ENERGIZING EFL STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION TO IMPROVE

READING HABIT THROUGH EXTENSIVE READING

Ika Desy Ramayati & Yanti Anggun Sari

English Education Department, Faculty of Teacher Training and
Education
State Islamic Institute of Kediri (IAIN Kediri), Indonesia

Abstract

Reading is one of English important skills, especially for EFL students.

However, in fact most of EFL students have low achievement in reading.
It can be caused by laziness, less motivation and negative mood to read.
Therefore, this article is focused on energizing students’ motivation
intrinsically and extrinsically to abolish their laziness and negative mood
in reading activity. Further, this article limits the discussion on extensive
reading because reading habit needs to be nurtured. The result of this
article shows that extensive reading can improve students’ motivation in
reading activity and also gives positive impact on their reading skill.
When the students are motivated extrinsically because of extensive
reading, they are automatically motivated intrinsically, for extrinsic and
intrinsic motivation are related to each other. Since an extensive reading
gives them a right to choose material or books which they like, a right to
choose the place and the time to read so that the students feel motivated
and enjoyable when they are reading books. Thus, extensive reading is the
best way to motivate students’ reading habit intrinsically and
extrinsically.

Keywords: motivation, intrinsic, extrinsic, extensive reading

Abstract saya benahi supaya lbh mudah dipahami

INTRODUCTION

Reading is one of English important skills, especially for

EFL students. According to Alhamdu (2015) reading is also as a
gateway for getting success, because it can open and provide new
insights. Kirsch and Guthrie (1984) claim that reading influences
success in work and has an important role in developing skills.
However, in fact most of EFL students have low achievement in
English reading because they have less motivation in reading
(Kompasiana. com, 2015, Media Indonesia, 30 August 2016; Redaksi
Nusantaranews. com,2016, Hasan,2017). Commented [d1]: Cek cara menulis in note reference
Komiyama (2013) states that the motivation can help the
students in reading activity because reading is also positively
related to motivation. It is also supported by Nahid & Mohammad
Reza (2017) who argues that Motivation is an important factor to
improve reading skill which is admitted by all of researchers and
teachers. According to the previous study, there is a high
correlation between motivation and achievement in reading
comprehension (Sulistia & Saiful Anwar, 2017). Mohammad Reza
Ahmadi (2017) also examines that motivation has some important
points in creating reading comprehension. One of the significant
consequences of this study is that EFL learners should be motivated
to increase their reading habit and make them proficient readers.
Due to the gap, this article focuses on discussing the
strategies to energize the students’ motivation intrinsically and
extrinsically to abolish students’ laziness and negative mood.
Pachtman and Wilson (2006) state that it is good to motivate
students’ reading habit by giving them chances to select their
interest materials. In other words, readers want to read more when
they are permitted to select their reading materials because they
must discover that reading is a pleasurable activity.
The study by Patel and Jain (2008: 117-123) examine that
there are four types of reading, they are intensive reading (IR),
extensive reading (ER), aloud reading, and silent reading.
However, this article limits the discussion on Extensive reading
because reading habit needs to be nurtured. The optimization of ER
can make students read more books that they like joyfully. For it
gives them rights to choose books that they like and decide where
or when they are reading. Moreover, extensive reading also makes
students get freedom to read and have no limitations to read (Sheu,
2003). By reading this article, teachers will be able to choose the
most convenient startegy to use in teaching reading activity.

Definition of Motivation and Reading

Historically, motivation is the first understanding in terms

of instincts, boosts, and needs as biological strength which is innate
for human. Motivation also is a concept that is widely used in
psychology and education. (Malatesha Joshi, 2017). Since language
learning skill is very important, especially in reading skill,
motivation is an influence factor that can improve student’s
reading habit. According to Ryan and Deci (2000), to be motivated
means being moved or make a change to do something. Motivation
makes action in an organism to build and manage behavior.
Behavior like excitement, interest, desire, and looking forward to
learning are the main parts of motivation.

The purpose of motivation is makes us behave, it also helps

the students to study hard in a duty, even when it is difficult or
when the chances of their successful are low. (Petri and Govern,
2012). So, based on some theories, orientation of motivation
concerns the behavior and goals to boost an action. For example,
the students can be motivated to finish their homework because
they want to get a good impression for teachers or parents. In
addition, the students also can be motivated to learn something
because they know that it can give them a good grade. From those
examples, motivation is to boost everyone to raise their action and
to become better than before. It is true that motivation is an
important factor in English language learning that teachers must
pay attention with students’ motivation. Thus, setting the condition
in language learning process being well, the role of teacher is very
important. Teachers should give a motivation in order to make the
students enjoy studying.
 Reading is an important skill in English learning which can
be developed by reading habit. Reading habit is known as the
activity of reading which is done again and again. Yet, in the reality,
most of students have bad reading habit. It can be caused by
laziness and negative mood. So that, it is very important to energize
students’ reading habit by abolishing their laziness and due to
reading ability needs to be nurtured since it is not a natural ability.
For it gives them autonomy in reading activity and it also has been
proofed by some experts.

