The Effects of Extensive Reading Instruction on Reading Comprehension : Empirical Studies of Japanese EFL Learners

本课题组试图调查课堂上10分钟的持续默读对初高中学生阅读流利性和阅读动机的影响。我们项目中的几项研究发现，10分钟的SSR显著提高了阅读速度和阅读流利度，但对他们的阅读理解能力没有影响。在一项研究中，通过对问卷的因素分析还发现，广泛阅读后出现了因素融合型智力动机，并且广泛阅读提高了内在动机和外在动机。本研究还开发了三种基于计算机的单词再认测验：(A)以日语为中心词，以英语为目标词，(B)以图片为首要刺激，以英语为目标词，(C)搭配词。经过一些修改后，此测试将用于通过测量反应时间来区分加速和自动化。

Our research group attempted to investigate the effects of 10-minute sustained silent reading (SSR) in class on junior and senior high school learners' reading fluency and motivation. Several studies in our program found that 10-minute SSR improved reading speed and reading fluency significantly, but not their reading comprehension. It is also found in one study through the factor analysis of the questionnaire that the factor integrative intellectual motivation appeared after extensive reading sessions, and both intrinsic-oriented and extrinsic-oriented motivation was enhanced by extensive reading. From the with-in subject analysis, higher-ability students tended to enhance their intrinsic motivation, whereas lower-ability students read extensively with class-related extrinsic motivation.We also developed three types of computer-based word recognition test : (a) Japanese as prime words, English as target words, (b) pictures as prime stimuli, English as target words, (c) collocations. After some revisions, this test will be used to distinguish between speedup and automatization by measuring reaction time.