Discuss Differences Between Intensive And Extensive Reading And Effects They Have On Reading.

Extensive reading
Extensive reading is used to obtain a general understanding of a subject and includes reading longer texts for pleasure, as well as business books. Use extensive reading skills to improve your general knowledge of business procedures. Do not worry if you understand each word.

Characteristics:
Students read as much as possible. A variety of materials on a range of topics is available. Students select what they want to read . The purposes of reading are usually related to pleasure, information and general understanding. Reading is its own reward. Reading materials are well within the linguistic competence of the students in terms of vocabulary and grammar. Reading is individual and silent. Reading speed is usually faster than slower. Teachers orient students to the goals of the program. The teacher is a role model of a reader for the students.

Day and Bamford (1980)

Examples of Extensive Reading

The latest marketing strategy book A novel you read before going to bed Magazine articles that interest you

Advantages
develop a "reading habit" gain more confidence in reading improve their attitude towards reading and become more motivated to read feel more autonomous over their own learning and more likely to take more initiative. become more " independent readers become more aware of what's available to them to read and how to access materials expand sight vocabulary build background knowledge increase reading comprehension improve overall language competence be more prepared for further academic courses because they have read large quantities

Disadvantages
Cannot increase students reading speed. Some of the students might becomes negatively immune to books.

Intensive reading
Intensive reading is used on shorter texts in order to extract specific information. It includes very close accurate reading for detail. Use intensive reading skills to grasp the details of a specific situation. In this case, it is important that you understand each word, number or fact.

Characteristics:
usually classroom based reader is intensely involved in looking inside the text students focus on linguistic or semantic details of a reading students focus on surface structure details such as grammar and discourse markers students identify key vocabulary students may draw pictures to aid them (such as in problem solving) texts are read carefully and thoroughly, again and again aim is to build more language knowledge rather than simply practice the skill of reading seen more commonly than extensive reading in classrooms

Examples of Intensive Reading

usually very short texts - not more than 500 words in length chosen for level of difficulty and usually, by the teacher chosen to provide the types of reading and skills that the teacher wants to cover in the course

Advantages
It provides a base to study structure, vocabulary and idioms. It provides a base for students to develop a greater control of language It provides for a check on the degree of comprehension for individual students

Disadvantages
There is little actual practice of reading because of the small amount of text. In a class with multi-reading abilities, students may not be able to read at their own level because everyone in the class is reading the same material. The text may or may not interest the reader because it was chosen by the teacher. There is little chance to learn language patterns due to the small amount of text. Because exercises and assessment usually follow intensive reading, students may come to associate reading with testing and not pleasure.

DIFFERENCES
Intensive Reading
Passages should not be too long. Emphasis on comprehension of both main points and details. Give ample time to read passage carefully. May allow students to use dictionaries

Extensive Reading Passages should be longer. Less emphasis should be placed on detail comprehension. Time constraints should be tighter. Dictionary use should not be allowed.

 http://fis.ucalgary.ca/Brian/611/readingtyp e.html Day, R.R. & Bamford, J.(2002) "Top Ten Principles for Teaching Extensive Reading", Reading in a Foreign Language ,Vol.14, No. 2