Extensive Reading of Korean University EFL Learners: Reading Ability and Lexical Profiles in L2 Writing

Abstract

Although reading is part and parcel for the development of L2 literacy skills, such as in reading and writing, the skill has been practiced more often for grammar instruction and literal translation in EFL contexts. Recognizing that there is less focus on the development of L2 skills through extensive reading (ER) in EFL university contexts, the purpose of the present study was to explore the outcome of an in-class ER approach in English university classrooms. The study mainly focuses on: a) whether ER influences reading ability in terms of reading proficiency and reading speed; b) whether ER impacts on lexical profiles in students’ writing; c) what variables are related to L2 learners’ general reading proficiency; and d) how the EFL university learners perceive an ER approach. The participants of this study were 249 Korean EFL university students enrolled in a two-credit reading class which was a requirement for graduation. The students were assigned to four different classes by their affiliated colleges and majors (i.e., Liberal arts, Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Engineering). During one academic semester, the students were mainly engaged in voluntary reading in class, while a teacher, who is the researcher of this study, played a role of a model class reader for the students rather than that of a lecturer. As the primary aim of the reading class was to provide the students with the environment where they were able to choose and read a large collection of graded readers on a regular basis, the entirety of class hours was comprised of students’ in-class sustained silent reading. In order to measure effects of ER, speed reading tasks, TOEIC exams, students’ book review writings as course assignment, and students’ individual interviews were administered during the period of the study. Through the analysis of the collected data, it was found that students’ reading ability in terms of reading speed and speed reading comprehension, TOEIC R/C scores improved after the ER session. In addition, the results of lexical profiles in students’ writings indicated that the students in ER classes used more academic words and off-list words indicating the reminder which are not found on the other lists while less use of the most frequent 1000 words of English (K1) at the end of the semester. When investigating the relationship between L2 reading proficiency and the different variables such as the measures of reading, lexical profiles in the writings, and subject variables, it turned out that all measures of reading ability in regards to reading speed and speed reading comprehension contributed to L2 reading proficiency. It, however, was revealed that the students from backgrounds in Arts, Music, or Physical Ed. were much weaker in L2 reading proficiency in comparison to students majoring in Liberal Arts, Natural Science, and Engineering. Finally, the students in the current study perceived use of an ER approach in English classes positively in that most students showed their satisfaction of the classroom environment in which it provides them with an opportunity to read a variety of English books regularly. In particular, those students who had first attended the ER course were favorable toward a new way of English learning which is based on student-oriented learning. Although some students complained about course management methods in the ER classes in terms of the course assessment and a lack of reading time, students’ suggestions and high expectations for future ER experiences indicated how they perceived ER positively. The findings of this study shed light on how to manage English reading classes in an EFL context where the source of input in English is lacking in that L2 learners can benefit greatly in various ways through an ER approach. This study can be also informative to instructors who are willing to conduct an ER approach in the EFL context by suggesting pedagogical implications of incorporating an ER program as a main part of classroom activity into university English classes. |책읽기는 제2언어의 읽고 쓰는 능력 개발을 위한 중요한 부분이지만, EFL (English as a Foreign Language) 상황에서 그러한 기술을 연습시키는 방법은 문법교육과 직역을 위주로 행해지고 있다. EFL 대학 상황에서 다독(extensive reading) 을 통한 제2언어 능력을 발달 시키는데 대한 관심이 부족함을 인식한 바, 본 연구의 목적은 대학교 영어 수업에서의 수업 내 다독 접근법 (an in-class extensive reading approach) 을 실행함으로써 얻어지는 결과에 대해 살펴보는 것이다. 본 연구에서 중점을 둔 부분들은, 학생들의 다독 습관이 독해와 속독의 측면으로 본 읽기 능력에 영향을 미치는지, 쓰기 어휘능력에는 영향을 미치는지, 독해능력과 관련이 있는 변인들은 무엇인지에 대하여 알아보고자 하였다. 뿐만 아니라, 학생들이 다독 접근법에 대해 어떻게 생각하는지에 관하여 중점을 두었다. 본 연구의 참여자들은 249명의 한국 대학생들로, 학교 졸업을 위한 필수 교양과정인 2학점으로 구성된 영어 읽기 수업에 등록된 학생들이었다. 