The effectiveness of ER on reading proficiency: A meta-analysis

Author: Eun-Young Jeon, Richard R. Day · Type: academic · Status: draft · URL: https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/items/b52a5591-ec04-4026-816f-434361a4e899

Licence: Open access (Reading in a Foreign Language 28(2), October 2016, University of Hawaii NFLRC); freely quotable with attribution

Summary

Meta-analysis of extensive reading (ER) effects on reading proficiency: 71 unique samples from 49 studies (1980-2014), 5,919 participants. ER produced small-to-medium positive effects in both experimental-versus-control and pre-post designs. Three moderator findings matter directly for Immersive: adults benefited more than children and adolescents, foreign-language settings (learning without immersion) benefited more than second-language settings, and web-based stories outperformed paper books. This validates a reading-centered digital product for adult self-directed foreign-language learners: it is squarely the configuration where extensive reading evidence is strongest.

Insights

• Extensive reading reliably improves L2 reading proficiency, with small-to-medium effects across 71 samples and 5,919 participants in both experimental and pre-post designs. (high, draft) extensive reading meta-analysis reading

  Paraphrase of abstract: effect sizes generated for experimental-versus-control and pre-to-post contrasts showed a small to medium effect in both study designs. — Abstract

• Adults gain more from extensive reading than children and adolescents, supporting a product aimed at adult learners. (high, draft) extensive reading adult learners positioning

  A higher effect was found in the adults than in the children and adolescents group. — Abstract

• Digital delivery is not a compromise: web-based stories showed a higher effect than paper books in the moderator analysis. (medium, draft) extensive reading product design reading

  Web-based stories had a higher effect than paper books. — Abstract / moderator analysis

• Extensive reading effects were larger in foreign-language settings than second-language immersion settings, matching Immersive’s remote self-study audience. (medium, draft) extensive reading adult learners meta-analysis

  English as a foreign language (EFL) settings showed a higher effect than English as a second language (ESL) settings. — Abstract / moderator analysis