Extensive reading : an analysis of students' and teachers' perceptions of strengths, weaknesses, and goal attainment

The study investigated the effectiveness of the Extensive Reading Project implemented at Anadolu University School of Foreign Languages (AUSFL) by examining the students’ and the teachers’ perceptions of its strengths and weaknesses, and by examining the extent to which the teachers and the students think that the ERP achieves its goals and objectives. Two types of data collection instruments were employed in this study. First, the teachers and the students were given questionnaires. Second, interviews with five randomly chosen teachers and students were carried out. Analysis of data revealed that most of the teachers consider the exposure to the different text types as a strength of the ERP, whereas most of the students think that improving reading comprehension and vocabulary are the most important strengths of the project. The weaknesses of the ERP, such as the cheating factor, or students’ not taking the project seriously, seem to be associated with the fact that ERP is assessed. In addition, the students are generally satisfied with the ERP in terms of meeting its goals, which are improving reading comprehension and vocabulary, improving attitudes toward reading in English, and using the reading strategies taught in the class, whereas the teachers think that only the first three goals are achieved. The data also pointed to weaknesses such as the effect of assessment on the implementation of the ERP. The data gained from the interviews indicated that the assessment of ER may have a negative impact on achieving all of the goals of the ERP. The results of this study suggest that the ERP, in its inclusion of assessment, as well as in its departure from the ideal implementation as described in the literature, may be failing to meet the goals of the project, in particular, improving attitudes toward reading; however, the project seems to be successful in developing reading comprehension and vocabulary, according to the students’ and the teachers’ perceptions.