학생들은 전공별 (문과대학, 예체능대학, 자연대학, 공과대학) 4개의 반으로 나뉘어 수업에 참여하였다. 학생들이 수업 내 자발적 독서활동을 진행하는 한 학기 동안, 본 연구의 연구자이자 수업을 맡았던 선생님 또한 학생들에게 강의를 제공하는 대신, 학생들과 똑같이 독서활동에 임하였다. 이 수업의 주된 목표는 강의실 내 비치된 수많은 양의 책들 (graded readers) 중, 학생들이 스스로 선택하고 규칙적으로 읽을 수 있게끔 하는 환경을 제공하는 것이었기 때문에, 수업 전체 시간은 학생들의 수업 내 지속적인 독서활동으로 할애되었다. 본 연구에서는 다독의 효과성을 알아보기 위해, 읽기 속도 시험, 토익시험, 수업 과제였던 학생들의 책 요약 보고서 분석, 그리고 개별 인터뷰가 연구 기간 동안 시행되었다. 시행된 모든 자료를 분석해본 결과, 다독 수업 이후 학생들의 글을 읽는 속도, 속도시험 관련 독해, 토익 점수로 본 읽기 능력이 향상됨을 살펴볼 수 있었고, 학기 말 학생들의 책 요약 보고서에서는, 학기 초에 비해 가장 자주 쓰이는 1000 개 어휘 (K1) 들이 덜 사용된 반면, 자주 쓰이지 않는 어휘들 (AWL, OLW) 은 더 많이 사용되었다는 결과가 보여졌다. 제2언어 읽기 능력과 관련이 있는 변인들에 대하여 조사해 보았을 때, 읽기 속도와 속도시험 관련 독해 결과들은 제2언어 읽기능력과 연관성이 있는 것으로 보여졌다. 하지만, 예체능 전공 학생들은 타 전공 (문과대학, 자연대학, 공과대학) 학생들과의 비교에서 제2언어 읽기능력이 현저하게 떨어지는 것으로 나타났다. 마지막으로, 본 연구의 학생들은 다양한 영어책을 규칙적으로 읽을 수 있는 기회의 장으로 수업환경의 만족스러움을 드러내며 영어수업에서의 다독 접근법에 대해 긍정적으로 받아들였다. 특히나, 다독 수업을 처음 경험 하였던 학생들은 학습자 중심의 학습을 기초로 한 새로운 영어 공부 방법에 큰 흥미를 느낀 것으로 나타났다. 비록, 학점평가 방식과 읽기 시간의 부족과 같은 수업 운영 방법에 대한 일부 학생들의 불만도 존재한 것으로 드러났지만, 더 나은 다독 수업을 위한 학생들의 제안과 더불어 미래의 다독 경험에 대한 높은 기대치는, 학생들이 얼마나 다독 접근법을 긍정적으로 받아들였는가를 보여주고 있다. 제2언어 학습자들이 다독 접근법을 통해 다양한 이점을 최대치로 누릴 수 있다는 점으로 보아, 본 연구의 결과는 영어 input 의 원천이 부족한 EFL 환경 속에서 영어 읽기 수업을 어떻게 운영해야 될 지에 대한 해결의 실마리를 제시해주고 있다. 또한, 대학 영어수업 내 주된 활동으로 다독프로그램의 실행 가능성에 대한 교육적 시사점을 제안함으로써, EFL 상황 속 다독 접근법을 시도해 보려는 교사들에게 유익한 정보를 제공할 것으로 기대된다.; and d) how the EFL university learners perceive an ER approach. The participants of this study were 249 Korean EFL university students enrolled in a two-credit reading class which was a requirement for graduation. The students were assigned to four different classes by their affiliated colleges and majors (i.e., Liberal arts, Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Engineering). During one academic semester, the students were mainly engaged in voluntary reading in class, while a teacher, who is the researcher of this study, played a role of a model class reader for the students rather than that of a lecturer. As the primary aim of the reading class was to provide the students with the environment where they were able to choose and read a large collection of graded readers on a regular basis, the entirety of class hours was comprised of students’ in-class sustained silent reading. In order to measure effects of ER, speed reading tasks, TOEIC exams, students’ book review writings as course assignment, and students’ individual interviews were administered during the period of the study. Through the analysis of the collected data, it was found that students’ reading ability in terms of reading speed and speed reading comprehension, TOEIC R/C scores improved after the ER session. In addition, the results of lexical profiles in students’ writings indicated that the students in ER classes used more academic words and off-list words indicating the reminder which are not found on the other lists while less use of the most frequent 1000 words of English (K1) at the end of the semester. When investigating the relationship between L2 reading proficiency and the different variables such as the measures of reading, lexical profiles in the writings, and subject variables, it turned out that all measures of reading ability in regards to reading speed and speed reading comprehension contributed to L2 reading proficiency. It, however, was revealed that the students from backgrounds in Arts, Music, or Physical Ed. were much weaker in L2 reading proficiency in comparison to students majoring in Liberal Arts, Natural Science, and Engineering. Finally, the students in the current study perceived use of an ER approach in English classes positively in that most students showed their satisfaction of the classroom environment in which it provides them with an opportunity to read a variety of English books regularly. In particular, those students who had first attended the ER course were favorable toward a new way of English learning which is based on student-oriented learning. Although some students complained about course management methods in the ER classes in terms of the course assessment and a lack of reading time, students’ suggestions and high expectations for future ER experiences indicated how they perceived ER positively. The findings of this study shed light on how to manage English reading classes in an EFL context where the source of input in English is lacking in that L2 learners can benefit greatly in various ways through an ER approach. This study can be also informative to instructors who are willing to conduct an ER approach in the EFL context by suggesting pedagogical implications of incorporating an ER program as a main part of classroom activity into university English classes.