Types of Motivation for Improving Students’ Reading Habit

Motivation is closely related to psychology and every

psychologist has different opinion about types of motivation.
However, this article takes types of motivation which is most
commonly used. There are intrinsic motivation and extrinsic
motivation. These types are introduced by Ryan & Deci (2000) as
Self-Determination Theory. There are intrinsic and extrinsic
motivation in the theory. Ryan & Deci (2000) identify the difference
types of motivation based on different goals that give rise to an
action. Here are the further explanation of intrinsic and extrinsic
motivation which can improve students’ reading habit.

1. Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is defined as a desire to do something

because wants to get a satisfaction and knows a value in doing
something (Usher, 2012). Someone is intrinsically motivated when
they do something that can make them feel good and enjoy, or even
they consider that it is personally challenging or lead to a sense of
achievement. If students are intrinsically motivated to read, it will
satisfy their curiosity about knowledge that they do not know yet
and it can bring them a sense of reading is necessary in their
learning. Gottfried (1990) also examines that intrinsic motivation
for reading is the enjoyment of students’ reading activity for their
own sake, to stimulate curiosity, and to get new knowledge that
can make them challengeable in reading activity.
 Moreover, if the students are intrinsically motivated, they can
find pleasure in reading, they like to read more in their free time.
Because of an increased amount of reading time, it can be imagined
that intrinsic motivation also makes the students’ reading activity
becomes their habit. Students will not be able to achieve complete
skill in reading comprehension without intrinsic motivation
(Marinak & Gambrell, 2008). The students who have intrinsic
motivation will also have the goal of becoming educated people,
knowledgeable, and autonomous because it is the principal
motivation in studying (Purwanto, 1990).

2. Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is encouraged

by external factors such as reward, scores, fame, praise, and a desire
to be better than others. For instance, the students do their
homework because they are afraid of getting punishment from the
teacher if they do not do it. Therefore, they do homework in order
to avoid sanctions from their teacher (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Based on
the example, students who are extrinsically motivated naturally try
to avoid negative results and only expect to positive result. Unlike
intrinsic motivation, which is constructed from the individual,
extrinsic motivation comes from outside rewards.

Thus, teachers should have a positive attitude in reading

activity to achieve the best results of students’ reading
development. This positive attitude is showed by making the
atmosphere’s classroom more conductive and make the students
feel enjoy in the class, recommending books to students, displaying
books around the classroom, and reading aloud every day. To
explore students’ attitudes toward reading, teachers can use many
methods such as doing a survey, giving questionnaires, and doing
classroom discussions (McGeown, Norgate, & Warhurst, 2012). In
addition, it is also good to motivate students in reading by giving
them chances to select their interest materials which can make
readers want to read more and more. If they are permitted to select
their own readers, they will find that reading is a pleasurable
activity (Pachtman & Wilson, 2006).

3. The Correlation Between Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are significant. They

complement each other in English language learning. Some experts
state that intrinsic motivation is a type of inner boost which drives
students more progress by their curiosity and interest. However,
not all students are automatically energized for doing assignments
or study some materials in language learning. Sometimes, the use
of rewards, praise, or the threat of failing as extrinsic motivations
can increase intrinsic motivation. (Don Hamachek, 1989). The study
by Lepper et al. (2005) also analyze the relationship between
intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for doing school work is found a
positive simple correlation between them. Indeed, Bateman &
Crant (2003) also find there is no significant negative relationship
between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In this case, it is clear
that extrinsic motivation sometimes is necessary to improve
students’ motivation intrinsically. In conclusion, intrinsic and
extrinsic motivation are related to each other because intrinsic
motivation influences on extrinsic motivation.

