Extensive Reading For Building Fluency in Adult Ells

EXTENSIVE READING
FOR BUILDING FLUENCY

IN ADULT ELLS
Doreen Ewert, Indiana University
MITESOL, October 8, 2011
Kalamazoo, MI
The basic problem
“Studentslearning to read a
second language do not
read, and they do not like to
read.”
(Eskey, 1986, cited in Day & Bamford, 1998, p. 4).

Five Processes of Reading
(Rauding Theory)
 Memorizing (slow with many repetitions for memory)

 Learning (not as slow but some repetition for learning)
 Rauding (moderate speed with little repetition for
sufficient comprehension—fluent silent reading)
 Skimming (quick pace with no repetition for overall
meaning)
 Scanning (fast pace skipping to find specific
information)
R. Carver (2000)
Extensive Reading Definition
Reading quickly large amounts of

easy, varied, and interesting self-
selected material.
Student Journal Excerpt
“I read a lot of books in the class. I could

understand almost all, but there were some
difficult words and topics. However, I could
enjoyed from book’s information. I learned fun
of reading, because it was my first time to read
in English.”
Goal of Extensive Reading
To fluently read massive amounts of
comprehensible language within one’s
comfort zone to build fluency while
consolidating language knowledge.
(Waring, 2009)
To develop good reading habits integrated

with the immediate priorities of the teacher
and the students.
Other types of ER
 Abundant reading
 Sustained Silent Reading
 Pleasure Reading
 Free Voluntary Reading
 Supplementary Reading
 Book Flood
Rationale for Extensive Reading
 Development of positive
attitude/motivation for L2 reading.
 Development of sight words (over-
learning for automaticity).
 Development of general
vocabulary knowledge.
 Development of different knowledge
types.
“I learned that I can find books by myself. The
books are my reading level. I also learned that
I can guess words meaning without a
dictionary.”
Characteristics of an Extensive
Reading Program
Original in Day & Bamford, 1998, p. 7-8) Reflections by Day, R. (2011);
Students read as much as possible, perhaps This is not always followed, but still is
in and definitely out of the classroom essential to what ER is.
A variety of materials on a wide range of He couldn’t tell if this were true in all
topics is available so as to encourage reading programs. Some seem rather limited.
for different reasons and in different ways.
Students select what they want to read and He feels this is still the very core of what
have the freedom to stop reading materials ER is and when programs don’t allow for
that fails to interest them. this, he finds it hard to consider them ER.
 .
Original in Day & Bamford, 1998, p. 7-8) Updated by Day, R. (2011);
The purposes of reading are usually related This seems to be working although the use
to pleasure, information, and general of Moodle quizzes to track reading out of
understanding. These purposes are class may be changing this.
determined by the nature of the material and
the interests of the student.
Reading is its own reward. There are few or This may be suspect as a principle because
no follow-up exercises after reading. it can’t always be the case. Students may
need to “pushed” to read.
Reading materials are well within the After looking at program descriptions, this
linguistic competence of the students in still seems to be true.
terms of vocabulary and grammar.
Dictionaries are rarely used while reading
because the constant stopping to look up
words makes fluent reading difficult.
Original in Day & Bamford, 1998, p. 7-8) Updated by Day, R. (2011);
Reading is individual and silent, at the This still seems to be a good principle, but
student’s own pace, and, outside class, done there may be a place to bring in oral
when and where the student chooses. reading to build fluency as in L1.
Teachers orient students to the goals of the This is also essential still and may be
program, explain the methodology, keep more important than he thought at first.
track of what each student reads, and guide
students in getting the most out of the
program.
The teacher is a role model of a reader for This is still important, but scaffolding
students—an active member of the support might also be necessary.
classroom reading community, demonstrating
what it means to be a reader and the rewards
of being a reader.
10 principles Modified ER ER Light 0 principles

Pure ER Many principles Some principles Not ER
IEP ER Program Options
• Stand-alone Course in Level
4 (of 7-level program)
• Part of existing
Reading/Writing courses
(Levels 1-3 & 5)
• Elective Extensive Reading
Course (Optional Levels 6
& 7)
ER Syllabus:
What will we do in this class?
Students will use a variety of level appropriate reading resources including library books
and IEP EPER resource books.
Students will visit libraries as a class, choose books, read in varied locations, and talk to each
other about what they are reading.
Good things happen to students who read a lot in the new language!
Research shows that students who read a lot…

become better readers
become more confident readers
write better
improve their listening and speaking abilities
develop richer vocabulary
develop positive attitudes toward the new language
have increased motivation to learn the new language!
What are the rules for extensive reading?
 CHOOSE what you read.

