2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
English extensive reading for false beginners
| Project/Area Number |
20720159
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Foreign language education
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| Research Institution | Nagasaki College of Foreign Languages |
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Principal Investigator |
KIHARA Naomi Nagasaki College of Foreign Languages, 外国語学部, 講師 (30413652)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2008 – 2009
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| Keywords | 英語教育一般 / リメディアル教育 / 英語多読 |
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| Research Abstract |
This study, in which 21 false beginners participated for one year in a regular program of extensive reading, showed that extensive reading has great potential as a remedial educational tool for false beginners, in terms of increasing motivation for class participation, promoting interest and confidence in English reading, and building a foreign language reading habit. It was also found that under certain conditions, false beginners are capable of correctly guessing the meanings of unknown words that they encounter during extensive reading, and this new knowledge was retained even after the extensive reading scheme was completed. False beginners, however, who have a lower understanding of English syntax and vocabulary, were constrained to read only the most basic levels of extensive reading books. This limitation prevented false beginners from reading large volumes of English words. As a result, false beginners were at a great disadvantage in reaching the levels of reading volume that have been suggested by previous studies as critical points where readers begin experiencing the benefits of extensive reading. The study argues that when extensive reading is introduced to false beginners, it is essential that supplementary supports to enhance the understanding of English syntax and vocabulary are provided simultaneously, in order for extensive reading to become sustainable and beneficial for these learners.
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Research Products
(6 results)
