The Impact of Extensive Reading on Pre-service Teachers’ Attitudes toward Reading

The present research explored the use of extensive reading(ER) with pre-service Korean English teachers to determine its viability for cultivating more positive attitudes toward English language reading. Pre and post ER intervention surveys were administered to establish whether one semester of extensive reading can impact participants’ attitudes toward L2 reading. Results revealed that having pre-service teachers engage in ER results in higher levels of comfort with English reading, but there was minimal effect on anxiety and intellectual value. They viewed reading as having less practical value after the intervention as well. Participants also believed that ER changed their views about reading in English and most felt ER improved their English reading to some extent. Findings point to the potential value of engaging in ER during pre-service teacher education courses to improve pre-service teachers’ L2 reading attitudes and counteract the previous negative L2 reading experiences that many have had.