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.

Despite evidence supporting its effectiveness, Extensive Reading (ER) is still not widely adopted, particularly in Japanese high schools, where teachers unfamiliar with ER have expressed concerns about cost, limited class time, and its effectiveness. One possible reason for this hesitation is the perceived lack of transfer to performance on university entrance exams. However, the English section of the Japanese Common Test for University Admissions (Kyotsu Test) is designed to assess reading and listening skills as they apply to real-world communication. Fluent comprehension of relatively simple texts is now an integral part of the exam, suggesting that ER could be an effective preparation method. This poster presentation examines the test’s question formats and reading passage characteristics. Additionally, it explores how the vocabulary and syntax profiles of several popular ER book series align with the Kyotsu Test reading passages by compiling and analyzing a corpus of test passages and graded readers.

This case study explores the factors contributing to successful reading by analyzing a university student’s reading log and interview data. Despite having had limited exposure to English before entering university and lacking confidence in the English language, the student read over 700 books in an extensive reading program, accumulating a total of more than 200,000 words over nine months. Yoshida (2017) claims that reading in large quantities at an easy level (YL 0.3) is a key factor to success, along with extrinsic motivation driven by grades and appropriate feedback from teachers. The findings of the present study support Yoshida (2017)’s claims and further suggest that starting at an even more manageable level, such as YL 0.2, could be beneficial. This implies that staying within the learner’s linguistic competence (Grabe and Stroller, 2020) and prioritizing comprehension can lower the learner’s affective filter, facilitating successful reading in an extensive reading program.

This study took place at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The data were collected from 39 freshman students who had just completed their first extensive reading (ER) class in their first or second term at university. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. The goal of this study was to determine if the students would be interested in having ER become a regular part of their studies at university as opposed to only being a singular class. The results indicated that this class was their first experience doing ER for an extended period of time and that they enjoyed the class. However, a slight majority of the students indicated that they would not like ER to become a small part of their studies beyond their first year. The most common concern was their ability to handle their regular classwork and the time requirements for consistently doing ER.

This paper investigates the correlation between TOEIC scores and Extensive reading scores as measure on the LMS, M-Reader. Participants in this study were all English language majors who must complete an ER segment as part of the reading class. The objective for each semester is 210,000 words. Students must also take the TOEIC test once a year. The results were correlated using Pearson's Correlation Coefficient and although there was a slight positive correlation, the relationship between the variables was weak. Therefore, strongly suggesting that the impact of ER on TOEIC scores is minimal.

This study investigates the differences in eye movement patterns when foreign learners of Korean read newspapers in Korean versus their native language. Using eye-tracking technology, we examine how reading proficiency influences gaze behavior, fixation duration, and overall reading time. The study hypothesizes that high-proficiency learners will exhibit similar eye movement patterns across both languages, while low-proficiency learners will show longer fixations and slower reading speeds when reading in Korean. To test this, low-proficiency participants engaged in a repeated reading intervention using Korean newspapers over a training period. Post-intervention results revealed that consistent exposure to Korean texts reduced differences in reading behavior, aligning more closely with patterns observed in native-language reading. These findings suggest that extensive reading in the target language can significantly enhance reading fluency and comprehension, particularly for lower-level learners.

In ER, teachers often need to set goals and deadlines to ensure that their students are reading on a regular basis (O’Sullivan, 2012). To understand how students achieve these goals and provide guidance for future learners, 11 students in an elective extensive reading and listening course were asked to give future students advice on various aspects of meeting weekly targets. The questions, based on Griffith's (2018) strategy framework, focused on planning, resource selection, comprehension monitoring, and motivation maintenance. Findings revealed that perceived effective strategies varied among students. However, many students emphasized selecting books related to their interests and planning when to do the weekly assignments as important for achieving their goals. This presentation will describe the course, discuss highlighted strategies, and conclude with research limitations and future directions. This presentation will be of interest to teachers who are seeking ways to support their learners in achieving their reading goals.

Do you know what topics your first-year university students in Japan are interested in? How about their reading habits or self-confidence in reading? Research has suggested that positive emotions toward reading (Zhou, 2024), along with positive attitudes and habits, facilitate student engagement in an Extensive Reading (ER) curriculum. A study was launched in April 2024 to examine how first-year Japanese university students navigate a year-long online extensive reading curriculum. In this poster session, the presenters will discuss student responses that may inform educators integrating online extensive reading into their courses. They will present initial findings on students’ reading interests, habits, self-confidence, and emotional responses to reading. These results establish a baseline for evaluating the impact of two consecutive semesters of online extensive reading on students' engagement and confidence.

