Extensive Reading The Key to Language Fluency Lesley

Extensive Reading: The Key to Language Fluency Lesley Speer - Jose Lara UECA PD Fest 2018

Reading Intensive vs Extensive Control Purpose Focus Amount Level Intensive Extensive Teacher directed Student directed Accuracy / Comprehension Fluency / Enjoyment Words/Grammar Meaning Not much A lot Often challenging Should be comfortable MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE 2

Extensive Reading Ten Principles 1. Reading material is easy 6. Reading is its own reward 2. A variety of reading material on a wide range of topics must be available. 7. Reading speed is usually faster rather than slower. 3. Learners choose what they want to read. 4. Learners read as much as possible 5. Purpose is related to pleasure, pleasure information and general understanding MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY 8. Reading is individual and silent. 9. Teachers orient and guide students. 10. The teacher is a role model of a reader. (Day & Bamford, 2002) ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE 3

Extensive Reading Why do we need it? “Extensive reading is essential for reading fluency development” development (Macalister, 2018) “Learners need 8000 word families in order to read fluently. ” fluently (Waring, 2018) MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE 4

Extensive Reading Four Strands Approach Four Skills Reading Listening Speaking Writing MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading Four Strands Approach Four Skills Four Strands Reading Listening Meaning focused input Meaning focused output Speaking Writing Language focused learning Fluency development (Macalister, 2018) MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading without meaning The Snolls The grifty snolls cloppered raucingly along the unchoffed trake. They were klary, so they higgled on sperately. "Ah, chiwar kervay, " they squopped rehoply. "Mi psar Quaj!". "Quaj!" snilled one, and flitted even jucklier. Answer the questions below 1. Where did the snolls clopper? 2. What was the trake like? 3. Why did they higgle on? 4. How did they squop? Along the trake. Unchoffed. They were klary. Rehoply. (Waring, 2018) MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading Vocabulary acquisition • Intermediate students will need 2000 word families • Advanced learners will need 4000 -6000 word families • To read materials written for English speakers (L 1), 8000 -9000 word families are needed (Waring, 2018) MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading Vocabulary acquisition V n adj adv beautify beautifully worker workable - effectively - - affect effect - - employ unemployer employee employment unemployment eater/eatery employable - edible/inedible - eat MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading Vocabulary acquisition • There around 1500 common idioms • There around 1200 common phrasal verbs get across get away get along get on get down get around get at get out of get over get down to • There are hundreds of formulaic phrases/expression Oh, my God! Oh, gosh! My goodness! Goodness me! (Waring, 2018) MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading Extensive reading constitutes meaning focused input and it is the best way to expose students to sufficient vocabulary to develop language fluency. MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading Book Club Cafe Week 1 -5 Set-up Reading Book Club Café (20 -30 min class time) Introduce: Students • Book Club Café • Read outside class time • • Websites for reading • Choose their own texts Share information (groups of 3 -4) • Reading logs • Record information to share • Enjoy a relaxed and fun atmosphere • See immediate benefits of reading • Importance of reading MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading Considerations • Resources: Graded readers, websites, (ER central, Texthelper, Newsinlevels, We. Speke, etc. ), apps • Budget/cost • Time • Follow up (essential) • Motivation • Sustainability • Routine for students (place + time) MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

Extensive Reading Foundation (in Australia) jose. lara@mq. edu. au lesley. speer@mq. edu. au Thank you