Revisiting Extensive Reading Approach: Possible Plans and Solutions to Improve Reading Ability Nation-wide

Abstract

Students’ reading ability should be one of the main foci of the national education. Referring to the teaching of English language and reading, it has been dominated by intensive reading where motivation and engagement are not the priority. However, another reading approach i.e. extensive reading has offered a reading environment which involves students in choosing the reading materials and set their own reading pace which positively impacts their behavior towards reading. The government should understand the benefits the students can reap from extensive reading and establish a program to help the students improve reading ability through extensive reading. There are surely constraints in the implementation such as limited choice of books for students all across the country and the unwillingness of educational practitioners as well as learners to initiate reading. Those can only be countered by enforcing its implementation as a nation-wide program, involving many people and institutions to work on the program. Most importantly, the introduction of Extensive Reading approach should be listed as one compulsory approach in language subjects such as English and Indonesian. Allowing students to choose books to read and set their own pace is an initial step to harness reading habit. This nature is nurtured through Extensive Reading in language classes.