Extensive reading in practice

Reading has been part of English language pedagogy and practice from its very beginning. Reading passages are a staple of coursebooks and language learning materials, so much so that learners traditionally learned to read English long before they actually started speaking it. Reading, however, is much more than a didactic tool. Books can engage our emotions and our imagination. An ER project, even a small one, greatly increases learners’ exposure to the English language, as they are engaged in reading for pleasure outside the classroom.