In Bangladesh, especially in semi-urban and rural regions, adolescent female students face menstrual health challenges that significantly impact their education. Many girls miss classes due to menstrual discomfort, lack of proper hygiene facilities, and fear of embarrassment. According to UNICEF, nearly 30-40% of girls face absenteeism during their periods. As a secondary school teacher, I have seen how these barriers affect students' ability to engage in extensive reading and listening—two vital components of language learning. Limited access to sanitary products, reliance on unhygienic materials, and poor nutrition contribute to physical and emotional distress, reducing focus and confidence in class. To address this, I propose school-based counseling corners to promote menstrual hygiene awareness, provide emotional support, and distribute free sanitary pads. These initiatives would not only improve attendance but also enhance girls’ participation in reading and listening tasks, ultimately leading to better academic outcomes and a more inclusive educational environment.

Implementing extensive reading programs in rural areas presents unique challenges, but Khanbogd soum in Mongolia has successfully integrated Xreading across its secondary schools. This poster showcases how local leadership and community collaboration contributed to the program's success. With full financial support from the governor and local officials, all students from Year 6 to 12 were granted access to Xreading, ensuring equal learning opportunities. A mentor-mentee system was also established, where experienced Khanbogd 1st School students guided Khanbogd 2nd School students in adopting the program. This peer-supported approach facilitated smoother implementation and enhanced student engagement. Currently, Khanbogd 2nd School is awaiting the governor’s funding to officially launch Xreading. Our aim is to inspire other rural communities to build sustainable extensive reading programs through strategic partnerships and peer mentoring. This case study demonstrates that, with strong advocacy and local government support, even remote areas can cultivate a thriving reading culture.

In Japanese schools, English classes are expected to be taught using textbooks then graded using tests. Although ER is accepted as a method for language learning, many stakeholders expect lectures rather than silent reading during class. Thus, activities designed around books will meet the requirements from stakeholders. In this presentation, two activities will be explained. One for novice learners which focus on the vocabulary in the book. The lesson includes learning the vocabulary, creative writing using the words learned, followed by a short presentation. For intermediate learners, using the Canterville Ghost, students work in small groups to understand the story and discuss the cultural differences between the UK and the US. It is then followed by a short research presentation related to the cultural aspects from the book. The presentations can be graded using a rubric, which can be an alternative to paper tests.

In this presentation, we will share the experiences we gained while translating 30 graded readers for elementary-level L2 English learners into Japanese. The readers we translated are from the Cengage Foundations Reading Library series. Our work went beyond simple translations; it involved carefully adjusting lexical choices and sentence structures to ensure that each translated book was appropriately graded for its target audience of L2 Japanese learners. The framework we used is based on a widely used Japanese language textbook, GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese. Specifically, we divided Genki’s 23 lessons into 6 levels according to its vocabulary and grammar lists, and translated the 30 books into one of these 6 levels. Japanese extensive reading materials are limited in number, but translating from English graded readers could greatly expand availability, offering learners more diverse and accessible content.

Extensive reading encourages learners to read materials that are easy and accessible, often containing basic vocabulary. Many basic words, particularly verbs and prepositions, are polysemous and are understood in cognitive linguistics as having a “central” meaning along with multiple “extended” meanings. This study examines how the central and extended meanings of basic polysemous words are presented in graded readers and leveled readers, comparing them with formal English textbooks used in junior and senior high schools in Japan. Focusing on several basic words (e.g., break, make, run, and take), this study analyzes their usage and provides insights into how extensive reading materials and textbooks can be utilized to foster a more comprehensive understanding of these words.

Many educators advocate for incorporating Xreading, a well-designed program that facilitates extensive reading instruction. However, despite its reasonable cost, some schools cannot afford it due to budget constraints. In such cases, teachers must find alternative solutions. This presentation discusses how an extensive reading program was implemented in a part-time night school, an institution that operates in the evening and generally has smaller class sizes than regular daytime schools. Students attend night school for various reasons, such as discomfort in large groups or past difficulties with compulsory education. However, one of the main challenges in night schools is their limited funding. This study explores how extensive reading was introduced in such a setting despite financial restrictions and examines its impact on students' engagement and learning outcomes.

This poster presents strategies for engaging a diverse group of 80 students with different English proficiency levels in extensive reading. It explores how motivation influences students' reading habits, book preferences, and overall confidence in language learning. Interactive activities, such as role-playing and poster-making, have been integrated into the program to foster active participation. Through acting performances, students improve their speaking, comprehension, pronunciation, and teamwork skills. These techniques make learning more enjoyable and effective, especially for young beginners. As a result, many students have developed a daily reading habit and sustained practice, leading to noticeable progress in their language skills. By fostering interest and engagement, these approaches not only help students improve their English but also empower them to become lifelong readers and future leaders. This presentation highlights practical ways to create an engaging extensive reading experience that encourages continuous learning.

In August 2023, a volunteer group of extensive readers of English books in Japan launched a blog titled "Trivia for Enjoying Extensive Reading." This blog offers many pieces of trivia to help readers gain a better and deeper understanding of books and picture books. The trivia provided in this blog enriches the reading experience. Currently, this blog is written in Japanese, but the steering group aims to make it available in multiple languages.

