, requiring comprehension at the
discourse level
….. even if this has not been achieved yet.
Treading carefully
• But we have to be careful about dictating what should be in a
program in order to earn the label “ER”
• Some programs are limited in what they can achieve
• We shouldn’t specify speeds, volumes, assessment practices
• A big tent is fine
• Some ER programs may not be doing ER (YET! - they may be pre-ER
programs working on phonics and basic reading skills, but the point
is they are aiming at building for later ER)
BUT
• We must be clear about ensuring any ER program has students
READing (or aiming at it)
• We must be careful when comparing our program with others so
we know we are comparing like with like (or not)
Labeling what we do
Just saying ‘my ER program’ isn’t helpful
Category
Type
Level
Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate etc
Stage
Pre ER, fluency based ER
Volume
High vs. medium vs. low volume
Assessment
Assessed, not-assessed
Type
Integrated, purist, class reading …
Age
Kids, teens, adult
Speed
Averaging 80wpm, averaging 120wpm
Describing my program
I have
– an early reading kids pre-ER program
– an adult, fluency-based, high intermediate, assessed,
integrated, high-volume ER program averaging 100wpm
– a purist, teen, elementary, medium volume, non-assessed
fluency ER program averaging 90wpm
…….. how about yours?
Conclusion
• ER is multi-faceted
• For pedagogy we can have a big tent (any combination of any
of the variables) provided the students are doing lots of fluent
READing
• For research we need to be MUCH more careful, rigorous
– To allow us to compare studies, environments
How can ER programs fail?
ER is optional. If it's optional:
students will opt out
the message is 'do the reading if you have time, it's not as
important as other things'
the administrators don't see it as valuable
it becomes a target to be cut out completely
ER should be REQUIRED. Requiring ER means:
the teachers value this reading, so we want you to do it.
it's part of the full course work – and you'll be graded on it.
the students should see it as 'natural' and 'normal' not an
'option'
How can ER programs fail II?
Curriculum changes
Change to 'test' / speaking / CLT ….. focus
ER enthusiast leaves the school
Inappropriate materials
Reading is too difficult
Age inappropriate
Books don't get replaced when lost
Starting badly
Too fast, Too high, Too much to read too soon
Students don't understand why they need ER
How can ER programs fail III?
Misunderstanding of learning outcomes – rush for instant
outcomes and accountability
Developing fluent reading ability takes TIME
Developing a sense of language takes TIME
Unlearning old habits takes TIME
Developing reading confidence takes TIME
Don't expect measurable gains in one semester. REAL gains
happen over a school year or a full program
This doesn't mean students should only do study reading –
they need to develop reading speed too.
Dealing with objections
“The books are too easy and childish. They are not learning
anything.”
-> easy is good - so they can build reading speed. Choose
books are at the student’s fluent reading level
-> Native materials are too hard, demotivating, inappropriate
-> ‘intermediate’ learners can’t read intermediate graded
readers
“I’m not teaching so they aren’t learning”
-> our job is not to ‘teach’ but to help people learn, build
independence, reading speed, fluency etc. etc.
“I don’t know how to do it, or where to get information”
-> I’ll help
Dealing with objections II
“Nice idea but I have no time in my course”
-> If you don’t have graded reading where will your students get
the massive exposure they need?
-> How else will they get the ‘sense of language’ they need?
“We don’t have the money for this”
-> Ask your schools to reallocate funds so this reading is done; ask
for donations; get some free samples etc.
“We have to go through our set curriculum”
-> Speak with your course designers to build in graded reading.
Re-allocate resources and re-set class hours
“We have to prepare the students for tests”
-> Research shows students perform better on tests if they have a
general sense of language, not a deconstructed ‘bitty’ one.
Thank you for your time
www.robwaring.org/presentations
www.er-central.com/teachers/
waring.rob@gmail.com