The effectiveness of extensive reading on reading comprehension and reading motivation of tenth graders at trieu thai hight school

Source: Nuttall 2000, p.127 Second, extensive reading has been proven to increase students‟ ability in English reading tests.. In order to contribute to this existing body of knowledge,

HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY N 0 2 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FACULTY

LUU THI THUY VAN

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXTENSIVE READING

ON READING COMPREHENSION AND READING MOTIVATION OF TENTH GRADERS

AT TRIEU THAI HIGH SCHOOL

A MINOR THESIS FOR GRADUATION

Supervisors: Ms Emily Parenteau Mrs Nguyen Thi Ha Anh, M.A

HANOI, 2015

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the people made

it possible for me complete this thesis for graduation First and foremost, I want to

send the deepest appreciation to my supervisors: Ms Emily Parenteau and Mrs Nguyen Thi Ha Anh M.A at Hanoi Pedagogical University N0.2 for their insightful advice and suggestions and warm encouragement Without their help and guidance, I would not have been able to complete my research work Without them, I could not have come this far

My sincere gratitude is also extended to the committee members for their advice and invaluable feedback and comments so that my thesis could be completed in full

I would like to thank teachers and students at Trieu Thai High School, Lap Thach District, Vinh Phuc Province, who were very kind to me and helped me to conduct my experiment

In addition, I also wish to thank my friends at Hanoi Pedagogical University

N0.2 for their kind assistance and encouragement during my studies

Luu Thi Thuy Van

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

Title:

“THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXTENSIVE READING ON READING COMPREHENSION AND READING MOTIVATION

OF TENTH GRADERS AT TRIEU THAI HIGH SCHOOL”

(A minor thesis for graduation)

Date submitted: May 2015

ABSTRACT

Extensive reading is an interesting approach using reading as an outside activity Many researchers have studied extensive reading and many educators have applied this approach to classroom instruction and language learning (Byun, 2010, Day and Bamford, 1998, Day and Bamford, 2000, to name a few) Second language researchers have found this method can affect students‟ reading motivation and reading comprehension

This research focused on the effects of extensive reading on students‟ reading motivation and reading comprehension when most students are at the Pre-A2 level according to Common European Framework for Reference Sixty tenth grade students who are learning English as a foreign language at Trieu Thai High School took part in this study They were divided into the experimental group and the control group Students in both groups completed motivation questionnaires and English reading comprehension tests prior to the study Then, the experimental group completed extensive reading activities for four weeks During this experimental period, the control group followed their regular curriculum Data was again collected from respondents through a motivation questionnaire and a reading comprehension test after the experimental period When this experimental method was completed, the results of the experiment were analyzed and the findings explained

The findings suggest that reading extensively can bring about positive changes

in students‟ attitudes toward acquiring reading skills After the four weeks of the experiment, students in the experimental group reported that they enjoyed reading in English They read materials in English more than they did before the experiment and, most significantly, these students‟ reading tests scores became higher

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

1 CG: Control Group

2 ESOL: English for speakers of other languages

3 EG: Experimental Group

4 EFL: English as Foreign Language

5 ESL: English as Second Language

6 GR: Graded Reader

7 L2: Second Language

8 TEFL: Teaching English as Foreign Language

9 TESL: Teaching English as Second Language

10 TTHS: Trieu Thai High School

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Figure 1: The vicious circle of weak readers Source: Nuttall (2000, p.127) 2 Figure 2: The circle of good readers Source: Nuttall (2000, p.127) 3 Figure 3.Organization of the study 7 Figure 4: Model of the major variable motivating the decision to read in a second language (Day and Bamford, 1998, p.28) 18 Figure 5: Scale conversion between international English certificates (2014) 23 Table 1: Background information about the participants of the study 24 Table 2: Results of the control group in the pre-motivation questionnaire 33 Table 3: Results of the experimental group in the pre-motivation questionnaire 35 Figure 6: Comparison of students‟ opinion toward reading English in the control group and the experimental group on the pre-motivation questionnaire 36 Table 4: The amount of time that the control group and the experimental group reported spending on reading English before the experiment 37 Table 5: Results of the control group in the post-motivation questionnaire 38 Table 6: Results of the experimental group in the post-motivation questionnaire 39 Table 7: The amount of time that the control group and the experimental group report spending on reading English after the experiment 40 Table 8: Results of the experimental group in the second post-motivation questionnaire on extensive reading 41 Figure 7: The EG students‟ opinions toward reading in the pre-motivation and post-motivation questionnaires 42 Figure 8: Students of the control group and the experimental group divided into sub-groups based on pre-test scores 44 Figure 9: Students of the control group and the experimental group divided into sub-groups based on post-test scores 45 Figure 10: Mean scores of the control group and the experimental group in the pre-test and post-test 45

Figure 11: Students of the control group and the experimental group divided into sub-groups based on pre-test and post-test scores 46

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ii

ABSTRACT iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iv

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES v

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem 3

1.3 Methodology of the Study 4

1.4 Questions of the Study 4

1.5 Significance of the Study 4

1.6 Scope of the Study 5

1.7 Research Objectives 5

1.8 Research Tasks 5

1.9 Organization of the Study 6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Reading Comprehension 11

2.2 Extensive Reading 11

2.2.1 Definition of Extensive Reading 11

2.2.2 Principles of Extensive Reading 12

2.2.3 Extensive Reading versus Intensive Reading 13

2.2.3.1 Intensive Reading 13

2.2.3.2 Extensive Reading versus Intensive Reading 14

2.2.4 Benefits of Extensive Reading 15

2.2.4.1 Extensive Reading in Developing Vocabulary Knowledge 16

2.2.4.2 Extensive Reading in Developing Speed 16

2.2.4.3 Extensive Reading in Fostering Reading Motivation 16

2.2.4.4 Extensive Reading in Developing General World Knowledge 17

2.3 Reading Motivation 17

2.3.1 Intrinsic Motivation 19

2.3.2 Extrinsic Motivation 19

2.3.3 The Differences between Intrinsic Motivation versus Extrinsic Motivation 19

2.4 Previous Studies on the Effects of Extensive Reading 20

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Participants 23

3.2 Experimental Method 24

3.3 Instruments 25

3.3.1 Motivation Questionnaire 25

3.3.2 Graded readers 27

3.3.2.1 Reasons for Using Graded Readers 28

3.3.2.2 Reasons for Using Graded Readers 28

3.3.3 English Reading Comprehension Tests 29

3.4 Design 29

3.5 Procedures of Data Collection 30

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Motivation Questionnaires 32

