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Description
Few studies have examined how lower-level, non-English majors’ reading rates improve through extensive reading. The present study investigates the combined effects of timed and extensive reading on reading rates over one academic year for Japanese non-English major university students (n = 35). The study provides evidence that subjects who read over 150,000 standard words a year show a significant improvement in reading rates while subjects that read less show far more modest reading rate gains.
Short summary
Few studies have examined how lower-level, non-English majors’ reading rates improve through extensive reading. The present study investigates the combined effects of timed and extensive reading on reading rates over one academic year for Japanese non-English major university students (n = 35). The study provides evidence that subjects who read over 150,000 standard words a year show a significant improvement in reading rates while subjects that read less show far more modest reading rate gains.
References
McLean, S. & Rouault, G. (2017). The effectiveness and efficiency of extensive reading at developing reading rates. System. 70, 92-16.
Shimono, T. (2023). The effects of extensive reading, timed reading, and repeated oral reading on Japanese university L2 English learners’ reading rates and comprehension over one academic year. Reading in a Foreign Language. 35(2), 190-221.
Abstract
Few studies have examined the development of lower-level, non-English majors’ reading rates through timed reading and extensive reading. This study investigates the combined effect of timed and extensive reading on reading rate development for first and second-year Japanese non-English major university students enrolled in an elective reading class (n = 35). Over one academic year subjects did weekly timed readings in the classroom and extensive reading for homework. To measure reading rate improvements, pre- and post-treatment reading rate measurements were compared.
This study strongly supports the results of previous research that found that timed readings combined with large amounts of extensive reading leads to an improvement in reading rates (McLean & Rouault, 2017; Shimono, 2023). However, the most noteworthy gains only came after reading more than 150,000 standard words over one academic year; with the greatest reading rate gains achieved by subjects that read over 165,000 standard words.
Classroom teachers can draw the conclusion that combining timed and extensive reading is an effective strategy to improve the reading rates of lower-level, non-English majors with limited classroom time devoted to English; provided an annual reading goal of more than 150,000 words is met.
Keywords
extensive reading; reading rates
| Scheduling preference | Anytime on Saturday |
|---|---|
| Title | Effect of Timed & Extensive Reading on Non-English Majors’ Reading Rates |