Evaluating an Extensive Reading Course

An extensive reading (ER) component of an academic skills course for first yearuniversity Japanese L2 English readers is introduced. The rationale for ER is given:students can enhance their general reading skills, including reading speed and globalcomprehension, as well as improve word recognition automaticity. Course design drawson Nation’s (2007) Four Strands for language development. Formative course evaluationis carried out to investigate: whether the main attributes of ER are met, and to what extentstudents benefit from ER. Data collection includes: word counts to determine amount ofER accomplished; timed reading scores to determine reading speed improvement;baseline vocabulary level testing; and student feedback. Preliminary data analysisindicates: a large amount of reading accomplished by participants; a significant increasein reading speeds; and a positive response to the course from students. The paperconcludes with a few directions for future course evaluation