Extensive reading and L2 reading motivation in English as a foreign language: a study at a Slovene elementary school

Abstract

A typical (Slovene) teenager today no longer finds reading materials on the book shelves in the local library, but forms a reading list of electronic sources, very often in English. However, in contrast with an abundance of studies focusing on L1 reading strategies and motivation, the field of reading motivation in a foreign language is in the Slovene context under-researched. Similarly, extensive reading, in the past decades recognised as a very effective approach to teaching L2 (reading) and thus incorporated into numerous language programs world-wide, is in Slovene foreign language classrooms an approach less taken. Moreover, previous extensive reading studies focus predominantly on the participants’ motivation to read books and other printed materials, and limit their scope most often to the population of secondary school and university students. The aim of this study is to research the characteristics of EFL voluntary reading of younger Slovene teenagers (11–14 years old), the dimensions of their EFL reading motivation and possible sex differences, as well as possible transfer of L1 reading behaviour to EFL reading behaviour. Moreover, the study investigates the students’ perceptions of EFL extensive reading, changes in their motivation to read extensively in the course of a 9-month extensive reading program and factors influencing these changes. The theoretical framework relies on Wigfield and Guthrie’s (1997) theory of reading motivation, Day and Bamford’s (1998) expectancy value model of L2 reading motivation and De Burgh-Hirabe’s (2011) dynamic model of motivation to read extensively in L2. In order to achieve the set aims, a mixed methods research with complex self-report dataset was chosen. The data obtained from 192 questionnaires gives an insight into not only the frequency of reading in English and the format of reading materials, but also the dimensions of their EFL reading motivation, sex differences, and the relationship between L1 reading behaviour and EFL reading behaviour. The case study focuses on 10 participants of the EFL extensive reading program, and by inductively analysing the data from interviews and reading records takes a micro perspective on the temporal aspect of motivation for EFL extensive reading, contextual factors that influence it, and the participants’ perceptions of extensive reading. The results of the quantitative study show that the majority of participants read in English every day or once a week, and most often find their reading materials on websites. They have multidimensional reading motivation; EFL reading self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation for EFL emerged as the strongest component of their EFL reading motivation. Differences between boys and girls were found both in selection of the reading material, as well as the dimensions of their reading motivation. The transfer of L1 reading attitudes to EFL reading attitudes is weak at best. The findings of the case study reveal that the participants perceived extensive reading positively, and reported a range of linguistic and affective benefits and improvements. Their motivation to read extensively in English was dynamic and complex, and numerous positive as well as negative influences that contributed to their motivational changes were identified. The most important factors influencing their EFL reading motivation were reading materials, attitudes towards EFL reading and sociocultural environment.