Learning
to Read by
Willy
Renandya
In a typical ESL/EFL reading class, students normally read
short texts prepared by teachers, answer comprehension questions, and do
numerous other activities designed for language-related practice (e.g., grammar
and vocabulary exercises). Despite abundant research evidence that this type of reading programme
will not by itself help learners develop an adequate L2 reading ability, most
ESL/EFL reading classes are still of this type. In this paper, I will argue
that a good reading programme should allow students
to read in quantity, i.e., to read lots of comprehensible print materials.
Following a review of the literature demonstrating the often impressive effect
of extensive reading on learners’ language development, I will report the
findings of two studies that I was involved in, which add to the growing
evidence for the importance of incorporating an extensive reading component in
our ESL/EFL curriculum. Features of a good extensive reading programme will be explored and practical constraints on the
implementation of school-based extensive reading programmes
will be discussed.
Renandya, W. (2004,
April). Learning to read by reading: The case for
extensive reading. Paper presented at the RELC
International Seminar on Approaches to
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