Improving EFL Learners’ Reading Levels through a Short-term Extensive Reading Program
Research Article
Keywords:
extensive reading, reading levels, outside class, reading articles, reading skillAbstract
There has been developing concern in extensive reading (ER), which aims to improve learners’ reading skills and provides the basis for other skills in the target language. Motivated by previous extensive reading studies, this study set out to investigate the possible effects of a short-term extensive reading program on reading levels in the preparatory class at the tertiary level in the Turkish EFL context. 66 participants whose proficiency levels were pre-intermediate were engaged in this five-week study. There were two groups of participants: treatment group (n=33) and control group (n=33). Two formal reading level assessments were conducted during the study as pre and post-tests. Besides, as an informal assessment, students' record sheets were utilized. The paired sample t-test analysis results revealed a notable improvement in the students' pre and post-test scores in the treatment group. These results provide important insights into the effectiveness of a short-term Extensive Reading (ER) program on EFL learners.