EXTENSIVE READING IN RELATION TO LEXICAL KNOWLEDGE & READING FLUENCY: EVIDENCE FROM IRANIAN EFL LEARNERS

This study investigated the effect of reading graded readers extensively on Iranian EFL learner's vocabulary knowledge and reading fluency. Sixty-one female and male EFL learners, aged 16-18, were divided randomly into two groups, namely, experimental and control. Forty-six students participated in an extensive reading program and 15 students attended the common intensive reading program. Following a quasi-experimental design, the authors measured the participant's initial vocabulary knowledge and reading speed, having administered two pretests, that is, Vocabulary Levels Test and Reading Entire Text method, respectively. During the treatment, in addition to intensive reading instruction, students in the extensive reading group were provided with 180 graded readers with topics from diverse genres. The results of a set of two-way ANOVA revealed that: (a) extensive reading approach compared to the more focused intensive reading approach significantly improved reading fluency of the EFL learners, (b) vocabulary knowledge did not turn out to be significantly improved as a result of extensive reading instruction and (c) females did better than the males in tests of reading and vocabulary. The findings are discussed in relation to effective EFL instruction in the Iranian context.