2013/07/20

Why Extensive Reading? Seven Reasons

by Mark Breirly

Date and Time: Saturday, July 20, 2013, 2:15pm ~ 4:45pm

Summary: Extensive Reading (ER) is supported by research. However, as with all methodologies, for ER to work effectively, students and teachers must believe in it. Julian Bamford and Richard Day gave us the "ten commandments" of ER. Kunihide Sakai reduced them to just three.

To complement these, Brierly looked at how we can persuade teachers and students that reading is important from the following angles:

• Fluency

• Comprehensible input

• Acquisition vs. learning

• Learner autonomy

• Classroom management

• Vocabulary and collocation

• Fictional narrative and the social brain.

Mark Brierley teaches courses in English language, English as a Global Language, and Dialects of English at Shinshu University and has been involved in the university’s Extensive Reading program since 2005. He is editor of Extensive Reading Journal (ERJ) and the newsletter of the JALT ER SIG, and is currently chapter president of Shinshu JALT. <mark2@shinshu-u.ac.jp>

Location:

The Learning Commons

Gunma University Library, 1st Floor

4-2 Aramaki-machi

Maebashi, Gunma 371-8510

Public Transportation:

From JR Maebashi Station, take a Kan-Etsu Kotsu Bus bound for Shibukawa (¥380). This bus departs from Bus Stop #2 at the south side of the station. Get off at Maebashi Jidosha Kyoshujo, which is a five-minute walk from the main gate of Gunma Univesity. The 13:45 bus goes directly to the main gate.

By Car:

Please park in the lot to the left of the main gate. On the day of the meeting, there will be signs posted.