Investigating the effectiveness of the scaffolded extensive reading intervention in enhancing the reading proficiency of weak second language learners of Hong Kong

Abstract

An Extensive Reading (ER) scheme was adopted by the Hong Kong Education Bureau as a part of the English curriculum in 1991, yet lower-performing students learning English as a second language (L2) at numerous lower banding schools seem to have failed to reap many benefits from this scheme over the past 30 years. To investigate the problems encountered by these weak and presumably unmotivated L2 learners during the process of reading for pleasure in their L2, English, the present study adopted a mixed methods research design, with data being collected from multiple sources, such as semi structured interviews, think-aloud protocols, reading and vocabulary tests. The study included a scaffolded extensive reading intervention lasting 12 weeks with basic vocabulary knowledge and reading strategy development as the essential ingredients, with a view to enhancing the reading proficiency as well as the vocabulary levels of these weak L2 readers. Seventy students aged 13 to 15 participated in the study. They were divided into three groups: 35 in the experimental group and 35 in the comparison group with another batch of 20 students in the control group. To explore whether and to what extent the implementation of a scaffolded ER intervention could improve the reading comprehension as well as the vocabulary power of these weak L2 readers, pretests and posttests were administered to identify any improvements made. Statistical analyses of both reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge tests were conducted and significant results (P<0.05) were obtained, which indicated that both vocabulary knowledge plus reading skills or strategy development can facilitate the extensive reading and improve the reading proficiency of weak L2 learners.