Stories for extensive reading for LESLLA learners

Abstract

"In an ideal world, a first-time reader would spend some time reading alone every day to reinforce the skills being developed in the classroom through explicit instruction. Becoming a proficient, independent reader involves engaging in the act of reading, and the benefits of reading beyond what is covered in the classroom or assigned for homework, i.e. reading for pleasure, have long been touted as the key to promoting full development of literacy. We learn to read by reading (e.g. Grabe, 1988; Krashen, 1988). This sort of reading is variably referred to as extensive reading, sustained silent reading or free voluntary reading, and in addition to being recognized as key to the development of literacy, Krashen has also argued that reading provides additional comprehensible input that promotes oral proficiency/linguistic competence (Krashen, 2004). If Krashen is right, this is no small matter, given recent studies looking at the oral proficiency of low-educated second language adults whose authors have concluded that they typically reach lower levels than those who acquire an L2 with the benefit of literacy (Juffs & Rodríguez, 2008; Kurvers & van de Craats, 2008; Tarone et al. 2007)"