TNU Journal of Science and Technology
230(03): 38 - 44
http://jst.tnu.edu.vn 38 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EXTENSIVE READING METHOD IN
ENHANCING READING SKILLS AMONG THE FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS IN
ENGLISH EDUCATION AT A UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM
Nguyen Thi Minh Loan*, Duong Thi Le Hang, Bui Thi Thu Hang
TNU - School of Foreign Languages
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Received:
21/10/2024
This article explores the impact of the Extensive Reading method on
the reading skills of first-year English majors at a Vietnamese
university. Conducted over 13 weeks, the study assessed changes in
the reading comprehension of students before and after the
intervention. Participants engaged in self-directed reading with
materials of varying difficulty levels, encouraging independent
learning outside of class. After completing their readings, the students
wrote reviews or summaries, allowing the researchers to track their
progress in critical thinking and reading comprehension. Additionally,
a post-study survey gathered insights into the experiences and attitudes
of students toward the Extensive Reading method. Results revealed
significant improvement in reading comprehension, as demonstrated
by increased test scores following the intervention. Participants
expressed a positive view of the Extensive Reading approach,
highlighting its role in improving reading skills and fostering a greater
interest in reading for pleasure and personal learning. Overall, the
Extensive Reading method proved effective in enhancing the reading
abilities of the students and promoting autonomous learning.
Revised:
10/02/2025
Published:
11/02/2025
KEYWORDS
Action Research
Attitudes
Extensive Reading
Method
Reading Comprehension
HIỆU QUẢ CỦA PHƯƠNG PHÁP ĐỌC MỞ RỘNG TRONG VIỆC CẢI THIỆN
KĨ NĂNG ĐỌC CHO SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ NHẤT NGÀNH SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG
ANH CỦA TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ - ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN
Nguyễn Thị Minh Loan*, Dương Thị Lệ Hằng, Bùi Thị Thu Hằng
Trường Ngoại ngữ - ĐH Thái Nguyên
TÓM TẮT
Ngày nhận bài:
21/10/2024
Nghiên cứu này khám phá tác động của phương pháp Đọc Mở Rộng
đối với kỹ năng đọc của sinh viên chuyên ngành tiếng Anh năm thứ
nhất tại một trường đại học ở Việt Nam. Nghiên cứu kéo dài 13 tuần,
đánh giá sự thay đổi trong khả năng đọc hiểu của sinh viên trước và
sau can thiệp. Sinh viên tham gia tự đọc các tài liệu có độ khó khác
nhau, khuyến khích học tập độc lập ngoài lớp. Sau khi đọc, họ viết bài
đánh giá hoặc tóm tắt, giúp các nhà nghiên cứu theo dõi tiến bộ về tư
duy phản biện và đọc hiểu. Ngoài ra, một khảo sát sau nghiên cứu đã
thu thập ý kiến của sinh viên về phương pháp Đọc Mở Rộng. Kết quả
cho thấy sự cải thiện rõ rệt về đọc hiểu, thể hiện qua điểm số tăng.
Sinh viên đánh giá cao phương pháp Đọc Mở Rộng vì đã giúp cải thiện
kỹ năng đọc và khơi dậy hứng thú đọc sách để giải trí và học tập.
Ngày hoàn thiện:
10/02/2025
Ngày đăng:
11/02/2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34238/tnu-jst.11369
* Corresponding author. Email: loannguyen.sfl@tnu.edu.vn
TNU Journal of Science and Technology
230(03): 38 - 44
http://jst.tnu.edu.vn 39 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn
1. Introduction
Reading, as a receptive skill, has been regarded as a precondition for foreign language learning
since it functions as an essential source of input for other abilities (listening, speaking, and writing)
that contribute to language proficiency [1]. As the essence of reading [2], reading comprehension
is one of the most significant factors in learning English for all students because it serves as the
foundation for a wide range of educational knowledge [3]. As a result, reading is vital for academic
progress, particularly when students must engage with a substantial amount of foreign language
material for their specialized topics [4]. The extensive reading method is a beneficial approach for
addressing reading issues, such as improving fluency, vocabulary, and reading habits [5].