4.1.1 Pre-motivation Questionnaires 32

4.1.2 Post-motivation Questionnaire 37

4.2 English Reading Comprehension Tests 43

4.2.1 Reading Comprehension Pre-Test 43

4.2.2 Reading Comprehension Post-Test 44

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS 5.1 Recommendations 48

5.2 Conclusions 48

5.3 Limitations of the Study and Suggestions for Further Studies 49

REFERENCES I APPENDICES III APPENDIX 1 III APPENDIX 2: PRE-MOTIVATION QUESTIONNAIRE VI APPENDIX 3: POST-MOTIVATION QUESTIONNAIRE VIII APPENDIX 4: X APPENDIX 5: SUGGESTED WEDSITES FOR GRADED READERS AND SAMPLE STORIES XV APPENDIX 6: THE SCORES OF THE CONTROL GROUP AND THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP IN THE PRE-ENGLISH READING TEST XVI APPENDIX 7: THE SCORES OF THE CONTROL GROUP AND THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP IN THE POST-ENGLISH READING TEST XVII

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale

In today‟s globalizing world, the significance of English cannot be understated English has been playing a major role in many sectors, including education, science, engineering, technology, politics, economics, and entertainment English is considered

an official language of communication and trade Because of its vital role, the study of English has garnered attention on an unprecedented international scale, especially for those involved in the fields of learning and teaching Vietnam is a developing country ranked 121 on the United Nations Development Program‟s Human Development Index It is widely considered to be South East Asia‟s economic powerhouse, with significant dedication to industrial advancement

According to a survey of the private education institution, Education First

reported on by vietnamnews.com, Vietnam is one of the fastest progressing nations on

English-language proficiency In 2013 Vietnam ranked 28th out of 60 non-native English speaking countries in English-language proficiency As anyone who has ever attempted to learn a foreign language is well aware, language learning can be difficult

In order to succeed in learning English, learners have to focus on developing comprehensive skills including speaking, writing, reading, and listening Anyone who has ever studied English might agree that reading comprehension can be just as difficult as other skills

Reading comprehension is a foundation skill Through reading comprehension, not only do learners improve their language skills, but they also gain valuable background knowledge and often find the opportunity for enriching life experiences However, according to Tran T.T.T and Richard B Baldauf Jr., lack of motivation can

be a serious deterrent to learning A recent study published in the Journal of Asia TEFL found that:

“In countries like China, Japan and Vietnam (where English is a compulsory subject) students either mentally withdraw or look for strategies to pass the required exams with a minimum of effort” (2007) There is even less excitement around reading skills than around listening and speaking Reading simply is not as flashy as other skills, and does not attract learners‟ attention

With respect to third-year students at Trieu Thai High School (TTHS) current feelings around English learning, and especially reading skills, reflect a large amount

of stress placed on students, teachers, parents, and other interested members of the community Many questions about learning reading skills at school have been answered and according to several students in an informal interview atTTHS (Luu T

T V, personal communication, February 16, 2015), and according to them, almost students think that reading in English is difficult Their scores in reading are low and there is a little knowledge about effective methods to improve reading skills Because

of these issues, students are not interested in learning English The time they spend reading is very limited Consequently, the situation grows more and serious when students receive lower marks and become even less motivated, which creates a vicious circle of poor readers:

Figure 1: The vicious circle of weak readers Source: Nuttall (2000, p.127)

Many educators and language researchers have been seeking to find methods to improve the reading comprehension of students Two approaches have been used in developing reading skills, known as intensive and extensive reading Intensive reading

is a traditional method that teachers use in their classes to improve students‟ reading comprehension However, there are a number of researchers who emphasize the significant role of extensive reading over intensive reading in enhancing learners‟

comprehension (Day and Bamford, 2008; Krashen, 1982; Erfanford, 2013)

First, in extensive reading, learners become the nuclear element during the learning process “Extensive reading, therefore, develops learners‟ autonomy” (You need to cite your source here Also, if a quotation is less than 40 words long, you

reads slowly

doesn‟t enjoy reading

doesn‟t read much doesn‟t understand

should not italicize it, but just leave it in regular text in quotation marks) It also

increases a learner‟s responsibility in his or her own learning process, under the teachers‟ guidance, which promotes self-awareness and reading motivation:

Figure 2: The circle of good readers Source: Nuttall (2000, p.127)

Second, extensive reading has been proven to increase students‟ ability in English reading tests Students got higher marks after reading extensively (Wu J., 2012; Day & Bamford, 1998) Many educators have studied ER and proved it to be effective In order to contribute to this existing body of knowledge, and to examine its relevance on a local level in secondary education, the researcher will conduct the study

“The Effectiveness of Extensive Reading on Reading Comprehension and Reading Motivation of 10 th Grade Students at Trieu Thai High School” to examine the benefits

of reading extensively on students‟ reading comprehension and motivation

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The rationale presented in the Introduction chapter shows that extensive reading, has a lot to offer EFL learners It can be considered the essential skill most relevant to learners‟ reading comprehension ability and motivation to read Especially for students at the Grade 10 level, extensive reading could help to both relieve learning pressure on students and help them to become more successful in English classes

According to prior studies, extensive reading benefits learners These benefits include improving English language learners‟ reading speed, reading comprehension (Erfanpour, 2013), motivation and performance (Wu, 2012), vocabulary, and even writing The Literature Review in Chapter Two explores the previous studies in depth,

to broaden this study‟s problem-solving base

reads faster

enjoys reading reads more

understands better

This study focuses on several benefits that people gain through applying extensive reading This study also discusses the effects of motivation on reading and reading comprehension

