ALR November~December 1999

Books: A Second Language Inspiration

Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom
Richard R. Day & Julian Bamford
Cambridge University Press, New York, 1998 $20.95

After being involved in the learning and teaching of English as a Second Language for close to three fourths of a century, I didn’t think I would find another source of inspiration in the second language field until I read this one. Of course, I knew that reading was important, but I had been trained to regard Listening Comprehension, Speaking, Reading and Writing, in that order, as the best method to apply in the classroom. The authors of this book made me review my thinking, for I still teach immigrants to the USA every now and then. In their book, Extensive Reading, the authors, clearly and effectively lay the groundwork for the development of a reading program. They provide an “extensive” analysis of the Cognitive and Affective views regarding reading, the results of Extensive Reading programs, a comprehensive list of inexpensive materials that teachers can utilize, the goals for an effective program, and how to evaluate the results of an “extensive” versus an “intensive” approach. It is the thesis of Richard Day, an ESL Professor from the University of Hawaii, and Julian Bamford, an Associate Professor at University in Japan, that this type of program can provide an impact in the community of readers.

I agree with them, for now that I look back into my own experience, extensive reading was what made me develop an interest in the language my mother first taught me: Spanish. Some excellent teachers in the classroom followed up with English as a Second Language, and I continued this type of self-development in other languages. I recommend this book highly to young teachers of language in any kind of program.