July 11, 2015 -- Andy Boon: Setting up an extensive reading course: the beginning, the middle, and the end & Inspire or perspire? Getting students speaking.

posted Jul 12, 2015, 9:27 PM by Hamamatsu JALT   [ updated Jul 12, 2015, 9:33 PM ]




Extensive reading (ER) is a great way to holistically improve students’ English practice and understanding. At our July meeting, Andy Boon (Toyo Gakuen University, Tokyo) outlined benefits and some useful activities to maintain student motivation and exploit all macro skills in this area. He had some terrific tips for increasing the ER library for schools holding a limited number of texts (e.g., one-coin book purchase) and walked us through an ER course of his making. His advice for structuring a course to best nurture the confidence of students in this field was for them to read at the appropriately graded level and create a routine for them to follow such as a certain amount of time for SSR, book reports due every week, etc. Student feedback indicated a deep satisfaction with their progress.

Andy’s second presentation introduced the listening/speaking Cengage series, Inspire, of which he is a co-author. Through interactive tasks, Hamamatsu members experienced firsthand how the books’ content could be used in exciting and innovative ways to encourage learner participation in oral and aural activities.


P.S. Somewhat later he gave an impromptu mini concert in downtown Hamamatsu.
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