Korean High School Students L2 Reading Experience in Self-Directed Extensive English Reading

Abstract

ABSTRACT Reading skill has been long thought of as one of the most important skills which English learners must have in Korea and as a key element in English education. However, English reading education in Korea public schools has been too much teacher-centered, not student-centered until now. Therefore, it is rather difficult for students to recognize the pleasure of reading. Language experts and practitioners have emphasized that extensive English reading is important to make students have positive reading experiences in English and to be autonomous readers in the future. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of self-directed extensive English reading in Korean public schools as a way for students to experience extensive English reading. The study explored students changes in reading behaviors and affective areas while reading English books extensively. Eleven male high school students participated in this study. For this study, each student read about 10 English books in a self-directed way (self-selection of books and self-control of the whole reading processes) and wrote 8 narrative writings for 4 months. They also had two semi-structured interviews (pre/post interviews) and two surveys while doing self-directed extensive English reading. The data from these activities were analyzed qualitatively to explore students authentic thoughts on extensive English reading. In the self-directed extensive English reading, students showed setting up their own reading purposes and choosing their own books with satisfaction. They read books with responsibility according to their own plans (place, time, amount of reading and so on). Even though there were students dilemmas while reading, they overcame the dilemmas and were accustomed to reading English books. The students also showed that they become much more familiar with English books and confident in English reading while reading. Through this self-directed reading experience, they found out the pleasure of reading English books and paved the way for being an autonomous reader in the future. This study showed the possibility of implementing self-directed extensive English reading into Korean public school system. It also presented that self-directed extensive English reading can be an alternative reading approach to traditional reading education in Korea. Students have the ability to read English books in a self-directed way with accountability. Therefore, facilitating them to read in that way is more helpful for leaners to find the pleasure of reading and be autonomous readers.