TEACHERS PERSEPTIONS ON EXTENSIVE READING AS AN

AUTONOMOUS READING ACTIVITY IN EFL CLASSROOM

(A Survey at One of Universities in Bandung)
Iman Hilmansyah
Indonesia University of Education, Department of English Education
hilmansyahiman@student.upi.edu
Keywords: Extensive reading, Teachers Perception, Perception
ABSTRACT
Teacher understanding in conducting extensive reading activity is very important. But it seems to be
hard to find out the researches that based on teachers perspective to the activity. This condition
inspired the researcher to analyzed teachers perspective on this activity in order to give additional
information for English educators. The study investigated the teachers perspective on extensive
reading in EFL classroom. It was used qualitative survey design. Ten teachers were participated by
giving them an open ended questionnaire to collect the data. Data was analyzed by analyzing the
content of the topic. The benefits of extensive reading are Motivating, gaining comprehension,
understanding language feature, gaining writing ability and the teachers role as a Promoter,
manager, and assessor. The finding showed that teachers agreed to most of the attributes except
measuring student proficiency attribute as the role of the teachers in extensive reading activity. The
results on this study lead to understanding that extensive reading activity will be success if the
teachers believe and do all of the attributes. Since this study only focus on the benefit of extensive
reading, a further study should cover the weaknesses of extensive reading activity in order to help
the teachers in choosing the better approaches when they use extensive reading as an activity in the
EFL classroom.
INTRODUCTION
In order to arrange a good extensive

The nature of extensive reading reading activity, teachers understanding on

cannot be taught or be forced by the teacher this activity is very important. Yet there is
to the students. It depends on the students only small numbers of researches that try to
willingness to develop reading activities for investigating the phenomenon. This condition
their own needs and pleasure. In the other inspired the researcher to analyzed teachers
hand, Day and Bamford (1998) cited in Shu- perspective on extensive reading as an
ping (n.d), the situation that can make the autonomous reading activity in order to give
students feel encouraged, valued, and additional information for English educators. In
supported in the reading activity will lead order to discover the objectives, the study
formulates a question as follows: What do the
them to increase their intrinsic motivation.
Peaty (1996) states that in order to EFL teachers hold in terms of belief and
teach reading effectively, EFL teachers need attitude toward extensive reading in EFL
to be familiar with a range of procedure in classroom?
teaching and learning process. In extensive LITERARY REVIEW
reading activity, teacher should be able to 1. Teaching Reading
As an English teacher in EFL context
promote the extensive reading to the students
especially
when they teach reading,
and manage the extensive reading activity
(Harmer 2007a, p. 283-285). Teachers also professional teacher should have large
should be able to monitor the extensive understanding and ability in teaching and
reading activity (BBC 2005). In the end, learning process of reading. In line with that,
because assessing reading have several Peaty (1996) states that in order to teach
effects to the students (Nation 2009, p.75) reading effectively, EFL teachers need to be
and Hughes (2003, p.1) who agrees that familiar with a range of procedure in
assessment could give backwash effect, the teaching and learning process. In the other
teacher are forced to be able to assess the hand, Pang et.al (2003, p. 15) support the
statement by giving opinion that in the
result of extensive reading activity.