1.3 Methodology of the Study

This study‟s main experimental methods were a motivation questionnaire, graded readers, and an English reading comprehension test to collect measurements These experimental methods have been used by many researchers, such as Moore and McCabe (1993), Gay (1992), Hung S S., (2011), and many others

First, a pre-motivation questionnaire and a pre-test for English reading comprehension were conducted After applying the extensive reading program, a post- motivation questionnaire and a post-test for English reading comprehension test were also conducted with the same objectives as before Then the results were collected, analyzed, and compared in order to come to a conclusion about the effectiveness of extensive reading Motivation questionnaires in this study were multiple-choice questions with the answers “strongly agree”, “agree”, “disagree”, and “strongly disagree” English reading tests were selected which are suitable for Tenth Grade students The difference between pre-test and post-test comprehension scores for each group was tested to determine whether vital gains were made in each group Graded readers were also used as a tool for independent reading activities in the experimental

group

1.4 Questions of the Study

Through using experimental method, the study main answers for these questions:

- Does extensive reading improve students‟ English reading comprehension?

- Does extensive reading improve students‟ motivation to read in English?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant for several reasons Firstly, extensive reading is an important approach to help students be successful in learning To understand clearly is the main goal for students in reading lessons The more students read, the more they develop their ability to understand language Consistent contact with the English language will help students to become familiar with it and understand it

Secondly, improvement in reading can be caused by both students‟ ability and their reading motivation Motivation in learning is very important Reading motivation will boost student reading skills, maintain the reading process, and promote reading activity

Thirdly, the findings of this thesis will be useful for promoting other studies in the future There are many people who are keen on teaching or learning a foreign language who will need to conduct their own research on extensive reading

In conclusion, after understanding the impact of extensive reading on reading motivation and English reading comprehension, teachers and students can apply extensive reading as a method in teaching and learning processes to achieve improvement

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study‟s scope is limited to students at Trieu Thai High School There are sixty tenth grade students taking part in this study It consists of 2 classes at TTHS (Class 10A1 and Class 10A2) The 10A1 and 10A2 classes have the same curriculum and have been taught by the same English teacher All of the students in these two classes have been learning the same English curriculum for nearly five years, since they were in the sixth grade

1.7 Research Objectives

This study aims to identify the effects of using extensive reading as an activity outside the classroom This activity is especially aimed at changing reading comprehension and reading motivation

1.8 Research Tasks

This research will focus on the main tasks listed below:

- Giving some persuasive reasons for choosing extensive reading as the tool for improvement

- Giving an overview of reading comprehension; the definition of extensive reading (in contrast with intensive reading) and to create an understanding of reading motivation

- Testing the effects of extensive reading on reading comprehension and reading motivation

- Discussing and analyzing effects of extensive reading as identified through the above mentioned experimental methods

1.9 Organization of the Study

This study discusses the relationship between extensive reading, reading motivation, and reading comprehension By applying the above mentioned methodology and an analysis of the data from the motivation questionnaires and comprehension tests, this thesis will reveal some ways to appreciate the effects of extensive reading on reading comprehension and reading motivation

This thesis consists of five chapters The first part is the introduction, which explains the rationale for choosing the topic and methodology, as well as the tasks and objectives In Chapter Two: Development, there is an overview of extensive reading, reading comprehension, and reading motivation The beginning of the chapter discusses some related international and domestic studies on the benefits of extensive reading In the third chapter, Methodology, the experimental methods are explained, namely that a questionnaire, graded readers, and a comprehension test will be used as instruments to gather the data In the chapter on Findings and Discussion, the data is illustrated and analyzed Finally, some recommendations, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future study will be contained in the final chapter Please see the graphic below for a visual overview of the project organization

Figure 3.Organization of the study

Rationale Reference

of Studies

Abroad and

Domestic

Design Motivation Questionnaire

Find suitable English Reading test

Analysis on Effectiveness of Extensive Reading on Reading

Motivation

Discussion of results

Findings and Limitations

Suggestions for future studies

1, Analysis Data in Groups

2, Analysis Data between

Groups

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

People around the world understand about the significance of the English language As Andrew Simpson states:

English […] has dominated recent educational developments Knowledge of English has come to be seen as a key to a promising career in both commerce and technology to such

an extent that a majority of Vietnamese students at the very top levels aim at finding some modality for study abroad in an English-speaking institution, and are increasingly successful

in it” (1982) Emphatically, learners can absorb information and knowledge from

different materials through extensive reading As Stephen D Krashen states in The Power of Reading, improving language ability outside classes is possible: “When

second language acquirers read for pleasure, they can continue to improve in their second language without classes, without teachers, without study, and even without people to converse with” (2004)

Moreover, reading enhances language development: “reading for meaning, reading about things that matter to us, is the cause of literate language development” (Krashen, 2004) Extensive reading can improve English language learners‟ reading speed, reading comprehension, motivation and performance vocabulary, and even writing (Erfanpour, 2013; Wu, 2012)

Byun (2010) conducted a study on extensive reading and found that in order to reap these benefits, English teachers must acknowledge that extensive reading “should

be noted first” as the method for improving reading comprehension Byun‟s literature review found that reading was essential to gaining a strong vocabulary Using extensive reading to acquire words naturally is the ideal method for the development

of a learner‟s vocabulary and leads to much greater reading fluency In this study,

Byun used experimental and theoretical studies to demonstrate the benefits of extensive reading on language acquisition and its effects on language learners Fourteen teachers participated in that study over the course of two weeks to immerse themselves in a print-rich environment replete with interesting journals and books in English All the perceptions of the applicability issue of the extensive reading approach were explored

In an English language learning context, extensive reading is highly appreciated for both learning and teaching For example, Day and Bamford (2008) have published

a book called Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom, which gives

practical ideas for organizing extensive reading instruction in language classes Day and Bamford also suggest extensive reading should be an integral part of reading instruction in the second language classroom for not only does it help students to read but also it leads them to enjoy reading In regards to materials used in extensive

reading, in another of their books called Extensive Reading Activities for Teaching Language (2003), Day and Bamford explain the extensive reading approach

encourages learners not just to read, but to read a lot of material in the new language Learners take responsibility by choosing their own texts and reading independently of their teachers Teachers can of course help students in setting up their self-selected reading, and it is also their duty to tie it in with the rest of language curriculum

