VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES

VŨ DIỆU HUYỀN

DEVELOPING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ READING
MOTIVATION THROUGH EXTENSIVE READING:
THE CASE OF 12TH GRADERS AT A HIGH SCHOOL
IN HA NAM PROVINCE
(Phát triển động lực đọc của học sinh trung học phổ thông qua việc
đọc thêm: Trường hợp của học sinh lớp 12 tại một trường trung học
phổ thông ở tỉnh Hà Nam)

M.A MINOR THESIS

FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY
CODE: 8140231.01

HANOI, 2019


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES

VŨ DIỆU HUYỀN

DEVELOPING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ READING
MOTIVATION THROUGH EXTENSIVE READING:
THE CASE OF 12TH GRADERS AT A HIGH SCHOOL

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my gratitude to people who gave me the possibility to
complete this master‟s project.
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and love to my
thesis supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Canh, who has been generous with his
feedback, time and patience. It is his invaluable and insightful comments, guidance,
and encouragement that helps me fulfill my minor thesis.
My sincere gratitude is also extended to all lecturers and staff of Postgraduate
Studies for their useful lectures, materials, guidance and enthusiasm during my course.
I would like to gratefully acknowledge the support from my colleagues and
students, especially students of classes 12A1 and 12A4, who have inspired and
guided me in the accomplishment of the study.
Last but not least, I would like to thank my beloved family for their
understanding, support and encouragement. Without them, I would not have been
able to finish this thesis.

ii


ABSTRACT

Extensive reading is believed to be one of the effective tools to develop
students‟ good reading habit and reading motivation. However, little has been done
to measure the effects of extensive reading on leaners‟ reading motivation. Thus,
the present study was conducted under the action research to investigate the effect
of extensive reading on learners‟ motivation for reading. The participants were 86
students from classes 12A1 and 12A4 of a high school in Ha Nam Province through
an 8-week trial period. In order to collect data for the research, a pre-intervention
questionnaire, and post questionnaire were employed. After a preliminary

2.2.1. Definition of extensive reading ................................................................................. 8
2.2.2. Characteristics and principles of extensive reading ................................................. 9
2.2.3. Constraints on developing an extensive reading program for students ................11
2.3. Motivation for reading .............................................................................................13
2.3.1. Definition of motivation ..........................................................................................13
2.3.2. Reading motivation ..................................................................................................14
2.3.3. Factors affecting students‟ reading motivation in learning a second language....15
2.3.4. Extensive reading as a motivator to students to read .............................................18
2.4. Previous studies on extensive reading and students’ reading motivation........20
iv


CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .......................................................23
3.1. Research approach....................................................................................................23
3.1.1. Overview of action research ....................................................................................23
3.1.2. Rationale for the use of an action research .............................................................23
3.1.3. Steps of action research ...........................................................................................24
3.2. The research procedures ..........................................................................................25
3.2.1. Research context ......................................................................................................25
3.2.2. Research participants ...............................................................................................26
3.2.3. Research procedures ................................................................................................27
3.3. Data collection instruments .....................................................................................31
3.4. Data collection procedures.......................................................................................32
3.4.1. Planning ....................................................................................................................32
3.4.2. Pre-intervention questionnaire.................................................................................33
3.4.3. Post-questionnaire ....................................................................................................33
3.5. Data analysis procedure ...........................................................................................33
3.6. Summary ....................................................................................................................34
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION..........................................................35
4.1. Preliminary investigation .........................................................................................35