classroom, teachers need to be aware of their

In extensive reading activity, teacher
students learning needs, including their should be able to promote the extensive
motivation for reading and the purpose that reading to the students and manage the
reading has in their lives.
extensive reading activity (Harmer 2007a, p.
According to Dombey, et.al (2010), 283-285). Teachers also should be able to
his research finds the evidences in the monitor the extensive reading activity (BBC
successful school that the most effective 2005). In the end, because assessing reading
ways in teaching reading are characterized by have several effects to the students (Nation
a balanced approach, attention to individual 2009, p.75) and Hughes (2003, p.1) who
childrens literacy skills, and high levels of agrees that assessment could give backwash
engagement in reading.
effect, the teacher are forced to be able to
One of the activities that can be used assess the extensive reading activity.
and have to be known by the EFL teacher as Kredatusova (n,d, p.25-28) supports all of the
an EFL teacher is how to apply extensive statements, he states that there are several
reading activity in EFL classroom.
teachers roles in extensive reading such as:
2. Extensive Reading
introducers, helper, encourager, and manager
Harmer (2007b, p99) says that and assessor.
extensive reading should involve reading for 3. Perception
pleasure. Brown (2001, p.301) also agrees
According to Romanov (2011)
that extensive reading is the way when perception is ability to perceive includes
students learn to read in joyful condition. senses, feelings, ideas, thoughts, and theories
Based on the statements, the meaning of that create the ability to understand the
extensive reading is kind of reading activities difference. It means that perception is an
that student always doing it anywhere and ability to understand something based on
anytime. They are free to choose every kind what they feeling and thinking.
of texts that they want to read. In the end
Moreover, teachers perception on
extensive reading can be conclude as highly extensive reading activity will lead them to
individualized
approach
to
reading gain the ability to teach reading effectively in
improvement by selecting their own books EFL context (Peaty, 1996). Fludd (2009)
and read at their own pace (Mikulecky, agrees that In philosophy, psychology, and
2008).
the cognitive sciences, perception is the
In Extensive reading activity there are process
of
attaining
awareness
or
some benefits that was conducted by Brown understanding of sensory information.
(2001, p. 301) that extensive reading is a key 4. Previous Related Research Reports
to student gain in reading ability, linguistic
There are so many studies that have
competence, vocabulary, spelling and researched about extensive readingsuch as:
writing. Harmer (2007a, p. 283) also says Haider and Akhter (2012), Al-Siyabi (2013),
that the extensive reading is aimed to develop Ping (n.d), and Morgado (2009). All of the
students world recognition and for their researches focused on the extensive reading
improvement as reader overall.
activity. The results from all of the
Gebhard (2009, p. 198) states that one researchers show that they belief if the
of the teachers objective in teaching reading implementation of extensive reading activity
is making the students do activities to is conducting in an appropriate way, it will be
develop their skills to read extensively. But a good strategy in enhancing student
to make it happened, understanding about motivation and comprehension of reading.
teachers position in Extensive reading They also believe that the roles of the teacher
activities is very important to maximize the in extensive reading activity are premotor,
benefit of it. There are several roles that manager, and assessor.
teachers should do in the extensive reading
Although there are a lot of
activity.
researchers that have search about extensive

reading, but it is hard to find the research

toward extensive reading which is based on
teachers perspective in order to give them
information about teachers understanding
and teachers roles on this activity. Because
of that, study about extensive reading which
is based on teachers perspective is really
needed to help the practitioner when they try
to apply extensive reading activity in the EFL
classroom.
METHOD
1. Research Design
This study use qualitative survey
design to find out teachers perception on
extensive reading in EFL classroom. Sofaer
(2002) The use of rigorous of qualitative
research
method
can
enhance
the
development of quality measures, the
development
and
dissemination
of
comparative quality reports, as well as
quality improvements efforts. By using this
method, the researcher believe in getting
appropriate and specific information on this
field. Alwasilah (2011, p. 107) supports the
statements, he states that survey is a
collecting data technique that can describe
the characteristics or phenomenon. The
strength of this design is described by
Maxwel (1996, p. 17), he believes that
qualitative design focus on specific situation
or people, and its emphasis on words rather
than numbers. It mean that by using this
method the data gained coms from specific
situation that is needed for the study. So, by
using this method the researcher will gain
more detail information teachers believe on
extensive reading activity.
2. Data Collection
2.1 Sample
This study chooses ten teachers from
English Education Department in one
university in Bandung, Indonesia. Some
samples are the graduates students and
others are the students of post graduate
study. In collecting the data, the study
chooses purposive sampling technique.
There are four goals that is conducted by
Maxwel (1996, p. 71-72) such as:
achieving representativeness of the

settings, individuals, or activities selected;

to capture heterogeneity in the population;
deliberately examine cases that critical for
the theories that you began the study with;
establish particular comparisons to
illuminate the reasons for the differences
between setting or individual.
2.2 Instrumentations
This
study
use
open-ended
questionnaire. By using this instrument,
respondents can answer the questionnaire
in free writing form. They were asked to
write in English because they are English
teachers and to make the analysis of the
data is easier this questionnaire consisted
of 3 questions that related to the topic. The
teachers answers were analyzed by
dividing the answer into several
categories. Then, the result were
interpreted by the researcher related to the
categorizations that were made by the
experts in order to give understanding
information for the reader.. The
questionnaire that is delivered to the
respondents is related to the features
which are existed in extensive reading.
This is to help the researcher in gaining
the appropriate data that is needed in this
study. Reja, et.al (2003) delivers the
advantages of the open-ended questions
include the possibility of discovering the
responses
that
individuals
give
spontaneously, and thus avoiding the bias
that may result from suggesting responses
to individuals.
2.3 Procedure
The procedures of this study start
from designing the questionnaire related
to the topic. Then, the questionnaire was
administered to respondents in different
time since 5th November 2014 until 6th
November 2014. While the respondents
answer the questions, the researcher opens
discussion if the respondents do not
understand about the topic.
The
researcher also asked additional questions
to the respondents if necessary. After
collecting the data, the researcher analyzes
the data to find out the result.

