Extensive reading in primary school EFL

Abstract

Reading in the English subject both in primary and secondary school often involves studying course book texts in detail. Therefore, pupils are rarely exposed to longer texts which requires reading for meaning, and which is a skill needed in higher education and working life. With the right reading material, extensive reading (ER) should start already in primary school. This article reports on a study of primary school pupils’ perception of an extensive reading and writing project and their response to the reading material offered. The study investigates possible gender differences as well as differences in reading cultures between the schools. Two sets of questionnaire data were collected in the course of the project. First, during the reading, the learners were asked to answer a questionnaire about each book they had read or attempted to read. At the end of the project, the learners were asked to complete a questionnaire about their overall perception of the project. The study shows that there was a significant difference between the schools (p<0.001) in the evaluation of the reading material, and there was also a significant difference between boys and girls (p<0.001) in the perception of the reading material. When carrying out ER with pupils, it is essential to be aware of gender differences in reading preferences and ensure that there are enough books to cater for boys’ and girls’ particular interests. Moreover, fostering a reading culture in both the Norwegian and English subjects is important.

Extensive reading in primary school EFL