Abstract
Drawing from the long-standing research tradition into extensive reading, Beglar & Hunt’s (2014) is an empirical study into the amount of reading and the nature of reading materials in EFL context which shed much light on EFL teaching and learning. As a response to the study, this paper discusses the theories and principles behind it, its enlightenment to the present author, and its implications of the application of extensive reading in college EFL classrooms in China.
References
Beglar D. & Hunt, A. (2014). Pleasure reading and reading rate gains. Reading in a Foreign Language, Vol. 26(1), 29-48
Krashen, S. (1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Implications. London: Longman
Elley, W.B. & Mangubhai, F. (1981). The Impact of a Book Flood in Fiji Primary Schools. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research
Nation, P. & Wang, K. (1999). Graded readers and vocabulary. Reading in a Foreign Language, 12 (2), 355-380
Waring, R. & Takaki, M. (2003). At what rate do learners learn and retain new vocabulary from reading a graded reader? Reading in a Foreign Language, 15 (2), 130-163
Renandya, W. A. (2007). The power of extensive reading. RELC Journal, 38(2), 133-149.
Day, R. R., & Bamford, J. (2000). Reading reluctant readers. University of Hawai'i Working Papers in English as a Second Language 18 (2).
Nation, P. (2009). Reading Faster. International Journal of English Studies, 9(2), 131-144, 168-169
Grabe, W. & Stoller, F. L. (2010) Teaching and researching reading. London and New York: Routledge.
Hudson, T. (2007). Teaching Second Language Reading. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Grabe, W. (2009). Reading in a Second Language: Moving from Theory to Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Nuttall, C. (1982). Teaching reading skills in a foreign language. London: Heinemann Educational.
Ellis, N. (1999). Cognitive approaches to SLA. In Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, Vol. 19 (pp. 22-42). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Cobb, T. (2008). Commentary: Response to McQuillan and Krashen (2008). About Language Learning & Technology, 6 (27), 109–114