3. Data Analysis
The data gained were first analyzed
by categorizing the responses into several
aspects related to the categories that have
been conducted by (Harmer 2007a, p. 283285), (BBC 2005), (Nation 2009, p.75), and
Brown (2001, p. 301). The responses
analyzed under each attribute which contain
the information about what the teachers
beliefs on extensive reading and what should
be done by the teacher in extensive reading
activity.
The table below (table 1) lists the
atribute of the teachers belief on extensive
reading and what should be done by the
teacher in extensive reading activity. The
table of categorization is made by the
researcher because it is hard to find the
research that identically same as the present
study as Alwasilah (2011, p. 116) said that
the categorization used in the data analysis
can be self-made (grounded/ based on the
data on the field) or adapted/adopted from
others.

attributes and then analyzing each attributes

into the categories in the table.
RESULTS
The following diagram show the results of
this study.

Table 1: Attributes of effective lecturers

Category
Benefit of
Extensive
reading
(Motivating,
Gaining literacy,
Understanding
language
features,
Gaining writing
ability)
Teachers roles
(Promoter,
Manager,
Assessor)

Attribute: Extensive
Reading
reading for pleasure
autonomous reading
students understand
about what they read
Students can improve
grammar, vocabulary,
and genre.
Students are able to
write
o
o

o
o
o

stimulate students by
giving example the joy
of reading
Setting up the library,
Choosing
material,
Arranging
reading
tasks
Measuring
achievement
Diagnosing problems
Measuring
reading
proficiency

In this research, the data were

analyzed by identifying the respondents

The findings of this study show that

in benefit of extensive reading context there
are 27 attributes that was administered by the
respondents. Those 27 attributes are divided
into 5 attribute that is listed by (Harmer
2007a, p. 283-285), (BBC 2005), and (Brown
2001, p. 301).
There are 7 respondents who agree
and choose reading for pleasure as one of the
benefit of extensive reading. The respondents
choose Autonomous reading categories in the
third position after improving grammar,
vocabulary, and genre; reading for pleasure;
and understanding what they read. Here there
are 4 respondents who agree and choose that
autonomous learner is one of the benefits of
extensive reading. Tthere are 7 respondents
who agree and choose that understanding
what they read is one of the benefits of
extensive reading. In improving grammar,
vocabularies, and genre category, there are 8

people who agree and choose that this

category is the most beneficial category of
extensive reading activity. There only 1
respondent who agrees and chooses that the
benefit of extensive reading is that students
will have ability to write.
Moreover, the finding also shows the
teachers roles in extensive reading activity.
In this category, there are 17 attributes that
was administered by the respondents. Those
17 attributes are divided into 5 attribute that
is listed by (Harmer 2007a, p. 283-285),
(BBC 2005), (Nation 2009, p.75), and
(Brown 2001, p. 301).
In the first category there are 5
respondents who agree and then chose that
one of the teachers roles in extensive reading
activity is stimulating students by giving
example of the joy in reading. 8 respondents
agree and choose that the teachers roles in
extensive reading activities is to set up the
library, choose material, and arrange reading
tasks. Measuring achievement take the third
position that has been chosen by the
respondents. There are 4 respondents who
agreed that the roles of the teachers in
extensive reading are to measure students
achievement. Diagnosing problems attribute
states in the fourth position that has been
chosen by the respondents. There was
founded in the table that there only two
respondents who agreed and chose that
diagnosing students problem is one of the
teachers roles in extensive reading activity.
CONCLUSION
The analysis of the teachers
perceptions toward extensive reading in the
EFL
classroom
leads
to
several
understanding from the teachers toward what
they belief on the benefits of extensive
reading and what should be done by the
teacher in extensive reading activity. The
respondents believe that the strongest benefit
of the extensive reading is that students can
learn the language features beside that, they
can be motivated and gain comprehension
toward this activity. One of the teachers
believes that the benefit of extensive reading
activity is gaining ability to write. Most of

the teachers also believe that teachers should

be able to manage the classroom, promoting
the reading activity and assessing the
students in extensive reading activity.
However, there is no teacher who chooses the
measuring students proficiency is one of the
teachers roles in extensive reading activity.
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