College and University ER Activities Activate EFL Learners' Language Learning Strategies more

In compulsory EFL courses with adopted textbooks, graded reader activities promote extensive reading (ER), enrich the language curriculum, and enhance interactional communication skills (Kato, JANET 2024). Further teacher observations and class surveys showed that ER activities (sustained silent reading, book talk, writing book reports) substantially activate language learners’ “direct and indirect learning strategies”(Oxford, 1990), resulting in learners gaining a more positive outlook on studying English. They learn to adapt various effective language-learning strategies, which include cognitive (recognizing formulas and patterns, repeating, translating), metacognitive (paying attention, self-monitoring), compensation (guessing intelligently, using linguistic clues), memory (gesturing to convey new words, using keywords), social (asking questions, cooperating), and affective (encouraging oneself, enjoying speaking). This poster presentation discusses the ER practices in the first-year Japanese university EFL courses, focusing on how language learners navigate their language learning strategies in relation to ER tasks to enhance their English language communication skills.