Reading Fluency Development in a Speed Reading Course for EFL Learners
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Abstract
Several studies have shown the positive effects of a speed reading course on students’ speed improvement, yet they were carried out within a small scope. This study set out to confirm the existence of speed improvement in a speed reading course for EFL learners. The research also aimed to see how speed reading courses should be scheduled to achieve optimal results. It was found that reading speed could be increased by at least 38 words per minute, and that having three or four sessions of speed reading per week for five or four weeks would be the best choice and having two sessions per week for 10 weeks would be the least favourable one.
Article Details
Keywords
Reading fluency, reading speed, speed reading courses, reading comprehension, scheduling a speed reading course
References
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[2] T. V. Rasinski, C. Blachowicz, & K. Lems, Fluency Instruction, Guilford Publications, New York, 2006
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[11] J. Bismoko & I. S. P. Nation, English reading speed and the mother-tongue or national language, RELC Journal, 5(1), (1974), 86
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[13] T. Bell, Extensive reading: Speed and comprehension, The Reading Matrix, 1(1), (2001), 1
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[15] S. Millett, E. Quinn & P. Nation, Asian and Pacific speed readings for ESL learners, English language institute occasional publication, Wellington, 2007
[16] J. C. Alderson, Testing reading comprehension skills, Reading in a Foreign Language, 7(1), (1990), 465
[17] S. Cramer, Increasing reading speed in English or in the national language? RELC Journal, 6, (1975), 19
[18] M. J. M. Hunter, The effect of speed reading and college reading/study skills instruction on grade point average, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado, 1975
[19] N. Schmitt, D. Schmitt & C. Clapham, Developing and exploring the behaviour of two new versions of the vocabulary levels test. Language Testing, 18(1), (2001), 55
[2] T. V. Rasinski, C. Blachowicz, & K. Lems, Fluency Instruction, Guilford Publications, New York, 2006
[3] T. L. Harris & R. E. Hodges, The literacy dictionary: The vocabulary of reading and writing, International Reading Association, Newark, DE, 1995
[4] G. Gorsuch & E. Taguchi, Repeated reading for developing reading fluency and reading comprehension: The case of EFL learners in Vietnam, System, 36(2), (2008), 253
[5] P. Nation, Reading faster, PASAA, 36, (2005), 21
[6] R. P. Carver, How good are some of the world's best readers? Reading Research Quarterly, 20(4), (1985), 389
[7] P. Nation, Developing fluency in language use, KIFL Academic Journal, 6, (1997), 30
[8] C. Fraser, Reading rate in L1 Mandarin Chinese and L2 English across five reading tasks, The Modern Language Journal, 91, (2007), 372
[9] W. Grabe, Research on teaching reading, Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 24, (2004), 44
[10] J. Bismoko & I. S. P. Nation, Reading speed and transfer of training, Publikasi Ilmu Keguruan Sastra Seni, 2(2), (1972), 3
[11] J. Bismoko & I. S. P. Nation, English reading speed and the mother-tongue or national language, RELC Journal, 5(1), (1974), 86
[12] M. Chung & P. Nation, The effect of a speed reading course, English Teaching, 64(4), (2006), 181
[13] T. Bell, Extensive reading: Speed and comprehension, The Reading Matrix, 1(1), (2001), 1
[14] J. Macalister, Effect of a speed reading course in an English as a second language environment, TESOLANZ Journal, 16, (2008) 23
[15] S. Millett, E. Quinn & P. Nation, Asian and Pacific speed readings for ESL learners, English language institute occasional publication, Wellington, 2007
[16] J. C. Alderson, Testing reading comprehension skills, Reading in a Foreign Language, 7(1), (1990), 465
[17] S. Cramer, Increasing reading speed in English or in the national language? RELC Journal, 6, (1975), 19
[18] M. J. M. Hunter, The effect of speed reading and college reading/study skills instruction on grade point average, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado, 1975
[19] N. Schmitt, D. Schmitt & C. Clapham, Developing and exploring the behaviour of two new versions of the vocabulary levels test. Language Testing, 18(1), (2001), 55