 Choose EASY material.
 Read for general meaning, information,
and enjoyment. (No dictionary!)
 Enjoy
 Enjoy!
 Enjoy!
How will you be graded?
25% Extensive Reading Log (ER log)
Bring your ER log to class EVERYDAY! You will keep a record EPER books and library
books that you read in class (EPER days and Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) days) and at
home.
25% Extensive Reading Journal (Weeks three to six)

15 pages or more=A 12-14 pages=B 9-11 pages=C 6-8 pages=D 5-0 pages=F

25% Attendance and Participation:
We will be reading in class, so attendance is very important Every absence affects your
grade. If you miss 10 or more classes, you will automatically receive an F in this class. If
you are more than 15 minutes late, you are absent.

25% Self Evaluation:
Students will decide this part of their grade. It will be based on personal goals, effort, and
learning.
Grading is a PASS/FAIL format. For a PASS grade
students will:
 complete a reading log which is turned in 2 -3 times
during the course.

 complete 4 journal assignments with a minimum of
750 words total (about 190-200 words per week).

 complete a self-evaluation.
 arrive on time, attend class and participate during
class
 have no more than 10 absences.
“A chat circle was very good. In first I forgot

everything I read, but when we start I remember
some story and some details. I think all books I
read are interesting. And it was easy to read. Also,
I understood all story. Then, of course, I felt very
good. Time is running quickly, especially in this
course. Because when I start to read any store I
cannot stop if I didn’t finish. In fact, I learn many
things of skills. I feel much better reading.”
Intensive vs. Extensive Reading
Type of Reading Intensive Reading Extensive Reading

Class goal read accurately read fluently
answer questions get information
Reading purpose
study enjoy
words
Focus meaning
pronunciation
teacher chooses you choose

Material
often difficult easy
Amount not much a lot
Speed slower faster
must finish stop if you don’t like it
Method
use dictionary no dictionary
Adapted from Day & Bamford, 1998.
“I like to go to the public library. If class don’t
bring me to the public library, I wouldn’t know
that library. There are a lot of resources that I
can borrow in the library. O love to go and I
will go there next time. I am not afraid of
reading in English. I started reading novel in
English. I enjoy reading English.”

Sample Schedule
Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1 Intro to Extensive Motivation for EPER Test EPER day EPER day
Reading Reading in English Make-up EPER Test Make-up
Questionnaire EPER Test
Homework
2 EPER day Syllabus Education Library Library book day EPER day
Make-up Why read fiction? visit Music Library
EPER test How to choose books
3 Intro: Journals EPER day Intensive and Public Library prep. Library book day
Book chat Extensive Rdg EPER Day IMU So. Lounge
EPER day
4 EPER day Book chat Public Library visit Library book day EPER day
Chemistry Library
5 EPER day Library book day EPER day Book Chat EPER day
Neal Marshall
Library
6 EPER Book chat Library book day EPER day Evaluations

day Fine Arts
Library
7 EPER day EPER test Library book day

students’ choice
Sample Schedule
Reading Reading in English
Questionnaire Make-up EPER Test Make-up
Homework EPER Test
Why read fiction? visit Music Library
Make-up How to choose books
EPER test
Book chat Extensive Rdg EPER day IMU So. Lounge
EPER day
Chemistry Library
Neal Marshall
Library
6 EPER day Book chat Library book day EPER day Evaluations
Fine Arts
Library

students’ choice
Sample Schedule
Homework
Make-up Why read fiction?
EPER test How to choose books Music Library
Book chat Extensive Rdg EPER Day
EPER day IMU So. Lounge
4 EPER day Book chat Public Library Library book day EPER day
Chemistry Library
Neal Marshall
Library
day
Fine Arts Library

students’ choice
Sample Schedule
Homework
Make-up Why read fiction? visit
EPER test How to choose books Music Library
Book chat Extensive Rdg EPER Day
EPER day IMU So. Lounge
Chemistry Library
Neal Marshall
Library
day
Fine Arts Library
Students’ choice
Sample Schedule
Homework
Make-up Why read fiction? visit Music Library
EPER test How to choose books
Book chat Extensive Rdg EPER Day IMU So. Lounge
EPER day
Chemistry Library
Neal Marshall
Library

day Fine Arts
Library

students’ choice
“I like much to read in my first language…But
in my life I hadn’t read much in English. I
spend long time…Although the exercise of
chose the children books is strange because
you feel like when you had 7 years old, I think
that this is good , because is the same process
like when you learned to read in school”
Extensive Reading Log
Name_________________
Class___________
Title EPER level
or ‘library’
In class
time
At home
time
Level: easy, Opinion: good,
okay, difficult fair, poor
The Long EPER B 20 min. 15 min. Easy fair

