ESL/EFL Extensive Reading Strategies

ESL/EFL Reading and Writing

• Extensive reading is a crucial part of language learning. It focuses on meaning and fluency, using simple texts with minimal unknown vocabulary.
• Extensive reading helps learners build vocabulary and fluency naturally, and through large amounts of reading.
• Learners should read widely, and prioritize enjoyment and speed.
• It is important to provide repeated exposure to vocabulary during extensive reading.
• Aim to have input equivalent to 500,000 words annually, or 25 graded readers or six unsimplified novels.
• Learners' current vocabulary and understanding of the language must be assessed to determine their level of reading proficiency.
• Focus on reading, alongside other activities is important for building vocabulary.
• Teachers should monitor learner progress carefully through record sheets, observations and discussions.
• Extensive reading should be regularly integrated into the learning program.
• Effective extensive reading strategies involve proper progression through graded readers and an emphasis on enjoyable reading and repeated exposures to vocabulary to facilitate vocabulary acquisition.
• There are several helpful techniques for supporting extensive reading: glossing familiar words, using computer programs to support access to unknown words, and elaborating on words or phrases encountered in reading.

Extensive Reading

• Extensive reading is a learning style that focuses on understanding the story, not individual words.
• Learners should have substantial vocabulary exposure and vocabulary repetition.
• Extensive reading can happen in or outside the classroom.
• Learning happens incidentally with attention largely devoted to the story, rather than individual parts.
• Extensive reading should have a substantial amount of input to aid vocabulary acquisition. This is equivalent to 25 graded readers or 6 unsimplified novels.
• It involves reading varied and enjoyable texts at a satisfactory speed to provide a substantial improvement in proficiency.
• Extensive reading requires time and effort for effective language learning.
• The content should be interesting for learners.
• The learning process is aided by opportunities for repetition.
• Activities like recording opinions, giving oral book reports and discussion groups will contribute to encouraging vocabulary learning.

Vocabulary Learning from Extensive Reading

• To boost vocabulary learning, learners should skim the text prior to reading, focusing on 5-6 words.
• During reading, learners might collect new vocabulary encountered in the texts.
• Encourage learner participation and reporting in class about new words, definitions, sentence usage and etymology.

Using a Dictionary

• Using a dictionary while reading may slow down the reading process.
• Learners can reflect on words encountered and review them to improve their vocabularies.
• Understanding vocabulary within context is important. It's beneficial to guess their meaning during reading through context clues.

Strategies for Practicing Vocabulary

• There are several strategies for practicing vocabulary acquisition from extensive reading.
• Teachers should initially model the procedure, then work collaboratively with learners, and progressively move learners to independent practice.
• Deductive guessing entails learners making guesses regarding the meaning of unknown words, justifying with evidence.
• Inductive guessing requires looking at clues, parts of speech, context, and connections to surrounding clauses.

Effective Extensive Reading Programs

• Learners should diligently work through graded readers. This allows repeated exposure to words and provides opportunities for learners to familiarize themselves with the new vocabulary found in the latter levels.
• Learners might benefit from understanding vocabulary that is taught earlier in multiple leveled texts. This may also assist in learning the related vocabulary from prior levels more effectively.
• Learners should have a substantial number of reading materials (e.g., 15-30 graded readers annually).

Learner Progress Monitoring

• Teachers should proactively monitor vocabulary mastery.
• Educators should observe and discuss learners' progress.
• Assessment of learner proficiency and vocabulary levels is essential.
• Learner progress should be carefully tracked as it is an important indicator of the success of the teaching method.

Simplified Texts

• Some educators view graded readers as simplified versions of original texts.
• These versions of texts effectively limit the use of low-frequency vocabulary words used.
• This allows for better repetition and learning of high-frequency vocabulary words to aid comprehension.

Vocabulary Density

• The high density of vocabulary in certain texts can complicate reading.
• Texts involving a multitude of unique vocabulary words may hinder comprehension.

Supporting Extensive Reading

• Glossing unfamiliar words directly in the text, providing definitions near unfamiliar words
• Using computer-assisted programs will improve comprehension and assist with learning unfamiliar words through providing meaning and example usage without disruption to reading flow.
• Electronic dictionaries for look-ups and hypertext glossing.
• Elaboration, or enriching texts by adding explanations to unfamiliar words instead of just removing them.

Explore the essential role of extensive reading in language learning. This quiz covers effective strategies for integrating reading into your curriculum, building vocabulary, and monitoring learner progress. Test your understanding of how to engage learners through extensive reading techniques.