Extensive Reading

Extensive reading is reading joyfully to get the points of a

passage (Brown, 1989). Generally, extensive reading uses material
readers like graded books (like novel, short story, etc.) and informal
article. By reading those material readers, students can read more
books or stories which are proper to their own difficulty level.
Extensive reading program also gives them time and place they
want to read without making them feel under control (Davis, 1995).
Some recent studies have shown that extensive reading may help
students develop their English abilities like speaking and spelling
(Day & Bamford, 2004). Furthermore, extensive reading is the best
way to make students’ speaking more fluency. There are some
reasons why ER is effective to energize students’ reading habit:
1. ER program gives autonomy to students to choose their own
material books which are suitable to their reading level, the
place and the time they want to read.
2. Due to students choose the material books by themselves, they
feel more enjoy and interested in reading activity.
3. Students do not have to use dictionary because the words in the
topics are not difficult for them.
4. They do not feel under control or being pressured by teacher.
5. ER can increase vocabulary.
6. ER can build students’ confidence with extended text.

Optimizing ER To Motivate Students Intrinsically and

Extrinsically in Reading Activity

A study which was done at Padang State Polytechnic proves

that extensive reading can improve students’ reading skill
successfully because extensive reading makes the students more
interested in reading activity and they do not find many difficulties
in reading. So that, ER becomes the solution to solve students’
matter in reading skill (Martini, 2008). Another study in STAIN
Curup, Bengkulu also shows that extensive reading affects in Commented [d2]: Sebutkan referensinya
students’ reading comprehension better than intensive reading. It
is also supported by Renandya, Rajan, and Jacob (2009) that
extensive reading can increase students’ reading achievement
(Sarwo, 2014).

According to Day & Bamford (1998; 7-8), here are ten

principles to optimize ER well:

1. Students have to read more.

2. Teachers provide the variety of material books with
different topics and difficulty level.
3. The difficulty level of the book must be proper to each
student.
4. Students are given right to choose their own reading
materials.
 5. The activity of reading is done with pleasure and
joyfully.
6. Students feel enjoy and satisfied when they are reading.
7. Reading activity is done by individually and silent.
8. Students have to read faster.
9. Teacher have to explain to students about the aim of the
program and help them reaching the best result.
10. Teachers have to be a good example as an active and
extensive reader to their students.

The Impact of Extensive Reading (ER) on Student’s Reading

Habit

Reading is not a natural ability, so it must be nurtured. One

of the ways to improve reading habit is by extensive reading.
Through this program, students will get right to choose books
which are interesting for them. Then, it will make them read more
books joyfully. If the students read many books, it will develop
their reading level become higher (Guthrie, Wigfield, &
Perencevich, 2004; Schiefele et al., 2012). Since extensive reading
encourages the students to read as many as possible easy books. It
is believed that the main effect of extensive reading is improving
reading fluency (Kadota, 2008).

Many studies also have proven that extensive reading has

positive impact on students’ reading skill. According to Masoud
and Nima (2016), extensive reading may help the students to
improve their reading activity become better than before.
Moreover, extensive reading also can effect on each component of
students’ English proficiency, such as reading comprehension,
vocabulary, writing, and even their motivation and attitude (Day
& Bamford, 1998; Takase, 2010). By applying extensive reading in
students’ reading activity, they can find pleasure in reading.
Because of an increased amount of reading time, it can be imagined
that it makes the students’ reading activity becomes their habit.
 Thus, ER not only has positive impact to student’s reading skill, but
also flexible to be applied in learning English.

CONCLUSION

Reading is an important aspect in learning English, so it must be

mastered by EFL students. Yet, some of the EFL students have bad reading
achievement. It may be caused by some factors like laziness, negative
mood and less motivation. So that, it is very important to motivate them
to improve their reading achievement by nurturing their reading habit.
Since motivation can urge students’ reading habit and support them to
read more books, it needs to energize them continuously (Sarwo, 2014).
This article limits the discussion on extensive reading because extensive
reading can motivate students intrinsically by giving them right to choose
their own books, place, and time to read and extrinsically by stimulating
them to read continuously. The result of this article is that extensive
reading is the best way to motivate students’ reading habit. Therefore, the
next researchers are suggested to carry out and investigate the methods of
using extensive reading to enhance students’ reading skill in analyzing
Commented [d3]: Resultnya berikan penekanan/
penjelasan lebih detail ttg intrinsic dan ekstrincik motivasi
dihub. Dg ER.
Karena yg saya dapati kamu hanya menjelaskan ttg
bagusnya ER pdhl fokusmu intrinsic dan ekstrinsik motivasi.
Klo kamu focus di ER nya saja nanti sama dg peneliti
sebelumnya.
Jelaskan lebih rinci dan bagus ttg bgmna energize motivasi
ekstrinsik dan intrinsic dlm reading terutama dlm ekstensive
reading.
Jlskan dg gambling baik di body ataupun di conclusion.

English text.

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