An Extensive Reading Study in University English Classes

This study examines the relationship between extensive reading activities and the university students’ vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension skills. With 53 university students, the study conducted comparison analyses of the experimental group and the control group by testing their vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension skills before and after the extensive reading activities. The study also provides questionnaire data analyses to substantiate the comparison analyses. Through the study, although the reading comprehension test results failed to gain substantial improvement, the questionnaire data displayed that the students perceived the activities to be helpful for improving the skills. With regards to the vocabulary test results, the study found statistically significant mean increase and the students’ questionnaire data supports the test results. As an empirical study about extensive reading, the study illustrates that the extensive reading activities can be successfully implemented in the formal education setting and provides some pedagogical implications.