Extensive reading is becoming very popular in Japan. People are finding out it is a powerful and easy way to acquire a language. "Extensive reading involves students reading a lot of easy, interesting books that they select themselves." (Day, 2007) It's that simple, but the outcome is significant. Richard Day points out, "The goal often goes beyond learning to read; ER can improve students' overall language proficiency and their attitudes toward English and motivation for learning." (2007) Krashen proposes that it "works because it is a form of comprehensible input delivered in a low anxiety situation." (2003)
This must sound familiar if you are teaching young learners, because this is exactly what you are doing in your classrooms -- delivering "comprehensible input" to your students "in a low anxiety situation"! In fact, that is why I believe you have the key to creating good readers -- students who will read extensively by themselves, becoming independent, life-long readers and learners.
For that purpose, I recommend that you read extensively to your students. Have a collection of good picture books or readers in your classrooms and read them to your students as often as you can. Keep the books on bookshelves so that your students can also have access to them. This will give your students chances to encounter a "home run book." "Trelease (2001) has suggested that a single very positive reading experience, one 'home run book' can create a reader." (Krashen, 2004)
You might have a class "home run book." Because the book is attractive to the students, they will be absorbed in the story as you read it to them. The more they are absorbed, the more unconscious the language becomes. That is when acquisition takes place. Also, because they love the book, they will ask you to read it to them repeatedly. That is how natural output will be delivered by your students.
When you see your students having positive attitudes toward books, it is the beginning of having joyful readers in your class. It is already a great success! It is important for them to regard a book "as an object for ..... simply pleasure, joy and delight" (Simensen,1987) In junior and senior high school, students "tend to see reading in terms of 'schoolwork' (Bondy, 1990) or 'as a serious, difficult process, requiring hard work and disciplined effort.'(Elly, 1992)" (Day & Bamford, 1998) It is therefore extremely important that they have already experienced the joy of reading in their childhood, and hopefully have met a "home run book." If you have given them that chance, you will have empowered their learning.
References
Day, R. R. (2007). Putting Extensive Reading to Work, JALT Conference Featured Speaker Workshop.
Krashen, S. D. (2004). The Power of Reading, Portsmouth: Heinemann.
Krashen, S. D. (2003). Exploration in Language Acquisition and Use, Portsmouth: Heinemann.
Day, R. R,, & Bamford, J. (1998). Extensive Reading, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Halliwell, S. (1992). Teaching English in the Primary Classroom, Harlow: Longman.
Scott, W. A., & Ytreberg, L. H. (1990). Teaching English to Children, New York: Longman.
Ellis, R. (1997). Second Language Acquisition, Oxford: OUP.
Junko Yamanaka, co-author of Impact Issues, is on the Board of Directors of the Extensive Reading Foundation. She is an Academic Advisor / Teacher Trainer at Trident College of Languages, Nagoya. Currently she is also Chief of Trident Kids English Department. She has been plenary speaker at JALT PANSIG 2008, presenter at conferences and seminars, including the Pearson Longman Kids Tour 2009 and ER seminars for teachers and students.