Scholar Pham Minh Hien‟s study on Đọc rộng với việc tạo động lực và phát triển kỹ năng đọc hiểu cho sinh viên năm thứ ba- khoa Anh [Extensive Reading in Creating Motivation and Developing Reading Comprehension Skills for Third-Year English Major Students]1 reveals the importance of extensive reading According to

the study, extensive reading can increase students‟ language and communication abilities including speaking, writing, listening, vocabulary, and grammar This method creates motivation in those learning English by empowering students to choose the topics of their own reading This creates a better opportunity for students to read about

a topic that interests them on a personal level, which is especially important when they are reading texts that are slightly above their current language ability The more

1 This translation was completed by the author, as are any following translations

interested a student is in the subject matter of a text, the more likely they are to work through any difficulties they encounter with vocabulary or grammar This leads to students feeling real excitement about learning English Students come to realize that they can improve on their own, without their teacher‟s help, and that they can use their new language skills to access information that is personally relevant With these goals

in mind, the author also focuses on materials that help students choose to implement extensive reading in and out of class Not only does this make for faster improvement

in class, it also encourages students to begin viewing their language skills as something more than just an academic subject, helping them to see English as a part of their lives in a broader sense This in turn promotes higher motivation in the classroom because students grasp the real-world application of the things they learn in class

Timothy Bell is another well-respected language researcher who emphasizes the importance of extensive reading He conducted a reading program at an elementary

level class available on The Internet TESL Journal (1999) In this program, Bell

agreed extensive reading can have many benefits, such as its ability to “provide

„comprehensible input‟; citing Krashen‟s ideas in The Power of Reading (2004)

Extensive reading contributes to developing learners‟ reading comprehension ability, helping to build confidence with extended texts As learners are able to complete longer texts in their extensive reading, they become more confident in their abilities when faced with shorter texts on reading exams Bell‟s article explores the practical side of running extensive reading programs in schools In Bell‟s program, learners ages 17 to 42 were exposed to graded readers They were encouraged to read and practice reading aloud to the class Although his program had some limitations in

“time, energy and resources on the part of those charged with managing the materials” (1999), it provided an effective foundation for promoting reading improvement and development from elementary levels upwards

Although there have been numerable of studies on reading and extensive reading, only a few studies of EFL extensive reading have been conducted Almost all studies give methodological theories rather than providing practical instructions in a specific objective

For learners wishing to quickly advance their skills in almost any area of language study extensive reading is indispensable The discussion in the above

paragraphs, taken as a whole, reveals that the current situation of English learning for grade tenth students at TTHS is a context where teaching and learning English is of paramount importance Therefore this study seeks fill the existing learning gap by applying this methodology to a new environment

2.1 Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is an important skill, and there are many definitions for

reading comprehension This researcher has elected to use Webster’s College Dictionary (2008) to define the word “comprehension,” as this source is almost

universally accepted as the expert on English word definitions According to this source, “comprehension” is understood to be “the capacity of the mind to perceive and understand”; and when specifically applied to reading it is “the power to grasp ideas” from written text It means an interaction takes place between a reader and a text The reader will make use of all of his or her abilities to understand the text

Extensive reading is one of the best ways to help students strengthen many academic areas, including cultural knowledge, life experience, and the ability to connect what is learned in the classroom with life outside the classroom Learning how

to read individual words is certainly important, but just as important is learning to make sense of what we read “Reading to understand [is] known as reading comprehension” (Joseph, 2000 as cited on Yuthana, 2011) Reading comprehension is the final result of a meaningful interaction between the reader and the text, with the main purpose of understanding what was read

2.2 Extensive Reading

2.2.1 Definition of Extensive Reading

Extensive reading is a somewhat new approach for developing reading skills In Bamford and Day‟s (2008) opinion, extensive reading means “to read widely and in quality.” Reading can be an experience of more than one sense, including touch (hands

on paper), sight (seeing the words in the text), and also an experience of the emotions and ideas that come from thinking about the text As Day & Bamford state:

Extensive reading is generally associated with reading large amounts with the

aim of getting an overall understanding of the material Readers are more

concerned with the meaning of the text than the meaning of individual words

or sentences (2008)

Aside from the knowledge increase associated with other types of reading, extensive reading also creates pleasure for readers, something that is not always a goal with other types of reading In extensive reading, readers not only read information but they begin to enjoy it and the main purposes of reading extensively are general achievement and overall comprehension of the reading material

Extensive reading is reading as much as possible, for readers‟ pleasure, at a difficulty level at which learners can read smoothly and quickly without frequently needing to look up words in the dictionary In other words, instead of spending a half hour decoding a tiny part of one book (also known as intensive reading), learners read many simpler books or materials that are at or slightly below the level at which they read fluently This lets readers reinforce the words they already know and helps they learn new words from context

2.2.2 Principles of Extensive Reading

Bamford and Day are some of the foremost authorities on the principles of extensive reading Their explanations of the principles of extensive reading (1998) are discussed at length in the paragraphs that follow

Firstly, the reading material is easy For an extensive reading class to succeed, students must read books and other material that are well within their reading competence More than one or two unknown words per page might make the texts too difficult for overall understanding Learners should start with books and material that have been especially written for beginning and intermediate levels of reading ability

Secondly, a variety of reading material on a wide range of topics must be available In extensive reading, students should read as much as possible Nuttal (1989) said: “We want our students to be able to read better, fast and with full understanding

To do this they need to read more” (p.168) So it is critical to have a large number of

books on a wide variety of topics to appeal to all students The reading material should consist of both fiction and non-fiction books, magazines and newspapers With the large amount of reading material, students are given the opportunity to read a lot These kinds

of materials should be informative and entertaining

Thirdly, learners should be free to choose what they want to read This principle was highlighted by Day and Bamford (1998): “it is also important that learners feel free, or are even encouraged the stop reading a text if they find it is too difficult or of

low interest to them.” Allowing students to select what they want to read is the key to extensive reading They are more likely to read material in which they are interested,

so it makes sense for them to choose what to read

Fourthly, the purpose of reading is usually related to pleasure, information, and

general understanding This is the purpose which distinguishes between intensive

reading and extensive reading In spite of requiring detailed understanding and answering some target questions, extensive reading encourages learners read for pleasure and information Extensive reading seeks to be a kind of entertainment

