College and University I give permission to record or livestream Presentation (45 minutes)
Creative Classroom Activities for Reluctant Readers
This presentation explores how extensive reading (ER) can be combined with in-class activities to promote creativity and encourage reluctant readers to discover the joy of reading in English. Due to the time-consuming nature of ER, it is commonly performed largely outside the classroom. Tools such as Xreading cater to language learners’ diverse needs: students are free to choose reading materials from a library with a wide range of graded readers. However, autonomous learning environments such as these may be unfamiliar and overwhelming for some students, leading to a reluctance to fully engage with ER. Students completed pre and post surveys designed to measure experiences and attitudes to reading in English, and gave feedback after each in-class reading activity. The presenters will discuss the most effective practices according to student feedback and their own experiences of conducting the activities, and ways to encourage creativity and collaboration in ER will be explored.
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Lecturer and Reading & Writing Coordinator at Kyushu Sangyo University in Fukuoka, Japan. My academic interests include extensive reading, fluency development, and educational technology.
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Paul Matthews is a Lecturer at Kyushu Sangyo University in Fukuoka, Japan. His academic interests include extensive reading, and the use of educational technology to support language learning. He is dedicated to creating engaging learning environments that promote student autonomy and long-term language growth.