Road
Peanuts Library 30 min. Okay good

book 15 min.
25 min.
“I have a little experienced in reading in English
because in general about reading I do not like read
so much even in my native language which is
Arabic....When I went to education library I felt I
can choose the books better than in the past and
most of books that I chosen them I interested of
them I like them.”
“EPER books are easy to read for me and so fun,
because I can read books smoothly, and easy to
understand. There are many kinds of books… I read
19 books, so I want to read more books.”
What are the benefits of ER?
 Research claims have been made that
students who read a lot…
 become better readers (Flahive & Bailey, 1993;
Tsang, 1996)
 become more confident readers (Takase, 2007,
2008, 2oo9)
 write better (Elley & Mangubhai, 1983; Janopoulos,
1986; Tsang, 1996)
 improve listening and speaking abilities
(Elley, 1991)
“I like outside class. One of my favorite outside place is

the Union. I didn’t know what reading a book with
drinking coffee make me happy.”
“I have learned so far enjoying the books in English is so

important for learning English because I think enjoying
books encourages me to learn English. When I read only
books which have difficult words, and are so severe I
feel so boring to learn English. But the Extensive
Reading makes me remember pleasure of English!!!”
 develop richer vocabulary (Horst, Cobb, &
Meara, 1998; Lao & Krashen, 2000; Pulido, 2003;
Waring & Takaki, 2003)
 develop positive attitudes toward the new
language (Mason & Krashen, 1997)
 Increase motivation to learn the new
language (Takase, 2009)
 Increase motivation to read (McQuillan, 1994;
Pillgreen & Krashen, 1993
“I learn to be used to reading
English. I think this class is the
best way to like English, because
English is close to me by reading
easy grammar English with pretty
pictures. In my opinion, if I don’t
like English, I cannot to improve
English skill. So, to like English is
very important thing for me. So,
this class is very meaningful for
me.”
 Improve general language proficiency (Elley,
1991; Renandya, Rajan, & Jacobs, 1999).
 Increase reading rate (Lao & Krashen, 2000)
 Do as well or better than non-ER learners in the
short run (Mason & Krashen, 1997)
 In the long run, ER learners do better (Krashen,
2004 for review of studies)
Study Purpose
 Does our ER course benefit the learners?

 Will our students be motivated to read more on their
own?
 Will general or specific aspects of their proficiency

grow?
Study Challenges
 Will we be able to measure/identify
changes?
 It’s hard to measure incidental and incremental
learning
 We cannot control for all other sources of learning
especially in an SL context.
 L2 adults are harder to “control” than L1/L2 children.
 By definition, the students should not be tested.
 Ethically, we had to give ER to all the students, so no
control group was possible.
Initial IEP ER Study
 Recruitment of Students
 May 2003 through June 2011 (093-113)
 Total number of students included: 291
 Data Collection
 Pre and Post EPER Diagnostic Test (E.P.E.R. 2009)
 Institutional test scores
 Motivation Survey (Komiyama, 2009)
 Reading Journals
 Reading Logs
 Motivation Self-Report
 Delayed post course questionnaire(dropped)
Results
 Quantitative Results
 Pre and Post EPER Diagnostic Test (E.P.E.R. 2009)

 Institutional test scores
 IEP Placement Exam(pre-post)
 pBT TOEFL (pre-post)
 Motivation Survey (Komiyama, 2009)
 Qualitative Results
 Reading Journals
 Reading Logs
 Motivation Self-Report
 ER Book Checkout List
Paired-sample T-tests
Pre-EPER Test Post-EPER Test

All levels n** M (min-max) SD M (min-max) SD Average
Gain
216 41.7 (7-60) 10.2 47.5 (19-64) 9.1 6.4*
p<0.05
Pre and post E.P.E.R tests
Pre-EPER Test Post-EPER Test

Starting n** M (min-max) SD M (min-max) SD Average
Level Gain
A 17 18.2 (7-25) 5.71 29.2 (19-42) 6.93 11*
B 16 29.3(26-32) 2.06 37.7 (32-46) 4.01 8.3*
C 100 40.3 (33-45) 3.62 46.6 (30-60) 5.98 6.6*
D 82 50.8 (46-59) 3.71 54.3 (42-64) 4.71 5*
*p<0.05
**1 student started and stayed in Level E
Average EPER Gains from Starting Level
Average Gain
12.0
11.0
10.0
8.0 8.3
6.6
6.0
5.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
A B C D
EPER level gains in 1 session
Level A to B+ Level B to C+ Level C to D+ Level D to E+

