Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension through Extensive Reading Activity

Abstract

Currently, extensive reading is regarded as one of the most important components in language learning. It gives learners the ability to enrich their proficiency level in English as well. Accordingly, this study aims at investigating and analyzing the role of extensive reading in improving students’ reading comprehension, as interest in reading shifts now and then. A party of learners is not habituated to read more often which is reflected in their performances and the hindrances they face in class, while another party strives to read more often for better results. There is a range of techniques that provide students with ways and solutions to read, and one of them is extensive reading. To set up the research, a mixed-method approach is used and collected data from research instruments is examined both qualitatively and quantitatively. The data was gathered by a questionnaire designed for first year English students at Abdel Hamid Ibn Badis University of Mostaganem; and an interview addressed to EFL teachers from different Algerian universities.The results reveal that extensive reading has got a noticeable and positive influence on beginners’ English proficiency and on improving their reading comprehension. It allows students to acquire a new set of vocabulary which facilitates the reading comprehension task. Besides, extensive reading promotes a reading habit and offers a better reading experience.