Many researchers have applied extensive reading (ER) in teaching with various focuses. Bell
examined its effects on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in Yemen, where participants
were offered graded readings based on their proficiency and interests [6]. Study of Nation focused
on Japanese EFL learners, exploring the impact of reading on multiple language skills, emphasizing
reading for pleasure [7]. Nakanishi emphasized various research ranges from the overall
effectiveness of extensive reading, age of learners, length of instruction, and tests used [8]. In the
study [9], the author assessed ER's influence on vocabulary learning and reading attitudes in 30
second-year students. Nguyen [10] conducted an action research study on 31 non-English major
students at Thai Nguyen University to examine the impact of ER method. Nguyen et al [11]
researched 26 English majors, focusing on cognitive, affective, and conative aspects, improving
students' attitudes toward English reading.
These studies highlighted the positive impacts of ER, but research focusing on reading
comprehension in English major students is limited. This study aimed to address that gap by
exploring the benefits of ER for first-year English majors at Vietnamese universities. The study
aimed to assess the effectiveness of the ER method in improving reading comprehension skills
among first-year students at Thai Nguyen University's School of Foreign Languages and examining
students' attitudes towards this approach. With the aims mentioned above, the current study would
answer the following research questions:
• To what extent does the extensive reading method improve students' reading
comprehension?
• What is the attitude of students towards extensive reading?
2. Research method
2.1. Participants
For this research, one class was chosen randomly among 6 classes of first-year students. They
had already learned English for 10 years since their primary, secondary, and high schools. The
exposure to English was vivid. However, when entering university, they followed a distinguished
curriculum compared to their previous studies. Moreover, each student possessed portable
technological devices connected to Wifi or 4G enabling them to access the website and practice
reading.
2.2. Research Methods
2.2.1. Data collection instrument
Cambridge English Qualifications, now known as B1 Preliminary, assessed practical language
skills of learners. The reading section had six parts with 32 questions, requiring candidates to read
various texts to demonstrate comprehension [12].
Part 1: Multiple choice – five short texts with one question each, assessing the main message.
Part 2: Matching – five descriptions with eight texts, evaluating specific information.
Part 3: True/False – a longer text with ten statements, testing detailed understanding.
TNU Journal of Science and Technology
230(03): 38 - 44
http://jst.tnu.edu.vn 40 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn
Part 4: Multiple choice – a longer text with five questions, measuring comprehension.
Part 5: Multiple-choice cloze – a text with six gaps, assessing vocabulary and grammar.
Part 6: Open cloze – a text with six gaps for suitable words, testing grammar and vocabulary.
The reading section evaluated main ideas, specific information, inferences, opinions, and
vocabulary. It aligned with the curriculum level and was globally accepted, including in Vietnam.
Identical pre- and post-tests ensured consistent, objective measurement of comprehension
improvement over 13 weeks, without feedback to avoid short-term memory effects.
The questionnaire used in this research was adapted from an action research project by Natalia
[13]. It gathered the attitudes of participants toward applying extensive reading. The questionnaire
had 13 statements in two parts: demographics and attitudes toward extensive reading. The first 3
questions gathered personal information such as age, gender, and background. The remaining 10
focused on the attitudes of students after the extensive reading class, using a 4-point Likert scale
from strongly agree (1) to strongly disagree (4). It was administered at the end of the intervention.
Questionnaires were considered significant and widely used tools in educational research. They
were probably used with many participants, and the collected data were not too difficult to analyze
[14]. Additionally, Kumar noted that the key advantages of questionnaires in research were less
expensive and offered greater anonymity [15]. The researcher used Natalia’s questionnaire because
it aligned with the objectives of this research. It was also easy for first-year students at Thai Nguyen
University to understand and respond to.
2.2.2. Data Collection Procedure
The present study adopted the action research procedure of Burn [16] in which the action
research procedure included four stages:
Figure 1. An action research cycle [16]
Figure 1 demonstrated concisely every step of action research, with clear explanations as below:
1. Planning: Identify a problem and create a plan of action.
2. Acting: Implement the intervention in the teaching context over a certain period.
3. Observing: Monitor and observe the results of the plan.
4. Reflecting: Reflect on and evaluate the effects of the action, and plan for further action.
Due to time constraints, the researcher applied this model in a single cycle.