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
17 11 16 14 100 53 82 9
64.7% 87.5% 53.0% 10.9%

87 of 215 improved by at least one EPER Level
Institutional Test Scores
 IEP Placement Reading Test (with ER, 093-113)

n M SD Average Gain
Pre 222 20.3 4.92
Post 222 20.9 5.15 5.13*
*p<0.05
IEP Placement Reading Test
Initial Post % Above

Test Cut Off % Above
Level Placement Placement initial
Scores Level 4
Score Score Placement
Level 1 0-11 8 4 0.0% 0.0%

Level 2 12-15 32 33 59.4% 0.0%
Level 3 16-19 54 44 46.3% 22.2%
Level 4 20-22 53 46 47.2% 47.2%
Level 5 23-25 45 51 31.1% 53.3%
Level 6 26-29 21 28 9.5% 76.2%
Level 7 30-35 8 7 0.0% 75.0%
Above 36-40 0 0 0.0% 0.0%
Total 40 222 222 38.7% 38.3%
 IPT Reading Score (Level 4 with ER, 093-113)
n M SD Average Gain
Pre 122 40.0 4.97
Post 122 39.9 6.18 -0.1
ER Reading Journals
•Iterative reading of journals

•Noting themes
•Checking themes
•Rater reliability checking (not yet done)
Student Journal Prompts
Reading Journal Themes
 How little had been read in English

prior to this class
 Surprise at the need for easy texts
 Delight in reading complete texts
 Positive attitude towards reading
generally
 Expressed desire to continue such
reading
Implications of results so far
 Started an ER elective for high intermediate/low
advanced students
 Put a book chat earlier in the session to motivate
more careful reading
 Trained more teachers in the ER implementation
What do we still want to do?
 Look at motivation survey
(Intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation at beginning of course in relation
to gender, country of origin, proficiency level)
 Do motivation survey after ER course
 Analyze more reading scores for pre ER course period
 Estimate amount of reading in time and words (titles?)
(in relation to gender, country of origin, proficiency level)
 Determine most popular texts
Keep on “teaching” ER!
If you have questions, feel
free to contact me.
Doreen Ewert, Associate Professor

Director, Academic English for Multilingual Students Program
Department of Rhetoric and Language
University of San Francisco
dewert@usfca.edu

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EXTENSIVE READING

FOR BUILDING FLUENCY

(Eskey, 1986, cited in Day & Bamford, 1998, p. 4).

 Memorizing (slow with many repetitions for memory)

Reading quickly large amounts of

“I read a lot of books in the class. I could

To develop good reading habits integrated

10 principles Modified ER ER Light 0 principles

Research shows that students who read a lot…

 CHOOSE what you read.

25% Extensive Reading Journal (Weeks three to six)

during the course.

750 words total (about 190-200 words per week).

“A chat circle was very good. In first I forgot

Type of Reading Intensive Reading Extensive Reading

teacher chooses you choose

6 EPER Book chat Library book day EPER day Evaluations

7 EPER day EPER test Library book day

7 EPER day EPER test Library book day

7 EPER day EPER test Library book day

7 EPER day EPER test Library book day

6 EPER Book chat Library book day EPER day Evaluations

7 EPER day EPER test Library book day

The Long EPER B 20 min. 15 min. Easy fair

Peanuts Library 30 min. Okay good

“I like outside class. One of my favorite outside place is

“I have learned so far enjoying the books in English is so

 Does our ER course benefit the learners?

 Will general or specific aspects of their proficiency

 Pre and Post EPER Diagnostic Test (E.P.E.R. 2009)

Pre-EPER Test Post-EPER Test

216 41.7 (7-60) 10.2 47.5 (19-64) 9.1 6.4*

Pre-EPER Test Post-EPER Test

A 17 18.2 (7-25) 5.71 29.2 (19-42) 6.93 11*

B 16 29.3(26-32) 2.06 37.7 (32-46) 4.01 8.3*

C 100 40.3 (33-45) 3.62 46.6 (30-60) 5.98 6.6*

D 82 50.8 (46-59) 3.71 54.3 (42-64) 4.71 5*

Level A to B+ Level B to C+ Level C to D+ Level D to E+

64.7% 87.5% 53.0% 10.9%

 IEP Placement Reading Test (with ER, 093-113)

Initial Post % Above

Level 1 0-11 8 4 0.0% 0.0%

•Iterative reading of journals

 How little had been read in English

Doreen Ewert, Associate Professor

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