This presentation explores the growing trend of graded reading materials globally, focusing on graded picture books as ideal for young foreign language learners. It examines the limitations of traditional readers, highlights successful series like Kids Town from Korea, Climbing English from China and addresses challenges such as the lack of standards and the need for comprehensive databases.

Based on a longitudinal study of 10 young Japanese learners who continued reading books for 6 to 14 years, eventually progressing to reading paperbacks for L1 teenagers, this study conducted a lexical and non-lexical analysis focusing on the books they used during their elementary school years to find out why they found certain books difficult. The data used in the analysis were taken from Reading AtoZ (levels aa to H) and Oxford Reading Tree (stages 1+ to 7), which they used until they moved on to graded readers for adult beginners. Reading AtoZ level aa books were mostly covered by known vocabulary and vocabulary they could associate with the illustrations. As the levels progressed, the number of words that were difficult to associate with the illustrations increased. It has been found that the books often reported difficult are due to lexical factors, irregular syntactic structures and unknown contextual backgrounds.

This presentation will be delivered in Chinese with bilingual PowerPoint support.

Current English instruction overemphasizes intensive learning (grammar, pronunciation, etc., 85% class time) while neglecting extensive reading (only 15%), resulting in limited fluency despite years of study. To address this, we developed the PERC Balanced Reading System, integrating 1,500+ leveled readers to solve three core challenges: text selection of scientifically graded materials with thematic diversity, instructional methods using evidence-based classroom protocols, and sustainability through progress monitoring and motivational design. The program was validated by hundreds of educators, which revealed the system demonstrates a synergistic intensive/extensive reading framework, quantifiable literacy improvement solutions, and the effective resolution of "Dumb English" implementation barriers.

Over the past five years, the importance of extensive reading (ER) has grown significantly in China. However, while many schools understand the benefits of ER, they often face challenges like lack of support from parents, students' busy schedules, and limited time, making it difficult to sustain these programs. In this session, I will share 3 models that how Chinese teachers implement ER for children aged from 5-12. The three models are Offline Home-Based Model, Offline Center-Based Model and Online Reading Camp. In each model, I will share one or two case studies.These cases will provide training school teachers who want to start ER good examples. They can learn how to integrate ER into their own courses, how to encourage parents to join in ER and how to set the goal for ER and so on.

Reading is a crucial skill for children's literacy development. While much research has focused on alphabetic languages. There is limited investigation into Indic scripts. These complex writing systems, like Assamese, a Northeast Indian language pose unique challenges for young learners due to their extensive symbol inventory, consonant clusters, and inherent vowels. This study evaluates reading outcomes in primary school children learning Assamese by assessing their accuracy and fluency using the Assamese equivalent of TOWRE (Torgesen et al., 2012) that included simple words, complex words, and non-words, and was administered to 60 children across grades VI, VII, and VIII. Results indicated that children struggled with decoding opaque clusters and polysyllabic words. Performance differed by grade, with VI and VII students demonstrating significantly lower speed and accuracy than grade VIII. Findings confirm that complex orthographies like Assamese can hinder literacy development, necessitating awareness of orthographic symbols and consistent reading practice to improve fluency.

This study investigated the effectiveness of an online learning environment (OLE) to practice for reading and listening tests of Cambridge English language tests in a restricted post-COVID situation using additional reading and listening materials. This mixed-method, exploratory research used a convenience sample (n=100) of students aged 11 to 15 within six months. WhatsApp was used as a communication tool, while Zoom-based instructions and Google form-based formative assessments were administered in the OLE. Results revealed that the OLE was a convenient way to exam practice using extensive reading and listening materials, even with some infrastructure and digital literacy issues. Participation was high, and the results were excellent. However, a need to improve teachers' and students' basic computer literacy was observed. Limitations such as teachers’ knowledge about online teaching tools and ethics of working with online pedagogy were identified as areas for further research.

This presentation will discuss the neccessity and significance of setting up an assessment system for an ER programme for young learners. Although the aim of extensive reading is to read for pleasure, it is important for teachers to know the reading level of the students at different stages of the ER programme in order to assess students' progress and to reflect on the programme itself. Some tools and methods for diagnostic testing, periodic assessment and evaluation will be presented. The advantages and limitations of different assessment tools will also be discussed.

This action research investigated a center-wide "Reading Challenge" Extensive Reading (ER) program within a private language center catering to Vietnamese EFL young learners (aged 6-12, A1-A2 levels), a context under-researched within the ER literature. The program, successfully conducted annually for four years, was followed by an attempt to integrate ER into individual classrooms. Data collected through pre- and post-program teacher interviews provided insights into teacher beliefs, attitudes, and encountered challenges. Findings revealed that the "Reading Challenge" allowed teachers to recognize its benefits for enhancing students' reading comprehension, vocabulary, and reading habits. However, integrating ER into regular classroom instruction proved challenging in terms of materials and time constraints, hindering widespread adoption. This study identifies key areas for program improvement specific to private language center contexts, offering valuable recommendations for both practitioners and researchers.