: English language teaching

EFL

: English as a Foreign Language

vii


LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Chart contrasting intensive and extensive reading (Welch 1997: 53) ..........7
Table 2: Schedule for an extensive reading program:...............................................30
Table 3: Frequency of extensive reading assignments required by teachers ............35
Table 4: Students‟ self-reports of their time spent on extensive reading and reasons
of extensive reading ..................................................................................................36
Table 5: Students‟ preferred reading material genres and sources of reading materials.....39
Table 6: Students‟ perceived benefits of extensive reading ......................................40
Table 7: Students‟ perceived effects of extensive reading on students‟ reading
comprehension and motivation .................................................................................42
Table 8: Students‟ assessment of the benefits of extensive reading .........................43
Table 9: Students‟ attitudes towards extensive reading program .............................45
Table 10: Summary of the Research Findings ..........................................................47

viii


CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

This part introduces the rationale, the aims, research questions, scope,
significance, and research method of the study. This is followed by the structure of

action research project, which was aimed at motivating my students to be more active in
extensive reading.
2. Aims of the study
This action research was conducted with a view to understanding the
influence of extensive reading on students‟ changed reading motivation. Extensive
reading is believed to build up knowledge of vocabulary and structures for reading
comprehension. It was hoped that when extensive reading was encouraged,
students‟ reading motivation would change and their reading competence would be
improved.
3. Research questions
This action research was carried out in an attempt to answer the two
following questions:
- To what extent does extensive reading change high school students‟ reading
motivation?
- What are the students' attitudes towards the employment of extensive reading
materials?
4. Scope of the study
The study was conducted on volunteer 12 graders in my two classes during
the first semester of the school year 2019-2020. The research was not aimed at
generalizing the results. Rather, the purpose was to help me to understand whether
the encouragement and support of students‟ extensive reading changed their reading
motivation or not.
5. Significance of the study
The findings of this action research project is believed to be useful for the
researcher because once completed, the study will provide an insight into the way
extensive reading changes students‟ reading motivation. What will be achieved in
this research may help teachers highly evaluate reading extensively as a way to
improve students‟ reading motivation. Moreover, the research will be much
beneficial to students who would like to improve reading achievement.
2



CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter reviews the literature on extensive reading and students‟ reading
motivation in foreign/second language learning. The three main issues that are
included in the chapters are the theoretical background of reading, extensive reading
and reading motivation. First, the definition, roles and forms of reading are
introduced. Next, an overview of extensive reading such as definitions, principles
and characteristics of extensive reading and constraints on developing extensive
program for learners are precisely analyzed. Last, motivation and motivation for
reading definitions, factors affecting students‟ reading motivation in learning a
second language, extensive reading as a motivator are also presented in this chapter.
2.1. Reading
2.1.1. Definition of reading
One of the skills that can be considered the first step in acquiring English is
reading. It plays an essential part to achieve success inside and outside educational
activities. However, there is no exact definition of reading because different authors
and researchers define this term in different ways under various perspectives.
According to William (1984), reading is a process whereby one looks at and
understands what has been written. It may be the simplest definition and easiest to
understand about reading as it is considered a mental process in which readers are
active, not passive, to look into a written text and absorb the information from the
written linguistic message.
Sharing the opinion with William, Alderson et. al. (1987) defines reading as
the process of constructing meaning from written texts. They also add that reading
is a complex skill requiring coordination of a number of interrelated sources of
information. Reading is also defined in a single sentence as it is the ability to draw
meaning from the printed page and interpret this information appropriately (Candlin
and Hall, 2002).
Brunan (1989) defines reading as a two way interaction between the readers

levels on the ground that it sets the basis for other language skills. The following
quote by Krashen (1993:23) indicates the crucial role of reading “Reading is good
for you. Reading is the only way we become good readers, develop a good writing
style, and adequate vocabulary, advanced grammar, and the only way we become
5


