ようこそ！ Welcome to the Seventh World Congress on Extensive Reading.. In this brief opening ceremony, delegates will be treated to a traditional festival-like performance by the Hokusei Gakuen University Yosakoi Club. Please join us for this exciting start to our biggest ER World Congress yet!

Two teams will debate a controversial topic in the field of Extensive Reading. Reading is its own reward. Or is it? Find out here.

This panel discussion brings together experienced graded reader authors to explore the unique challenges of creating engaging and impactful fiction and non fiction while working within strict linguistic constraints. The session will also examine what the key priorities for writers are, what opportunities and challenges the genre offers, and how teachers themselves can delve into the art of crafting stories of their very own for their students.

The Extensive Reading Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2025 winners of the Language Learner Literature Awards at this short session immediately following the Sunday plenary session. Join us and find out which six new graded readers have been selected as this year's winners.

At a junior and senior high school in Setagaya, Tokyo, extensive reading has been incorporated into English classes since 2004. The program lasts for six years, featuring extensive in-class reading and lending of books. In February 2025, a survey of graduates was conducted using Google Forms. A total of 156 respondents, including university students, graduate students, and working professionals, participated. The number of words read during their six school years ranged from under 300,000 to over 3 million. When the open-ended responses were coded, they could be summarized into three key concepts. Students expressed gratitude for having studied at a school with an extensive reading program and reported that it had influenced their current English learning and way of life. Reflecting on the various extensive reading activities conducted over the six years, the presentation also considers practical approaches, how to create an extensive reading environment, and instructional methods.

Please join our plenary speakers, ERF chair, and other guests for this panel discussion, where we will share our reflections and observations on ERWC7, as well as announce the exciting location and host affiliate for ERWC8 in 2027.