Fifthly, reading speed is usually faster rather than slower Due to the lower level of materials, what students read is typically easy for them to understand Day and Bamford do not recommend that teachers encourage using dictionaries, so that there are no interruptions during reading “Excessive use of dictionaries puts too much stress

on students and hinders them form learning English” (Day & Bamford, 1998) The goals of reading materials for understanding and enjoyment are aimed at ultimately increasing reading speed and fluency

Finally, reading should be individual and silent Extensive reading is an independent activity that students implement while reading at their own pace Students can be given class time to silently read their self-selected books Alternatively, students can read whenever they want when they are free outside of the classroom This activity allows students to discover that reading is a personal interaction with the text, and helps foster a sense of responsibility for their own learning

The last two principles are primarily listed to help teachers understand how to implement extensive reading This will help them to plan their lessons and homework assignments accordingly Teachers should explain the benefits of extensive reading to their students before beginning an extensive reading assignment Additionally, the teacher should become a model for the students, sharing their own experiences in extensive reading to develop competency in a foreign language

2.2.3 Extensive Reading versus Intensive Reading

2.2.3.1 Intensive Reading

Intensive reading is a traditional teaching method that has been applied for a long time “Intensive Reading occurs when the learner is focused on the language rather than the text” (Day & Bamford; 2008) Most frequently, all the students

participating in an intensive reading session will read the same short text selected by

the teacher Bamford also explained that intensive reading refers to “careful reading (or translation) of shorter, more difficult foreign language texts with the goal of complete and detailed understanding is also associated with the teaching of reading in terms of its component skills” (2008) Teachers using this kind of reading to ensure that their students understand the information presented in lessons and can correctly answer questions related to the text

In intensive reading, readers can focus on the certain aspects of language However, readers often have to face many unknown words in intensive reading texts, meaning that the learners will be required to use a dictionary Intensive reading has its advantages, most notably including vocabulary improvement and ease of testing understanding Its main disadvantage is that it can discourage readers who do not find the topic interesting or who find the interruption of looking up unfamiliar words to distract from understanding the meaning of the text

2.2.3.2 Extensive Reading versus Intensive Reading

Extensive reading and intensive reading are two approaches which have their own distinct features In this part, the differences between Extensive reading and intensive reading in terms of their purposes, materials levels, reading motivation, and the evaluation of students‟ comprehension are explored It is important for this paper

to make these distinctions because intensive reading is the traditional method used in many places, including TTHS, while extensive reading is the method which the researcher uses in the experiment

Intensive reading is a method used in classroom which aims at developing language study The material levels are aimed to be higher than that of the students‟ current ability, with a large number of unknown vocabulary items and grammar forms that may be difficult for learners During intensive reading, students are supposed to use many reading skills such as skimming, scanning, and guessing meaning from context Additionally, they need to learn new words and apply these words immediately In this method, students also need to understand the text and answer some specific questions to demonstrate to the teacher that they have read the text and understand it Brown (2007) commented that intensive reading is a “classroom-oriented” activity, where students focus on the linguistic or semantic details of a

passage Intensive reading calls students' attention to grammatical forms, discourse markers, and other surface structure details for the purpose of understanding literal meaning Reading difficult, high-level materials and learning for the purpose of study can lead students to feel stressed In intensive reading, they have to learn under pressure As a result, students do not enjoy their lessons or have the desire to read (Brown, 2007)

In contrast, the levels of extensive reading materials are typically the same or a bit lower than the students‟ abilities The main purposes of extensive reading are general understanding and enjoyment, so the materials do not use many difficult words

or grammar structures These specially selected extensive reading materials are usually called “graded readers,” and are made available to the students to use outside of the classroom Because students are encouraged to select materials based on their interests, there are a lot of materials available There are no formal tests after reading, teachers just check students‟ overall understanding by asking some questions about the total ideas of the materials, or alternatively, students can write reports or summaries on the stories they read This type of reading for pleasure can boost students‟ confidence and motivation to read

In summary, intensive reading often refers to the more difficult foreign language texts which have the goal of complete and detailed understanding of the language, but not necessarily the content Extensive reading, in contrast, is generally associated with reading larger amounts of text with the aim of getting an overall understanding of the materials‟ meanings in an enjoyable way Readers are more concerned with the meaning of the text than the meaning of individual words or sentences, which encourages them to read more

2.2.4 Benefits of Extensive Reading

Through reading extensively, learners gain greater vocabulary knowledge because they learn to use context to understand the meaning of a word, instead of always being required to look it up in the dictionary Furthermore, researchers agree that extensive reading can improve reading speed, learners‟ general language competence, and general world knowledge (Bell, 2001; Day & Bamford, 1989; Day & Bamford, 2000; Hung S S, 2011) As Nuttall states: “We learn to read by reading” (p.168)

2.2.4.1 Extensive Reading in Developing Vocabulary Knowledge

Extensive reading can help to develop vocabulary knowledge Materials that students use in extensive reading might not provide many new words However, they can help students familiarize themselves with ways of using words and structures Seeing a word many times and in many contexts can create a strong impression in students‟ minds and help them understand more about that word‟s functions and usages In extensive reading, as Jiaying (2012) states: “learners are exposed to a large amount of interesting reading materials; they will be able read more and, as a consequence, will develop their reading proficiency and increase their vocabulary knowledge.”

2.2.4.2 Extensive Reading in Developing Speed

Concerning reading speed, Wu (2012) states:

Another line of research has been centered on extensive reading and the development

of learners‟ reading speed It has been widely recognized that reading speed is an important factor in raising the level of one‟s reading comprehension and is related to fluency or flow in reading (2012)

Jiaying Wu is not alone in this; other researchers including Bell, Erfanpour, Day and Bamford, agree that improved reading speed is a clear benefit of extensive reading Each of these studies has confirmed that participants who had read extensively acquired greater reading speed than those in the intensive reading group

2.2.4.3 Extensive Reading in Fostering Reading Motivation

Most researchers agree that reading motivation can be broadly defined as the motivational drive to read (Mohamad, 2003; Wu, 2002; Tran, 2008) When students are motivated to read, the processes of teaching and fostering learning not only become much easier, but the learning process becomes easier for the students Robert (as cited in Day and Bamford, 1998) states that studies of motivation in learning have

traditionally been concerned with “the arousal, direction, and persistence of behavior.”

