Affective or cognitive factors on extensive reading of ELT students: A case study

Abstract

Reading has always been at the very focus of researchers of English Language Teaching (ELT). The purpose of learners of English as a Foreign Language Learning (EFLL) is to acquire a considerable amount of knowledge both in academic subjects and socio-cultural settings. However, EFL learners do not engage themselves in reading activities outside class hours even though they unquestionably comprehend that extensive reading (ER) allows them to acquire certain language skills. Some experimental studies on motivating and demotivating factors on reading have been conducted. Yet, there have been very limited qualitative researches on whether affective or cognitive factors affect motivation and demotivation on ER. Thus, this paper firstly explores the literature related to ER and motivation in conjunction with second/foreign language learning. Then a case study was conducted to 25 EFL learners at the department of English Language Teaching, Balıkesir University, Turkey. The learners participating in ER project as a part of Advanced Reading I Course were asked to read any classical works of English literature over three to five months. The result of the study indicated that learners are demotivated since they commonly preferred either their computers or mobile phones to ER. The result also indicated that social media of the digital world, which covers a wide range of online applications such as Facebook, WhatsApp, twitter, snap chat, messenger, line and etc., constitutes a serious impediment to ER. The study specifically conc