In my presentation I would share my experience about an approach called ”Student Triangle of Support,” known as a three way relationship that exists between parent, teacher and child that opens communications lines for helping students succeed. An English reading development plan was discussed by parents and teachers then we used an ER online library and held a reading marathon was named ‘’Let’s read with purposes as a class.” 58 students participated in the marathon. Students read in small teams several times, created book posters, and organized creature exhibition that encourage them to continue reading. Explaining their creative works to the parents and teachers helped them develop good presentation skills. As a result, ER was succcessful in my class because developing students' reading skillsis always encouraged by both parents and teachers.

Many young EFL learners struggle with fluency and comprehension despite years of exposure to English books. Even early readers among them often fail to develop strong reading skills, leading to frustration and disengagement. In Korea, parents often enroll children in reading programs, hoping for dramatic results from early English reading. When progress is slow, however, extensive reading loses credibility, and many parents turn to grammar-translation programs. Repeated reading and listening can restore reading programs’ credibility by effectively improving fluency, comprehension, and confidence. This presentation explores strategies for engaging students in rereading and relistening to familiar texts, reinforcing language patterns and retention. Techniques, like story mapping, shadow reading, and echo reading enhance fluency and comprehension. Repeated exposure to text and audio develops automaticity, improves pronunciation, and strengthens listening skills, leading to greater reading success. By applying these methods, educators can help struggling readers become more proficient, confident English learners.

Shanghai H2 company has been implementing the integrated approach of ‘extensive reading + intensive reading’ in Shanghai for over a decade. With two campuses in Pudong, Shanghai, we have guided reading development for more than 1,000 children. How do we synergize these two methodologies? ‘Intensive reading’ is delivered through structured classroom instruction. ‘Extensive reading’ is facilitated post-class at home using curated booklists. Throughout this process, our teachers provide personalized reading guidance to help children cultivate consistent daily reading habits. Notably, we emphasize the listening-first principle in language acquisition. During the extensive reading phase, we systematically incorporate large-scale extensive listening tasks to reinforce learning. What defines our core strengths? We are Shanghai's pioneer in guiding children to read authentic original-language books daily. Every child who joins us develops a genuine love for reading – there's not a single exception. Our presentation will comprehensively detail these evidence-based practices.

In 2024, the number of Chinese students taking the Cambridge English Main Suite Examinations (MSE) reached 470,000 person-times. However, the combined excellent rate and outstanding rate for KET is 33.6%, for PET is 20.6% and for FCE is 16.2%. Most of the examinees have relatively low scores in reading and listening, and those who pass the exams often need to rely on their writing and speaking to boost their overall scores. Behind these figures, it indicates the insufficient amount of English reading among Chinese teenagers. For those learners who achieve full marks in reading and listening, it reflects their extensive English reading. This presentation will show the positive effects of extensive reading on preparing for the MSE, and report on case analyses.

Extensive reading is one of the many tools available to EFL teachers. Extensive reading can be an effective starting point for creating lifelong readers and learners. Allowing students to see themselves in their reading content is essential to turn teacher empathy into a productive learning tool. When educators use extensive reading to get their students started on reading, deeper engagement can be made via inquiry-based learning, allowing students to draw on their L1 expertise and L2 learning. By encouraging students to ask questions—particularly those with personal importance—they may discover new learning paths and open themselves up to a broader variety of level-appropriate and graded reading materials. This presentation will discuss how extensive reading and inquiry-based learning may be utilized to extend and personalize the literacy experience.

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.

English is the main medium of instruction in Singapore’s preschools. However, many young children with learning needs often face challenges in learning to read, write and spell. Despite attending regular preschool and English enrichment classes, these children often exhibit avoidance, inattention, and anxiety during reading activities both at school and home.

Possible variables affecting these struggles include inappropriate reading materials, anxiety, poor visual attention to print, weak working memory and vocabulary, low motivation, limited exposure to books, and English not being their first language.

This workshop will focus on how to support these children in engaging with print. It will highlight the application of an eclectic approach that emphasizes positive engagement, visual discrimination skills, visual memory, and motivation. It will demonstrate appropriate reading strategies to help their foundational reading skills. It will also present the use of developed physical and digital materials to engage them to reading.