Motivation can make people do, or not do something This is critical for foreign language learning, as these types of skills are often needed in situations outside of the classroom, where learners are required to motivate themselves

2.2.4.4 Extensive Reading in Developing General World Knowledge

Students use a large number of materials in extensive reading, the genres of which are widely varied Therefore, students have the chance to access much information about world, across many fields such as literature, geography, economics, athletics, history, the, music, and many others This broadens students‟ minds, and also quite often helps them gain valuable cultural knowledge about the people who use the target language

2.3 Reading Motivation

The definition of reading motivation is complex Some researchers believe that reading motivation can be defined as the motivational drive to read, or an interest in the field of reading Studying and implementing lessons under conditions which students are motivated to read is important in the process of teaching and fostering learning

As previously stated, Robert (as cited in Day and Bamford, 1998) states that studies of motivation in learning have traditionally been concerned with “the arousal, direction and persistence of behavior.” He goes on to say that: “It involves the attitudes and effective states that influence the degree of effort that learners make to

learn an L2.” There are many models of motivation; one group of cognitive models

points out that motivation consists of two equal components: expectations and value (Feather, 1982 as cited in Day and Bamford, 1998) According to the expectancy and

value model, learners expect to accomplish successfully and tend to avoid what they

cannot accomplish In contrast, learners tend to undertake tasks that they value, and tend to avoid those things that have little value for them, even though they reasonably expect that they could do them Thinking about the expectancy and value model in reading language, if students do not have a reasonable expectation that they will be able to read a foreign book with understanding, they will most likely not begin the undertaking They tend to think that the book is interesting but they cannot understand and they do not want to read it

According to Day and Bamford, the expectancy and value (1998, p.28) in the

context of second language reading is divided into four major variables: materials, reading ability, attitudes, and socio-cultural environment Materials are considered as motivating the desire to read a second language and they relate to the expectation of

success in reading the second language (L2) Attitudes and socio-cultural environment relate to the value attached to reading the L2 This concept is demonstrated by the figure below:

Figure 4: Model of the major variable motivating the decision to read in a second

language (Day and Bamford, 1998, p.28)

Day and Bamford suggested that applying the extensive reading approach in English language learning classes has the potential to influence all of the variables in the motivation model First, materials in reading extensively are varied and interesting for learners Second, “reading ability is not a problem for low-level reading ability learners” (1998) because they read at levels appropriate to their reading ability There

is a large amount of material; they can easily select material they can read by themselves Moreover, the free choice of reading material produces positive attitudes toward reading in the L2 Learners are not afraid of running out of time while reading and they can finish texts at their own speed Finally, extensive reading can provide a friendly environment in the classroom that values and encourages reading

Reading ability in the L2

Reading motivation is further divided into intrinsic motivation and extrinsic (Jiaying, 2012; Wigfield and Guthrie, 1997 (as cited in Day and Bamford, 1998))

2.3.1 Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is when the learner motivates himself or herself: “With

intrinsic motivation the learning experiences is its own reward” (Jiaying Wu, 2012, p.11) The motivation comes from inside students According to Richard and Edward

(2000):

Intrinsic motivation is defined as the doing of an activity for its inherent

satisfactions rather than for some separable consequence When intrinsically

motivated a person is moved to act for the fun or challenge entailed rather than

because of external prods, pressures, or rewards The phenomenon of intrinsic

motivation was first acknowledged within experimental studies of animal

behavior, where it was discovered that many organisms engage in exploratory,

playful, and curiosity-driven behaviors even in the absence of reinforcement or

reward

2.3.2 Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation is when students are motivated by external factors, as opposed to the internal drivers of intrinsic motivation Extrinsic motivation drives them to do things for tangible rewards or pressures, rather than simply for the fun of it

Extrinsic motivation refers to efforts directed toward obtaining external

recognition, rewards, or incentives Extrinsic motivation reflects the fact that

children do much of their reading when their reading performance is evaluated

and compared to others' performance (Richard and Edward; 2000)

2.3.3 The Differences between Intrinsic Motivation versus Extrinsic Motivation

Both Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation consist of different sub- components (Jiaying Wu, 2012):

Intrinsic Motivation consists of:

 Reading curiosity

 Reading involvement

 Understanding of the importance of reading

Reading curiously is the individual‟s desire to learn about a particular a topic of interest Students want to read kinds of materials that they feel interested Reading involvement is the enjoyment of experiencing different kinds of literacy or

informal texts Understanding of the importance of reading is the individual‟s valuing

of different tasks or activities

Extrinsic Motivation consists of:

 Competition in reading

 Reading recognition

 Reading for grades

Reading competition is the desire to make reading ability better Reading recognition is the satisfaction in reading Reading for grade is the desire to be favorably evaluated by the teacher

Many researchers have found that extrinsic motivation can be more beneficial than intrinsic motivation With extrinsic motivation, learners have positive responses Intrinsic motivation less favorably influences learning, especially for long-term retention

2.4 Previous Studies on the Effects of Extensive Reading

Bell (2001) explored the effects of extensive reading after implementing an extensive reading program in Sana‟a, Yemen The research population was composed

of EFL students at the elementary level Bell subjected one group of students to an extensive reading program of graded readers and another group of the same level to a traditionally used intensive reading program in which students‟ tasks aimed at learning vocabulary, grammar, and rhetoric patterns After the extensive reading program was finished, students who had used graded readers were found to be more proficient than those who had done intensive reading tasks Students the experimental group had greater comprehension and reading speed

Mason and Krashen (1997) also conducted research on English language learning students at a Japanese university Researchers divided their students into two groups, with the comparison group being taught using the traditional intensive reading method The experimental group read materials in a collection of 50 books during the second semester, both in class and as homework They were required to write a summary for each book, and give some opinions about the books they read The results revealed that the experimental group ended up having higher test scores than the comparison group They made a clear improvement in English reading ability

