Do your language students read enough? They like to read? How can you get them to read more in English or another target language? An all too common problem for foreign language and EFL students is a lack of extensive reading in the target language. Extensive reading has numerous benefits for language learners. Some key benefits include:

o Vocabulary development in context

o Extensive use of grammar in context

o Exposure to authentic language

o Exposure to target language idioms and expressions in context

o Continued development of student interest in a variety of subjects.

However, to reap these and other notable benefits of extensive reading, students must read, and read a lot. But students will rarely embark on a heavy reading schedule unless they understand its benefits and enjoy what they read. Therefore, stimulating their interest first is critical to success. This is what you can do.

Use web missions

A useful and fun way to encourage or facilitate extensive reading is through the use of student-centered web searches based on topics of interest to them. An online web search is not unlike an electronic treasure hunt. From one site or home page, students successively move to additional pages to read and collect facts and information. There may be comprehension questions, tables, graphs and/or exercises at each stage and a more comprehensive assessment at the end of the web search. Students’ answers to the exercises and assessment activities are usually sent to the teacher by email. There are online sites that can be used to make the process easier or a web search can be set up using a word processing program such as MS Word. Two useful online teaching-oriented sites for testing web searches are:

or Blackboard.com at: http://www.blackboard.com/

o Educational files par excellence (QUIA) at: http://www.quia.com/

online readings

Online readings can be any of a wide spectrum of formats or topics:

o News and sports

or Technician

or Literature

o Articles and stories

or Business

o Occupational issues

or Humorous

or special interest

o Travel and culture

meal

o Nature, geography o Animals

or Technology, Computer Science

Selection of themes

Topics should be selected and included based on learners’ needs and interests. With careful selection and a web search of three to five stations, students have the opportunity and desire for more extensive reading in English or another foreign language.

F*r*e*e shows available

For a sample web search for you or your students to try, if you have questions or need help, email the author using “web search sample” in the subject line. Good luck. I look forward to hearing from you.