From Extensive Reading to Expository Paragraph Writing: Focusing on Advanced EFL Learners’ Grammatical Accuracy

Abstract

It is generally suggested that exposure to language through extensive reading can enhance the learners’ language competence. This study aims at exploring the effect of extensive reading (ER) on advanced EFL learners’ expository paragraph writing. A total of 42 advanced-level students were concentrated on in the study who belonged to three groups, namely the extensive reading group, intensive reading group and a control group, the latter one of which was mainly engaged in oral activities during the research. For extensive reading, three prose fictions, i.e. Animal Farm, The Grapes of Wrath, and A Farewell to Arms were chosen. Towards the end of the study, which took two semesters, the participants were asked to write four expository paragraphs on four topics already chosen based on brainstorming and random selection. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the complementary tests indicated that the grammatical accuracy in terms of Mean value of Error-Free T-Units (EFTUs) differed significantly between extensive and intensive reading groups but not extensive and control or intensive and control groups. Also, the data obtained from a 5-point Likert-type scale showed that the participants mostly favored extensive reading as a generally useful task; however, they did not agree that grammatical points are teachable exclusively through extensive reading. Implications of the study are discussed.