Mohammad (2013), like Bell, Mason and Krashen, investigated the effect of extensive reading strategies on EFL learners‟ reading comprehension To achieve his goal, he selected 70 students from two different schools in Shiraz, India These students were divided into group which completed extensive reading projects and a group which completed intensive reading projects Teachers helped students in the extensive reading group to become familiar with various books other than their textbooks for ten weeks The intensive reading group continued to use the traditional intensive reading assignments in their textbooks This study found that after ten weeks, students in the extensive reading group were much more eager to explore reading materials on their own, and showed themselves to be more motivated in classroom observations When surveyed, the extensive reading group participants held more positive views about their reading development in terms of skills, reading comprehension, motivation, and fluency

Researchers in Thailand are also concerned with extensive reading Yuthana (2011) at Srinakharinwirot University conducted a study on 21 participants in the ninth grade The study used a lot of instruments: reading tests, respondents‟ background questionnaires, reading motivation questionnaires, extensive evaluations, observations, and recordings The researcher thoroughly investigated the influences of an extensive reading program on students‟ reading abilities, especially reading comprehension vocabulary acquisition, and reading motivation

 Study domestic

The studies mentioned above are all helpful in terms of the results of their research However, the settings are quite different from Vietnam in terms of access to resources and characteristics of learners‟ native languages As such, this researcher has further explored researchers working in Vietnam Tran (2008) implemented a quasi-experimental study at Ha Tinh Specialized School in order to measure the effects of extensive reading on Grade 10 students‟ English vocabulary Sixty students belonging

to two classes were divided into an experimental group (exposed to extensive reading) and a control group (exposed to intensive reading) Students completed a pre-test before the trial period of 16 weeks in the first semester of the 2007-2008 academic years After the trial period, students completed a post-test The results of the research reflected that the experimental group‟s post-test scores were significantly higher than

their pre-test scores, and that their improvement was greater than that of the control group Students in the experimental group acknowledged that they felt capable of acquiring a lot of English vocabulary through extensive reading and the program provided an effective way to develop their lexical knowledge both in class and outside

of school hours

To conclude, in all of the previous studies reviewed, both domestic and international, the results showed that extensive reading can positively affect students‟ reading ability and reading motivation Therefore, the present study was conducted to examine whether reading extensively can be beneficial to Vietnamese students in order

to improve their reading comprehension ability and enhance their reading motivation

Summary of the chapter

This chapter presented some studies which related to extensive reading as the background understanding of the present study There were three main parts in the Chapter two: the first section was reading comprehension, the second was extensive reading and the third section was reading motivation In each section, the researcher gave definitions and pointed out some related information The differences between extensive reading and intensive reading also were clearly made Besides, some benefits of extensive reading were said in brief

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the study aimed to answer the research questions related to the extensive reading outlined in the first part of the study The first research question sought to find out whether reading extensively can improve students‟ ability to read English The second research question asked whether reading extensively can increase students‟ reading motivation This chapter will go on to describe the research methodology including research design, research instruments used to collect data, and research procedures

3.1 Participants

Sixty EFL first-year learners (age range: 15-16 years old) took part in this study These students come from two classes (10A1 and 10A2) of Trieu Thai High School which is located in Lap Thach District, Vinh Phuc Province As previously mentioned, they are grade ten students at the local public high school According to teacher Michelle Jones, they are all at the same English level (2015), their curricula are identical, and they use the same edition of the teaching book “English 10” (Tiếng Anh

10) which was designed for general instruction with tenth grade students They are

learning English as part of their requirements for high school graduation Michelle Jones, a member of the Vinschool School Board confirms that after finishing grades nine and ten, students achieve Cambridge International Certification at the KET level (equivalent to IELTS 3.0) (Luu T T V, personal communication, February 16, 2015)

As the IELTS scale is the standard used at Hanoi Pedagogical University No 2, the researcher has included a scale conversion between international English certificates:

Figure 5: Scale conversion between international English certificates (2014)

For participation in the experiment, these students were divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group The 10A1 Class was the experimental group (EG) with 30 students The 30 remaining students in the 10A2 Class were the control group (CG) Both the experimental group and the control group were taught by the same English teacher and were using the same edition of the

teaching book “English 10” (Tiếng Anh 10) which was designed for tenth form students as a whole Their curricula are identical Therefore, these students can

reasonably be used as participants in this study The following table (Table 1) presents general background information about the participants such as gender, age, and English proficiency

Total number of participants

English proficiency Pre-A2 Pre-A2 Pre-A2

Table 1: Background information about the participants of the study

According to the table, both the control group (CG) and the experimental group (EG) have male and female students but the number of male students is higher than the number of female students Their ages range from 15 to 16 years old Their English proficiency is at the Pre-A2 level This information makes the students from Class 10A1 and Class 10A2 at TTHS suitable candidates for taking part in this experiment

3.2 Experimental Method

This research has been carefully designed around the experimental method explained by Moore and McCabe (1993) This method has been shown to yield the best results: “The best method — indeed the only fully compelling method — of establishing causation is to conduct a carefully designed experiment in which the effects of possible lurking variables are controlled To experiment means to actively change x and to observe the response in y” (p 202) By using a process to actively

change an object; it is possible to observe the response in another object Gay (1992) wrote that the experimental method was the only method of research that can truly test hypotheses concerning on the relationship of cause and effects Using this method, it was possible compare results in objective way

The experimental method was based on a methodology that meets three criteria: assignment, experimental control, and appropriate measures Therefore, subjects of this study were chosen to have the same learning conditions including: age, level, textbook, and course After that they were divided into two groups: the CG and the

EG There was no changes applied to the CG; they continued to use the course books that they used before, however, the EG took part in a teaching method where the teacher provided reading materials suitable for their level Each week, students in the

EG had chance to select from and read the provided materials They write their summaries and kept it as profolior for English reading the contents of the text they read These processes continued until the end of experiment after four weeks, when both the CG and the EG took a reading comprehension post-test The results of the CG were compared with those of the EG to find out if there were significant differences in the results

