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Criteria For An Effective Extensive Reading Program For English Learners

Satisfactory Essays

Literature Review
Criteria for an Effective Extensive Reading Program for English Learners
Wesley Pulido
California State University, San Bernardino

Criteria for an Effective Extensive Reading Program for English Learners
Introduction
The term second-language acquisition (SLA) has multiple meanings. Generally, it describes learning a second language. It specifically names the theory of the manner in which second-language learners learn a second language. As Díaz-Rico (2013) has stated, second-language acquisition is “learning any language (whether third or twentieth) in school or in some other way after the first language” (p.6).
Second-language acquisition can be compared to second- language learning. The latter of the …show more content…

Alan Maley stated,
Given the limited hours of instruction in most programs, students will never be exposed to enough vocabulary, enough times, to acquire the necessary quantum in classrooms alone. Out of class learning is the only way, and one of the most convenient and proven ways of doing so is through massive independent reading, entailing repeated encounters with vocabulary in context. (Maley, 2012, p. 308).
Maley confirmed the important role of reading both inside and out of class in order to expose English Learners to as much vocabulary as possible through the use of literary texts.
What Is Extensive Reading?
Extensive Reading is a method to improve the reading ability of readers. When second-language learners read extensively, they independently use easy-readers to build their fluency rate. Moreover, readers learn to read by reading instead of through the direct instruction of the reading components such as comprehension, grammar and vocabulary. According to Carrell and Carson (1997), Extensive Reading has two characteristics.
First, learners read numerous amounts of varied reading material. Second, the reading focuses on the meaning of the text as opposed to the language. It is important to distinguish the difference between Intensive Reading and Extensive Reading to fully understand the Extensive Reading approach. Intensive Reading is an approach that requires examination of a short passage. The instruction is focused on breaking down the text

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