Online extensive reading. Is it worth the trying? Learners' perspectives

1. Online
Extensive
Reading
Is it worth the trying?
Learners’
perspectives
DR. YULY ASENCIÓN-
DELANEY
DR. JUAN PINO-SILVA
AATSP - 2016

2. Objective : To share
the results of a study
on students’ thoughts
on an ER program at
NAU (L2=Spanish,
Format=Online); to
evaluate the program
following the 10 ER
principles.
Outline
Definition of extensive
reading and Program
description
Research Questions
Results: ER principles
as perceived by
students; challenges
Conclusions

3. Extensive Reading
Day & Bamford (1998)
1.The reading
material is easy.
2.A variety of
reading material
on a wide range
of topics must be
available.
3.Learners choose
what they want
to read.

4. Extensive Reading
Day & Bamford (1998)
4. Learners read as much as
possible.
5. The purpose of reading is
usually related to pleasure,
information and general
understanding.
6. Reading is its own reward.
7. Reading speed is usually
faster rather than slower.
8. Reading is individual and
silent.

5. Extensive Reading
Day & Bamford (1998)
9. Teachers orient and guide their students.
10. The teacher is a role model of a reader.

6. Courses: Lower
division classes
(SPA101, 102, 201)
Task: To read two
articles/short stories per
week and report what
they read to their teacher
or class.
Materials: Online
graded and non-
graded materials
Online Spanish Extensive Reading
Program (OSERP)

7. OSERP Evaluation – Research
Questions
1. How do lower-division students perceive
the OSERP program taking into account
the 10 Extensive Reading principles
proposed by Day and Bamford (1998)?
2. Are students in favor or against the
program?
3. From the students’ perspective, what are
their main challenges when doing
Extensive Reading?

8. OSERP: The Study
Participants: 320 students (101= 95; 102=160; 2-
1=65); 1-4 semesters of experience with ER; 65.5%
Female vs. 34.1% Male; 50% freshman. Spring
2016 .
Questionnaire:
I. Demographic information (5 questions)
II. Practices (3 multiple selection questions)
III. Perceptions (40 statements)– Likert Scale
IV. In favor or against (1 open question – Why?)

9. OSERP: Results – RQ1
1.The reading material is easy.
1.9
19.1
56.6
22.5
Completely disagree Disagree Agree Completelyagree
TheOSERPoffers students the chanceto
choose thelevel at which they want to
read.(M=3.00;SD= 0.70)
2. A variety of reading material
on a wide range of topics must
be available.
3.1
17.8
59.1
20
Completely disagree
Disagree
Agree
Completely agree
The OSERP makes it easy for students
to access the materials one has to
read (M= 2.96; SD= 0.71)
Mean @ 3 = Agree

10. OSERP: Results – RQ1
3.Learners choose what they want
to read.
5%
22%
56%
17%
The OSERP offers students the chance to
read for pleasure or about the topics they
are interested in. (M= 2.85 ; SD = 0.76)
Completely disagree
Disagree
Agree
Completely agree
4. Learners read as much as
possible.
6.6
25.4
53
15
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Completely
disagree
Disagree Agree Completely agree
I really like tohavetheop on ofreading as
many texts asI desireandat my own pace
duringthesemester. (M= 2.76; SD=0.78 )
Mean @ 3 = Agree

11. OSERP: Results – RQ1
5. The purpose of reading is usually
related to pleasure, information
and general understanding.
Completely disagree
Disagree
Agree
Completely agree
9.4
27
44.2
19.4
The OSERP helps me keep up-to-date with
current events happening in the Spanish-
speaking world (M= 2.74 ; SD= 0.88).
6. Reading is its own reward.
10%
30%
42%
18%
FinishingmySpanishextensivereading
assignmenton meisveryrewardingfor
me.(M= 2.67;SD=0.88)
Completelydisagree
Disagree
Agree
Completelyagree
Mean @ 3 = Agree

12. OSERP: Results – RQ1
7.Reading speed is usually faster
rather than slower.
9%
45%
34%
12%
Ilike toread easySpanish reading
materials becauseIcan readfaster(M=
2.48;SD=.82)
Completelydisagree
Disagree
Agree
Completelyagree
8. Reading is individual and
silent.
Completely
disagree
Disagree Agree Completely
agree
2.5
27.5
50
20
One disadvantage of the OSERP is that you are
reading alone and no one can help you with the
problem one has with a given sentence, word or
text (M= 2.88; SD= .75).
Mean @ 3 = Agree

13. OSERP: Results – RQ1
9.Teachers orient and guide their
students.
Completelydisagree
Disagree
Agree
Completely agree
12
35
42.6
10.4
Myinstructor’s feedback aboutmy
extensive readinghomeworkisgenerally
melyand helpful(M=2.89;SD= .73).
10. Teacher is a role model of a
reader.
SPA102-133: “My teacher
has really made it a fun and
interesting thing.”
SPA102-170: “I struggle with
finding articles, so if my
teacher could recommend
sites, that would be helpful.”
Mean @ 3 = Agree

14. OSERP: RQ 2
totally against
par ally against
against
in favor
par ally in favor
totally in favor
2
30.6
5.6
18.1
29.3
14.5
Are you in favor or against the OSERP?
(M= 3.86 ; SD= 1.52)

15. OSERP: RQ 3 Challenges
1.Finding an article that is both readable
and interesting.
2.Half of the words I have to look up.
Articles are too long and hard to read.
3.I often forget what I learn immediately.
4.It doesn’t connect well with the course
materials.
5.Due dates and frequency make it less fun.

16. Conclusions
RQ1: Students’ Perceptions:
Students mostly perceive the OSERP in a
positive manner. They believe ER:
* Offers easy material and access to different
kinds of reading material
* Is an opportunity for reading what they
want and to read as much as possible.

17. Conclusions
RQ1: Students’ Perceptions:
They believe ER:
* Although it is not a very rewarding task,
gives students the opportunity to keep up
with current events in the Hispanic world.
* May not necessarily make them read faster
and it may not be a good idea to do it on
your own.

18. Conclusions
RQ1: Students’ Perceptions:
They believe that in the OSERP program,
teachers:
* should provide timely and useful feedback,
* could make ER easy and fun if they model
how to do it.

19. Conclusions
RQ2: Against or in favor of OSERP
Most of students are in favor, partially in
favor or totally in favor of the OSERP (61.9%).
Therefore, it seems to be worth trying. Some
aspects of the program should be improved
though (teachers’ role, selection of
materials).

20. Conclusions
RQ 3: Challenges:
Students’ main concerns are related to the
selection of reading materials and connection
with class work.

21. • Bell, T. (1998). Extensive reading: Why and how?
The Internet TESL Journal, 4(12).
http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj/Articles/Bell-
Reading.html
• Day, R.R., & Bamford, J. (1998). Extensive reading
in the second language classroom. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
• http://extensivereading.net
• Pino-Silva, J. (2006) Extensive reading through
the internet: Is it worth the while? The Reading
Matrix, 6(1), 85-96.
References

22. Online Reading Resources
Graded Texts - Online
Practica Español (News)
Veinte mundos Magazine (Cultural articles)
Lecturas paso a paso - Instituto Cervantes (Stories)
Non-graded Texts – Online
CNN en español - BBC Mundo
Euronews - EFE – News
Cuentos Clásicos – Ciudad Seva (Stories)
International Children’s Digital Library
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