3.3 Instruments

Three instruments were used: graded readers provided to the EG, two motivation questionnaires given to all students (one before and one after the experiment) and two English reading comprehension tests given to all students (one before and one after the experiment) The results provided insight into individual participants‟ interaction with texts, recorded amounts of reading, and their reading comprehension ability after experiencing extensive reading if they were in the EG

3.3.1 Motivation Questionnaire

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Eighth Edition, a

questionnaire is “a written list of questions that are answered by a number of people so that information can be collected from the answers.” This a commonly used research method which was decided to be a fitting tool in this thesis for three reasons Firstly, as this thesis has no funding or budget option, a written survey offers an almost completely free way to collect students‟ ideas Secondly, these surveys will be anonymous, so there will be minimal impact on the participants‟ academic or social

lives A survey is a safe way to gather the necessary data without affecting the participants Thirdly, this opinion means that many opinions can be collected simultaneously in a very short time Surveys efficiently collect many points of view Therefore, survey questionnaires were the most suitable option to get this data

In this study, a pre-motivation questionnaire and a post-motivation questionnaire were designed according to the motivation questionnaires of Su-Su Hung (2011) and Wu (2012) and conducted Both pre and post-motivation questionnaire were contained questions getting students‟ opinions about reading skills and reading extensively

The pre-motivation questionnaire consisted of thirteen items with three parts

(Appendix 2) Part A was entitled: Attitudes toward English and reading English This

part had four questions As suggested by its title, this part asked for students‟ opinions about learning English Question 3 focused on the amount of time students spend on

reading every week In part B: Students’ desires to learn English, Questions 5, 6, and 7

focused on students‟ wishes when learning English and specifically reading skills In

part C: Students’ attitudes about extensive reading, students answered questions about

extensive reading There were five questions in this part The focus was on students‟ reading habits outside the classroom Questions number 11 and 12 also asked about the kinds of materials that students chose to read during their free time

After the four weeks of the experiment, the two groups were again asked to answer questions about their opinions on reading in the post-motivation questionnaire The post-motivation questionnaire had the same thirteen questions as the pre-motivation questionnaire In order to get more details about the development of the

EG, the researcher delivered a second post-motivation questionnaire to the EG (Appendix 3) This last questionnaire contained ten more questions which mainly related to extensive reading These ten questions were given only to the EG because they took part in the extensive reading activities and they had ability answers questions related to extensive reading Question 1 and 6 asked whether students like extensive reading or not Questions 2, 3, 4 and 5 discussed the effects of extensive reading The last four questions focused students‟ difficulties when reading extensively

3.3.2 Graded readers

A commonly held opinion is that current skills are the only key to furthering learning However, as explained in the rationale for this thesis, learner motivation is also extremely important for a number of reasons When learners feel motivated, they come to enjoy language learning A graded reader (GR) can be a helpful tool in encouraging learner motivation

A graded reader (GR) is a method that helps learners find reading opportunities that are enjoyable, relaxing, and accessible According to Su-Su Hung (2011), GRs are books that have had the language level simplified to help language learners read them The language is graded for vocabulary, complexity of grammar structures, and also by the number of words They are made to cater for all levels from beginners through to advanced students GRs are used for independent reading, as opposed to group reading The main features of GRs are simplified sentence structure and the use of key words which are chosen by the publisher as the words that are most commonly used by native speakers Readers can use children‟s books for native speakers, and low-level vocabulary magazines and comics However, in order to maintain the overall pleasure, only authentic material that is comprehensible for learners are included in GRs

Many schools use GRs because they can be a great resource if learners feel the need to do something a bit different and change the class dynamics Because the texts are adapted to their language level, students often find them quick and easy to read Reading stories or novels in another language gives students a real sense of achievement and motivates them to continue reading more in the target language The more students read, the more proficient they will become in the language This proficiency leads to confidence, which of course increases motivation

In EFL/ ESL classrooms, a lot of the reading materials are based on individual sentences, paragraphs, and short passages from course books or exam practice papers Outside the classroom, GRs can be used as a method that is suitable for students in all levels from beginners to students who are almost fluent

In this experiment, the instructor introduced students in the EG to some reading materials that were short, simple, and easy passages or children‟s stories Most passages had familiar topics such as friendship, education, family, movies, music, and other things that TTHS students have expressed interest in (Luu T T V., personal

communication, February 16, 2015) As Day and Bamford (1998) stated that reading materials for extensive reading can be “newspapers, literature adapted for language learners, children‟s books, learners‟ own stories, children‟s magazines, popular and simple literature, young adult literature, comic books, or translations” (Day and Bamford, 1998, p.96-106), the students in the EG could be exposed to many types of materials In addition to passages distributed during lessons, learners were also encouraged to read graded readers from different genres: romance, adventures, science fiction, and action Thus, materials in extensive reading lessons were quite varied The researcher also informed students about some publishers which provide simplified

versions of famous stories in the form of graded reader series: Macmillan Readers, Oxford Bookworm Library, and several free internet sources of GRs

3.3.2.1 Reasons for Using Graded Readers

Much of the reading learners do in the classroom is intensive reading in which students focus on individual sentences and short paragraphs from course-books or exam practice papers Students have to concentrate on structure or developing a specific reading skill It is important in preparing for students take exams for many of the internationally recognized qualifications in English On the other hand, extensive reading focuses on content and meaning Reading a great variety of reference books can increase students‟ general knowledge and be enjoyable In addition, GRs for almost any level are extremely easy to find for free (both online and in libraries)

3.3.2.2 Reasons for Using Graded Readers

Graded Readers can be used in two ways, either individually or as a whole class When using them individually, learners borrow books from a class library or find materials on the internet and read them on their own Using this method, students

in the EG were free in choosing reading materials The instructor helped students choose GRs which were suitable for their level in English Individual reading allows students to become much more independent in their learning It allows them to read where, when, and as fast as they want The most important thing is that the GRs should suit all learners‟ ability levels

When using GRs as a whole class, all of the students read the same GRs during their regular reading lesson The class reader is also a useful tool in which students read and then discuss the reading materials In addition to their independent reading,