Book reports are one of the ways in which teachers can check learners’ extensive reading progress and encourage them to reflect on and share their reading. These reports can be a valuable resource for research on areas such as learner investment in ER. Many teachers find handwritten reports to be more personal and convenient than digital submissions, but such reports are cumbersome to transcribe for later analysis. This presentation will describe an attempt to use the latest version of ChatGPT to transcribe handwritten English book reports from 42 Japanese learners. The detailed process of generating and refining the AI output will be discussed. The presenter will also consider the accuracy of the transcripts and, taking this into account, the extent to which they can be used in research or teaching. Alternative and more accurate ways to transcribe book reports will also be discussed.

This study introduces extensive reading to university students through the News in Levels app, a graded reading resource. The app is divided into three levels and features original news videos from BBC, VOA, and Reuters. In class, students use the app daily to enhance their reading skills. For the final project, students create a one-minute news program based on the app's videos, by writing scripts and presenting as news anchors, while using the original videos in silent mode to deliver their narration. This activity encourages active engagement with the content and helps develop reading comprehension, pronunciation, and presentation skills. The pedagogical framework is based on Day and Bamford’s (2002) principles of extensive reading, which emphasize accessible materials, a variety of topics, and student choice. Additionally, it incorporates Krashen’s (1982) Comprehensible Input Hypothesis, highlighting the importance of exposing learners to language slightly beyond their current proficiency level.

Developing English literacy from an early age is vital for academic success and lifelong learning. This study proposes a structured teaching model that uses short story writing to promote reading behavior and enhance English skills among primary school students. The model guides students through step-by-step activities to create their own illustrated storybooks, fostering creativity, pride, and stronger engagement with reading. It incorporates guided instruction, peer feedback, and iterative revisions to support both language development and motivation. The study will be implemented in classroom settings, using pre- and post-assessments—including student self-reports, teacher observations, writing rubrics, and reading attitude surveys—to evaluate changes in reading behavior and writing proficiency. The model is designed to be flexible across grade levels and languages, offering a scalable approach that aligns with extensive reading principles and supports student-centered learning.

The idea of writing a book is something many of us consider, but know it is daunting. We start with a great idea and then quickly talk ourselves out of it. I’m busy. I don’t know where to start. Slowly, the great idea fades away. In this poster presentation, the author of the award-winning graded reader, ‘Identity’, will outline the process undertaken to write the story from scratch, with no previous writing experience. He will cover why and how ‘Identity’ was written, the process of writing, editing, levelling, and some of the factors contributing to it receiving a Language Learner Literature Award from the Extensive Reading Foundation and then becoming motivated to write a second graded reader. This poster presentation format will give participants ample opportunity to ask questions, discuss their own ideas and experiences and hopefully, become motivated to start writing their own original stories.

Through extensive reading (ER), EFL students can acquire language skills while becoming more motivated to read various self-selected texts. However, a challenge still exists in assessing their retention of key information while preserving their reading enjoyment. This study explores how mind mapping can be integrated into teacher guidance as an assessment tool to evaluate students’ retention in ER within a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) program. Employing an exploratory research design, the study investigates the experiences and perceptions of sixty Japanese undergraduate students engaged in ER activities. The research methodology included student-generated mind maps and a post-reading survey as well as qualitative findings derived from the students’ feedback and teacher observations. Research data demonstrated that facilitated mind mapping training could help the students to visually organize key ideas, which enables them to arrange essential concepts along with summarizing texts while enhancing their ability to remember what they read.

Developing independent reading habits is essential for language acquisition and fostering a love for learning. However, many students struggle with traditional reading due to limited choice and motivation. Before the Global Readers Project at Khanbogd First School, students found reading boring, and teachers avoided teaching it. This initiative, involving over 400 students, integrates Xreading e-books, providing leveled digital books tailored to students’ interests and proficiency. The project encourages autonomy, engagement, and reading fluency. As a result, students have developed a love for reading and gained confidence, thanks to easy-to-understand, interesting, and varied books. Participants will learn about the implementation process, challenges faced, and strategies for overcoming disengagement and teacher reluctance. Insights from this experience will offer practical takeaways for educators to incorporate extensive reading into their teaching and cultivate a culture of independent reading.

This presentation discusses a systematic review of research on the effects of extensive reading (ER) on reading attitudes in primary, secondary, and tertiary level language learning contexts. The review covered approximately 30 studies published from 1997 to 2024. Eligibility criteria for studies included using a clearly defined ER approach, implementing ER for a minimum of 10 weeks, and having a between groups and/or a pre/posttest design to be able to assess changes in reading attitudes due to ER. Based on the results of relevant questionnaire-based studies, it was found that ER had positive effects on aspects of learner reading attitudes such as reducing reading anxiety and improving levels of comfort and self-confidence. Specific practices and learning conditions such as the availability of a wide range of books, doing post-reading activities, and increasing the time doing ER were also found to be effective in fostering positive reading attitudes.