The Korean University Students’ Perceptions on Extensive Reading Experience: A Case Study

Objectives The aim of the study is to find effective ways for implementing ER (Extensive Reading) in Korean EFL education through the investigation of the Korean university students’ perception of their firsthand ER experience.
Methods The current study adopted qualitative inquiry for research. ER approach was implemented in English Reading class at one of the flagship national universities in Korea for one semester. Research data were mostly collected from in-depth interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed for further analysis. The iterative and constant data comparison method of the grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) was adopted to analyze the data. Also, the students’ reading logs were collected, in order to look into how the students’ reading habit and reading record were related to their perceptions on ER.
Results The results showed a mixed finding with regard to the students’ perceptions. The students, who showed positive perception for ER had pleasant English learning in the past and had a belief that a language should be learned naturally. Moreover, they exhibited high tolerance to ambiguity and good English proficiency. Finally, they made the best out of the ER experience by choosing appropriate books for their level and setting aside time for ER in the midst of busy schedules. However, the opposite was shown by the students’ with negative perception.
Conclusions First, it is desirable to create an English-using environment rather than English-studying environment, from an early age. Second, building up strong vocabulary should be a prerequisite before starting to read extensively. Third, reliable Lexile measure and systematic categorization of authentic books should be developed for EFL learners in order to facilitate their book selections. Finally, ER should be introduced in EFL classrooms as part of the English language curriculum.