NARROW READING 2.

0
Michael Stout, Toyo Gakuen University, Tokyo, Japan. michael.stout@tyg.jp

ABSTRACT
The term “Narrow Reading” was coined by Krashen (1981) to describe reading in only one genre, one
subject matter, or the work of a single author. Studies including Lamme (1975), Cho and Krashen (1994,
1995), and Schmidt and Carter (2000) have shown that Narrow Reading is beneficial to second language
learners. The term “Web 2.0.” refers to Internet based applications including blogs, wikis, social networks
and various other applications that allow users to create and share content on the Internet. The interactive
nature of Web 2.0 technologies and their close resemblance to a social-constructivist model of learning make
them attractive to English language teachers. Narrow Reading 2.0 is a teaching approach that combines
Narrow Reading and Web 2.0. In this workshop the presenter will show participants how he has integrated
Web 2.0 projects in a university EFL course focused on reading in the detective fiction genre. Then he will
lead workshop participants through a series of tasks toward integrating Web 2.0 and Narrow Reading into
their own classes. This workshop is aimed at teachers with a good understanding of current approaches to
EFL reading instruction and a basic knowledge of computers and the Internet.

WHAT IS NARROW READING?

The term “Narrow Reading” was coined by Krashen (1981. TESOL Newsletter 15:23) to describe reading in
only one genre, one subject matter, or the work of a single author. Typically beginning level learners are
exposed to a wide variety of topics, and only advanced learners are allowed to specialise by taking courses
in, for example, 20th century fiction, or even more narrowly, the works of William Shakespeare, or a survey
of science fiction. According to Krashen:

The case for narrow reading is based on the idea that the acquisition of both structure and
vocabulary comes from many exposures in a comprehensible context, that is, we acquire new
structures and words when we understand messages, many messages, that they encode.

Krashen also points out an interesting characteristic of Narrow Reading that he calls the “first few pages
effect”. He says:

Intermediate foreign language students, reading a novel in the foreign language, often report
that they find the first few pages of a new author's work tough going. After this initial difficulty,
the rest of the book goes much easier. This is due to the fact that the context, the story, was new,
and, in addition, the reader had not adjusted to the author's style.

Schmitt & Carter (2000) found that Narrow Reading texts had a lighter vocabulary learning load, making
them more accessible to language learners. However, according to Gardner (2008) text collections written by
a single author are more efficient than text collections written by multiple authors in recycling vocabulary.

WHAT IS WEB 2.0?

Web 2.0 refers to online applications that resemble the software found on personal computers. The design,
“...is based on an architecture of participation, a structure encouraging users to contribute, interact, and remix
user-owned data (mash-ups). In general, the more users participate, the better the services become”. Web 2.0,
“...closely resembles a social constructivist model of learning, one where the subject holds the center of
attention within groups of interactive learners”. (Talandis. 2008. p. 797, 799)

WHAT IS NARROW READING 2.0?

Narrow Reading 2.0 integrates Web 2.0 tools into a Narrow Reading programme of study. The text collection
the group of learners read is the centre of attention within which they interact using online tools including
blogs, mind maps, slideshows, and so on.
NARROW READING 2.0 AT TOYO GAKUEN UNIVERSITY IN JAPAN
I take a Narrow Reading approach to a second year elective reading course at Toyo Gakuen University. There
are approximately 30 students in the class. The students study 2 detective stories written by Adam Gray.
Included in the text are listing, ordering, and other reading tasks. Each chapter ends with a cliff hanger
puzzle, which the students solve by answering vocabulary and comprehension questions. This is done for
homework. Classes begin with vocabulary study using online vocabulary flashcards. Then, the students
form groups led by a “Chief Detective”. Together they check their answers to the puzzle and prepare for the
quiz. Review is provided by mind maps made using mindmeister (http://www.mindmeister.com/). At the
end of the class, students share their ideas regarding aspects of the story including the suspects, and their
motives. They do this by posting a comment on the teacher blog. Also, the students interact with the authors
of the textbook, Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides, through the blog. Finally, the students write their own
“fan fiction” about one of the characters in the story. I send the stories to Gray and Benevides and they select
the three stories they like the best. Then I reformulate the stories to ensure the grammar and usage are
correct, and then I publish them on my blog.

IMPLEMENTING NARROW READING 2.0

Teachers wanting to implement Narrow Reading 2.0 should consider the following:
•The students’ reading level and their reading interests
•Can the students do what you want them to do with “paper and pencil”?
•The students’ computer literacy
•The best web 2.0 tool for the pedagogical purpose
•The cost of the online application. Some sites start out free, but then they become pay sites

REFERENCES
Gardner, D. (2008). Vocabulary recycling in children’s authentic reading materials: A corpus-based
investigation. Reading in a Foreign Language. 20, 1, 92-122.

Gray, A. & Benevides, M. (2010). Fiction in Action: Whodunit. Tokyo: Abax

Hadaway, N.L. (2009). A narrow bridge to academic reading. Educational Leadership, 66, 7, 38-41.

Krashen, S. (1981). The case for narrow reading. TESOL Newsletter, 15,23.

Kimura, H. & Ssali, V. (2009). The case for combining narrow reading and listening. The Language
Teacher, 33,6,9-13.

Talandis Jr., J. (2008). Web 2.0 in the ELT classroom: An introduction. In K. Bradford Watts, T.Muller,
& M. Swanson (Eds). JALT 2007 Conference Proceedings. Tokyo: JALT. 795-807.

RESOURCES
Michael Stout’s blog for students and teachers: http://mrstoutsblog.blogspot.com/

My Diigo list of Web 2.0 related sites: http://www.diigo.com/list/mickstout/web-20