good spellers”. He strongly agrees that constant reading helps learners be better
able to read fluently, write skillfully with a good master of grammar and
vocabulary. The more learners read, the more learners become proficient in the
target language as readers, writers, speakers and listeners.
All in all, reading helps to expand learners‟ background knowledge, and
exposes them to more linguistic input. Also, reading brings learners enjoyment
and refreshment as well. Through reading one learns and gets pleasure. For each
reading purpose, different types of reading are employed.
2.1.3. Intensive reading vs. extensive reading
In foreign language teaching, two approaches of reading are recognized,
namely intensive and extensive reading. The differences in these two kinds of
reading are discussed bellows.
Intensive reading is an activity of reading in the classroom in limited time.
It is a classroom oriented activity in which short texts are dealed with detailed
understanding under a teacher‟s guidance. This form of reading is defined by
Nuttall (2000:38) that it “involves approaching the text under the guidance of a
teacher or a task which forces the students to focus on the text”. This activity
focuses on achieving a full understanding of the text that teachers select. Palmer
(1964:111) considers intensive reading as the activity “take a text, study it line
by line, referring at every moment to our dictionary and our grammar,
comparing, analyzing, translating, and retaining every expression that it
contains”. In other words, intensive reading relates to mainly reading short texts
and focuses on specific lexical or syntactic parts of the text. The aim of intensive

Read accurately

Class goal

Read fluently

Translate

Reading purpose

Get information

Answer questions

Enjoy

Words and pronunciation

Focus

Meaning

Often difficult

Material

Easy

Teacher chooses


approaches to trigger both the conscious and subconscious processes in learning a
language. It is important for teachers to be up-to-date on different approaches for
teaching purposes. The following section will discuss further extensive reading in
foreign language education contexts.
2.2. Extensive reading
2.2.1. Definition of extensive reading
Extensive reading is sometimes referred alternatively as “Supplementary
reading (West, 1955), “Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading” (Vaughan, 1982;
Krashen, 1985), “Pleasure Reading” (Mikulecky, 1990; Trelease, 2006), etc. Different
scholars of different approaches provide different definitions of extensive reading.
Palmer (1927, as cited in Smith, 2003, p. 454) defines that extensive reading
means “rapid reading”. Those with knowledge of a foreign language are able to read
texts written in that language with understanding and without that process of mental
translation.
The term "extensive reading" by Bamfort et.al (1991) refers to reading of a
large quantity of material or long texts, for global or general understanding; with the
intention of obtaining pleasure from the text. Further, because reading is
individualized, with students choosing the books they want to read, the books are
not discussed in class. Extensive reading encourages students to read, read and read
more. Davis (1995:329) shares the same notion of extensive reading in which pupils
are given the time, encouragement and materials to read pleasurably, at their own
level, as many books as they can, without the pressures of testing or marks. The
goal of extensive reading is encourage more reading, give more experience that
builds language.
According to Hafiz and Tudor (1989:4), extensive reading is “the reading of
large amounts of material in the second language over time for pleasure or interest,
and without the addition of productive tasks or follow up language work”. Through
extensive reading, learners self-select reading materials and writing brief summaries
or comments on what they read.
8

independent reading at home, ideally of self-selected materials.
9


From all the above characteristics of extensive reading, a conclusion can be
drawn that: "Extensive reading is reading of a large quantity of material or long
texts, for global or general understanding; with the intention of obtaining pleasure
from the text” (Susser & Robb, 1990:165). Further, because reading is
individualized, with students choosing the books they want to read, the books are
not discussed in class. (Bamford et. al., 1991). The goal of an extensive reading
approach is to get students enjoy reading in the target language.
Day and Bamford (2002) on their part identify the top ten principles related
to successful extensive reading:
1- Students read as much as possible, perhaps in and definitely out of the classroom
2- A variety of materials on a wide range of topics is available so as to encourage
reading for different reasons and in different ways
3- Students select what they want to read and have the freedom to stop reading
material that fails to interest them
4- The purposes of reading are usually related to pleasure, information, and general
understanding. These purposes are determined by the nature of the material and
the interest of the student
5- Reading is its own reward. There are few or no follow-up exercises after reading
6- Reading materials are well within the linguistic competence of the students in
terms of vocabulary and grammar. Dictionaries are rarely used while reading
because the constant stopping to look-up words makes fluent reading difficult
7- Reading is individual and silent, at the student‟s own pace, and outside class,
done when and where the student chooses
8- Reading speed is usually faster than slower as students read books and other
material they find easily understandable
9- Teachers orient students to the goals of the programme, explain the