This presentation will highlight the impact of incorporating book-reading activities into the classroom to encourage Japanese elementary school students to learn English. Since the Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) officially launched English education at elementary schools in 2020, approximately 70% of students have expressed interest in studying English. However, reading activities remained underutilized in classrooms (MEXT, 2024). To address this, the presenter collaborated with schoolteachers to integrate storybook-based reading activities into lessons, fostering students’ familiarity with English texts. The study involved two classroom teachers and 37 sixth-grade students at a public elementary school in Japan. Activities included weekly teacher-led storytelling using a big book, collaborative reading among students, and independent reading of mini books as homework. Results showed that students improved their receptive test scores and increased their motivation to learn English. This session will provide participants with practical techniques and strategies for effectively integrating reading activities into English instruction.

"The Happy Reading Project" is a specialized curriculum developed for English language immersion kindergartens in Nagoya, Japan, with the objective of fostering essential social-emotional competencies through weekly interactive picturebook read-aloud sessions. As Ghosn (2013) asserts, “Children’s literature not only enhances language learning…but it can also nurture moral reasoning skills, emotional intelligence, and empathy” (p. 39). Building on this premise, the curriculum incorporates a carefully curated selection of almost 30 picturebooks, spanning years K1 to K3, with an emphasis on first cultivating self-awareness before progressing to social awareness and balance. Supplementary lesson plans offer kindergarten teachers structured guidance on pre-, during, and post-reading activities, including art, music, games, and movement-based exercises. This presentation will provide detailed teacher feedback on the project's impact on both young learners and educators, providing insights into its initial successes and the ongoing challenges observed during its first implementation across kindergarten classrooms in the 2024/25 academic year.

This study investigates the reading comprehension skills of 84 sixth-grade students in a primary school in Palembang, Indonesia, to identify their strengths and weaknesses in English language ing. Using 18 informal comprehension assessments and six teacher-developed English proficiency tests, data were analyzed through Smart-PLS 4.0. With three validated comprehension categories: literal, inferential, and critical, the Reading Comprehension (RC) measurement demonstrated strong reliability (Cronbach's Alpha -0.882, Composite Reliability = 0.923, Average Variance Extracted = 0.801). These categories exhibited positive correlations with English proficiency whose reliability is 0.65, 0.808, and 0.586 consecutively. The overall mean RC score was 26.57 with the highest category on literal and weakest critical. Meanwhile the mean English proficiency score was 87.46, being significantly influenced by Reading Comprehension for 27.9% (p = 0.007). The findings underscore the need for comprehensive reading strategies beyond mere word recognition and gender-responsive materials to enhance reading proficiency.

This study examines an scaffolded extensive reading (ER) program to leverage English literacy, motivation, and vocabulary in a deaf-hearing inclusive school in Bali, Indonesia. Framed within descriptive qualitative research, the study employed interviews to two voluntary teachers and observations to the students’ reading logbooks. The transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis and the logbooks were by interactive model analysis. The study found the program leverages students’ literacy, engagement and English reading skills. Key themes include inspiring activities, increased English proficiency, vocabulary development, and shifting reading habits. While the ER program enhances students’ learning, challenges persist, involving limited supports and book access, vocabulary gaps, and sustainability. These findings emphasize the role of scaffolded ER in building sustainable reading cultures in underserved communities while highlighting its need of library resources, digital reading tools, and long-term literacy initiatives. Exploring technology-driven reading interventions and community-based literacy programs are strongly encouraged for future research.

Some children can read at a high level but beginner readers may struggle performing cognitive tasks such as reading. Therefore, teachers have to learn many reading strategies, teaching methods that can be used to help develop their English language and reading skills. This study aims to improve beginner students' English reading skills by integrating extensive reading practices. For 6 years, students' reading comprehension improved by reading the original text and doing regular exercises after completing the reading task. By using these steps 1. Read with understanding, not speed; 2.Read for 5-10 minutes every day; 3. Use flashcards like CVC, CVCC; 4. Choose interesting books; 99% out of the 200 students in 5 groups at the 8th grade level learned to read well in English, and the remaining 1% needed additional support.

This presentation explores multilingual practices implemented in an after-school buddy reading program with Grades 3 and 7 learners from a township school in South Africa. In this qualitative study, learners were provided with a selection of linguistically and culturally relevant books in both isiXhosa and English, enabling them to maintain their home language while simultaneously learning their first additional language. Given that the participants were emerging bilinguals, the study explored educational activities that valorise multilingualism, in a complementary manner to support multilingual development. Activities such as interactive reading with translanguaging, storytelling and retelling in both languages, and the use of bilingual storybooks were designed. The multilingual strategies implemented in the program supported linguistic development and enhanced learners’ confidence in their ability to use both languages in social and academic contexts. The study recommends promoting multilingualism to policymakers and educators, highlighting its importance in nurturing literacy, linguistic diversity, and cultural identity.