Review Journal article 11

A REVIEW JOURNAL ENTITLED MAKING EXTENSIVE READING 

EVEN MORE STUDENT CENTERED

By George M. Jacobs and Willy A. Renandya

The use of Extensive Reading (ER) in education may play an important role in enhancing the language skills. Bamford & Day (2004) stated, Good things happen to students who read a great deal in the foreign language.  Research studies show they become better and more confident readers, they write better, their listening and speaking abilities improve, and their vocabularies get richer. Moreover, the students tend to have a good motivation to study a new language by the use of ER.

Talking about ER, we also have to consider about Intensive Reading (IR). In IR, students read the materials that may be quite difficult for them to understand. Hence, the IR materials seem to be short and an entire class may read the same material at the same time, with the teacher’s instruction to help the students to understand the material. There are some strategies which are implemented in IR, for instance, guessing word meaning from context, summarizing, and connecting what is being read on someone’s experience. These strategies can be compile with the ER. As a result, IR and ER can complement one another. 

ER can become more students centered. The first example is student control. The students can choose the books they like to read, or they can also select the other materials that make up the pool of materials from which students make their reading selections. Briefly, students can decide which books they are going to read in the library, classroom, home, or other places. Besides, students can also select, read, or discuss some books together with their friends. They tend to be more enjoying when gaining some friends with the same interest in reading materials

Teacher is the prominent aspects that can make ER become successful. Teachers are often seen as playing a central role in motivating the students to read a lot. Furthermore, teachers as model must have a good reading habits and behavior, make interesting and relevant ER materials, and organize appealing post-reading activities.