they are interested in the material (Jeon and Day, 2016).
Secondly, implementing a supplementary reading program may also be a
hard task with the large number of students in a class. Most of classes consist of
approximately 40 students of mixed ability, which may be difficult for teachers to
handle a big number of students as every student might have a wide range of topics
in their mind. To overcome it, for the orientation of minimizing the various topics
of extensive reading, teachers can provide particular reading materials to be chosen
11


by students every week. However, teachers should ensure that learners can find
texts that they are interested in and are of an appropriate level. As Nuttall
(1982:185) points out that reading skill will develop much better if a student reads a
lot of books that are too easy rather than a few that are too difficult. Elisheva
Barkon (2017) also adds that it is more important to read for a few minutes every
day than to read for 20 minutes only once a week.
Thirdly, extensive reading is not about testing. It is the next limitation of
extensive reading program. It is about helping students to build their reading speed and
fluency, and become more confident readers in English. Readers might be assessed by
simply showing that they have read and understood a large number of books over the
course of a semester. Therefore, to evaluate and keep track of students‟ reading
progress, teachers can offer follow-up activity after reading (Day and Bamford, 2004).
Another way to do this is to create a generic book choice reading reflection worksheet.
This is something that the students should complete each week. It will require them not
only to summarize the book, but also to answer questions about how the book relates to
their personal life and how it has helped them grow as a reader (Powell, 2011).
However, the important thing is to make sure that the tasks are short and will not take
up so much time that they are distracted from their main job of reading. Furthermore
the tasks should be simple and easy to do so that these will not put students off the
extensive reading program. One of the ways to observe students‟ extensive reading is

One of the leading researchers in language learning motivation, Dornyei
(2001), claims that motivation is an abstract, hypothetical concept that we use to
explain why people think and behave as they do. Motivation is one affective
component that is influenced by instructions and involved in the performance of all
learners‟ responses. Gardner (2006:241) also points out that students with higher
levels of motivation will do better than ones with lower levels. Motivation is one of
the main determining factors in success in second language learning. Students can
hardly learn a language without motivation because it creates the strength and
positive attitude to get students involved in learning process. Moreover, whether
strategies can carry out tasks successfully or not also effects students‟ level of
motivation and capacities to succeed in learning the target language. Because of
13


that, strategies to motivate students efficiently are the most recurrent and essential
concerns of all language teachers.
2.3.2. Reading motivation
Reading motivation is an aspect which attracts many teachers and
researchers‟ over the years. However, the term “reading motivation” has been
variously defined according to different scholars.
Motivation for reading is a crucial entity for successfully engaging in the
reading process because it is the element that maintains students‟ engagement
throughout the entire reading process. The more students read, the better readers
they become (Bamford & Day, 1998). Motivation has close relation with learners in
comprehending a text, and learners need to have motivation in reading. It refers to
positive attitude toward reading in English and willingness to read more English
materials.
According to some linguistic experts in the field of reading (Baker and
Wigfield, 1999), reading motivation is one of the key factors that influence reading
efficiency and learning motivation in general. Reading motivation is the answers to

• classroom incentives reflect the value and importance of reading (p.173-176)
2.3.3. Factors affecting students’ reading motivation in learning a second
language
It has been broadly accepted that motivation is one of the most fundamental
elements in foreign language learning. Without enough motivation, almost learners
even the most extraordinary skills cannot achieve long-term goals. However,
motivation for reading is not the same among learners because it depends on
reading materials, teacher‟s attitude and students‟ behavior-related factors.
2.3.3.1. Reading materials
Reading materials are one of the most important factors determining learners‟
motivation for reading. According to Lightbown and Spada (1999:57), students are
more likely to be motivated to read more reading materials when they are interesting
and relevant enough to their age and ability.
Cho et al. (2010) add that materials for reading should be interesting yet
challenging in order to motivate readers. The role of materials in enhancing reading
motivation has also been gaining clarity.
15