What is Extensive reading?
Meaning:- Extensive Reading or Rapid Reading is also known as independent silent reading as (the students read independently without the teacher's help and they do it silently.
This type of reading is mainly about the subject matter. The student Dictionary does extensive reading for information regarding the subject. Here there is no detailed study of words and phrases. According to Education, "Extensive reading is reading for main thought rather than for detail or mechanics of the expression."
Stages of Extensive Reading:
"The method of introducing pupil to rapid silent reading is governed by two main considerations", according to Thompson and Wyatt-
(i) The ground must be covered fairly rapidly or interest will flog.
(ii) The matter read must be understood in at least a broad outline or interest will not arise.
They are of the view that "the exact procedure advisable to adopt will depend upon the nature of the subject matter to be read and the skill in reading already acquired by the class."
Step 1 - Introduction
The teacher should tell the students about the passage to be read. He should deal with the special difficulties in the language and should explain the difficult words, phrases, etc. The teacher should focus on creating interest in the lesson to be read and duly develop a rapport with the students of the class. This first stage of introduction is very important for the class.
Step II- Explanation of the Vocabulary
The teacher selects the difficult words, phrases and sentences, before the students start their silent reading. The teacher can explain the meaning of the difficult words either in English itself or even in the mother tongue to make it easy for the pupil. Even the antonym and the synonym can be given or the difficult words can be used in easy sentences. Thereafter the reading would become easy and interesting for the students..
Step III - Silent Reading:
This is the most focused step in the procedure of extensive reading. This stage should start with the necessary instructions provided by the teacher. The students should be instructed to read the passage silently without even moving their lips. They should be told not to talk, discuss or make any sort of noise in between the reading.
They should not talk or discuss anything with their fellow classmates during the reading session; all the difficulties would be solved after the reading part is over. The teacher should divide the text into suitable units depending on. the ability of the students to read, understand and their speed of reading When the class is doing silent reading, the teacher should supervise the class by taking rounds and monitoring them closely for any untoward behaviour.
Step IV - Questions by the Teacher (Recapitulation)
After the reading session is over, the teacher should ask questions on the reading passage. The questions asked should be easy and straight and should cover the whole text. This would enable the teacher to ascertain the level of understanding achieved by the pupil. The questions should range from asking the main theme or the central idea of the passage, should be general in nature and other topics of the passage should be covered.
Advantages of Intensive Reading
Has all the advantages of both oral and silent reading
Enrich the vocabulary of the students.
Good means of learning pronunciation, articulation, intonation, stress and pause.
Develops the confidence level, of the students.
The real benefit of intensive reading can only be achieved when the students are sincere and honest about the task. They have to be very attentive to gain advantage. Along with the students, it also depends on the teaching skill of the teachers to achieve full benefit.
Limitations of Intensive Reading
• Intensive reading does not teach grammar systematically...
• Students lose interest in the passage which has too many difficult words. They tend to lose patience in the later part of the class.
• Students who are attentive and intelligent gain the best, from intensive reading. Therefore this type of reading requires great attention on the part of the pupil.
• Time-wise intensive reading is not economical because it requires much time for each session.
• This type of reading; is quite complicated and detailed. It is unsuitable for lower classes.
• This reading involves a very detailed study and in due course major part of the class loses interest in the chapter being intensively read. The procedure is long and not interesting.
The benefit of intensive reading depends on the pupil's sincerity and attention as well as on the teaching skills of the teachers. Intensive reading can be made less complicated by avoiding certain details which can be taken at a later stage when the students are ready to grasp more.
An eminent scholar R.G. Mehta is of the opinion that "detailed study has its place in the teaching of a language. It must be kept to that place which is a very wide course of extensive reading. But when it covers the whole canvas as it does at present in almost all Indian schools and colleges, it is pernicious and must be done away with.
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