TNU Journal of Science and Technology
230(03): 38 - 44
http://jst.tnu.edu.vn 41 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn
The author identified a focus for the study and developed an action plan based on data collected
and analyzed from the reading comprehension test results of students.
The researcher planned how materials would be used, how to incorporate texts from the
Ercentral website into a detailed plan, and determined the duration of the intervention. The process
was explained to the headmaster to gain her understanding and cooperation. The researcher then
guided the students through the test and designed weekly reading plans using Ercentral. The plan
for each week, including the texts students would read on the website and their classroom
requirements, was outlined carefully.
The intervention was planned to last 13 weeks, from February 19th to May 28th, 2024. From
weeks 1 to 5, students read A2-level texts, matching their curriculum. From weeks 6 to 13, students
read B1-level texts.
After being introduced to the features of the website Ercentral and the benefits of extensive
reading, the students created accounts on Ercentral. A week later, they submitted their homework
to check their progress. An English department professional was invited to review the homework
of the investigated students. This encouraged students to write based on their abilities to improve
their reading comprehension during the study.
In the observation stage, the researcher used the Preliminary English tests and questionnaires
as the data collection instruments. After that, the researchers observed the results of tests before
and after the intervention to find the score and the effect of applying extensive reading on the
reading comprehension of students.
In the reflection stage, based on the data analysis, the researcher made reflections about the
action implementation. The reflection of the actions indicated the success or the failure of the action
research. Therefore, the researcher would have recommendations for teachers.
2.3. Data analysis
As for the pre-test and post-test data, the researcher employed the quantitative method to
evaluate the reading comprehension of students before and after applying the Extensive reading
method. For the questionnaire, the quantitative data obtained utilized statistical analysis using
Microsoft Excel. This software provides a range of tools and functions that enable the researcher
to process and interpret numerical data effectively. The collected data will be entered into Excel
spreadsheets, allowing for calculations, summary statistics, and visualizations.
3. Results
3.1. Results from the Before and After Tests
The data in Figure 2 delineates the percentage of before-test scores of the participants in the
reading comprehension test at a university in Vietnam before taking the intervention of applying
the ER method. To be specific, the score ranges spreadly from 2 to 10, with no student getting
marks below 2. In addition, the score range of 7 was the one with the highest percentage of
students achieving it. This range of spread shows unevenness in reading skills, where most
students only demonstrate average reading comprehension.
Figure 3 demonstrated the proportions of participants scoring from 0 to 10 in the after-test of
the intervention. This result strictly ranged higher, with the most noticeable one being 8. In
addition, there were no students receiving in the lower (0-4) and highest (10), reflecting a stricter
range of outcomes in how students applied the Extensive reading approach in their reading study.
TNU Journal of Science and Technology
230(03): 38 - 44
http://jst.tnu.edu.vn 42 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn
Figure 2. Before test scores of 39 students (the participants)
Figure 3. After test scores of 39 students (the participants)
Table 1 indicated that after 13 weeks of the ER intervention, the post-test mean score increased
from 6 to 7, showing substantial improvement in the reading comprehension of students. The
decrease in the post-test standard deviation also suggested a more consistent application of the
reading skills learned. Table 1. Mean scores and Standard deviation
Mean
St. dev
Pre - test
6
2
Post - test
7
1,05
3.2. Results from the questionnaire
Table 2 shows that most students valued the extensive reading method, with high mean scores
for its personal value (1.87), book selection (1.74), and genre variety (1.95). The method also
boosted interest in learning and improved key skills such as reading (1.92), vocabulary (1.97), and
writing (2.08), highlighting the confidence of students in its effectiveness and its relevance in the
curriculum.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
PERCENTAGE OF THE
STUDENTS
MARKS SCALE FROM 0 TO 10
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
PERCENTAGE OF THE
STUDENTS
MARKS SCALE FROM 0 TO 10