Page 31 - ELG2402 Feb Issue 488

FEATURE

propel language acquisition, allowing students written in a simple and interesting style,
to apply their knowledge to authentic covering a wider range of titles, including Useful Resources on graded readers
language use outside the classroom. movie tie-ins, non-fiction and fiction. and extensive reading
There are, of course, highly interesting and 1. Free graded readers: https://
4. But graded readers are boring readable authentic materials that teachers can erfoundation.org/wordpress/graded-
and inauthentic! and should continue to use. But the majority readers/; https://www.letsreadasia.org/
One of the misconceptions in ELT has to do may not be suitable for our novice students. 2. Academic resources on extensive
with the notion of authenticity. Authentic We should therefore consider incorporating reading: https://erfoundation.org/
materials are those written by and intended for graded readers in our teaching, using materials wordpress/bibliography/
native speakers and other high proficiency users that are freely available on the internet, such 3. Academic paper on the theory and
of the language. The thinking goes like this: as the Extensive Reading Foundation or British practice of extensive reading: https://
since the goal of language learning is to enable Council Story Zone. There are also those willyrenandya.com/the-primacy-of-
the use of English in authentic situations in the that require subscription, such as XReading, extensive-reading-and-listening/
real world, students should be exposed to this a virtual library with nearly two thousand
kind of language as early as possible. Graded graded readers, including audio narrations and
readers are not authentic as they are written comprehension quizzes. XReading is supported Dr Willy Renandya is a
in simple language and the intended audience by an easy-to-use learner management system
are language learners, not native speakers. that can be seamlessly integrated into our language teacher and educator
Therefore, readers should not be used as they existing reading programmes, allowing teachers with extensive teaching
would derail students’ language learning process. to assign titles, monitor student reading experience in Asia. He currently
On the surface, this makes a lot of sense. progress and check comprehension. teaches language education
However, research and experience tell us that It’s clear graded readers are powerful courses at the National Institute of Education,
authentic language may not be suitable for resources for language educators, particularly Nanyang Technological University. He
beginning language learners; the language is when working with beginning level students. manages a large professional development
often far too challenging and the contents not These books help address the unique challenges forum on Facebook called Teacher Voices.
very relatable. ELT scholars believe that when of novice learners, thereby contributing to
the input materials are not comprehensible their vocabulary growth, reading confidence, Dr George Jacobs teaches
language learning may not proceed smoothly. and overall language proficiency. As practicing English and Education
Graded readers have faced considerable teachers, it is our duty to recognize the huge in Singapore and beyond.
criticisms, especially for their earlier versions language learning benefits of graded readers George enjoys co-operating
which contained simplistic and bland and incorporate them into our teaching with Willy and other fellow
language. Many of these titles were adapted methodologies. In doing so, we not only educators on topics including
19th or 20th century classics such as ‘Pride enhance the language learning experience of student-centred learning and the Sustainable
and Prejudice’ and ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. our students but also lay the foundation for a Development Goals.
However, modern graded readers today are lifelong love of reading.

Readers

Over 125 non-fiction levelled

readers for ages 3–11

Q Q

Power up non-fiction reading skills and knowledge
to help children become reading superheroes!

• Provide young English language learners with
exposure to authentic, real-world content
• Immerse students in language learning and develop subject
vocabulary as kids explore the exciting world of dinosaurs,
animals, natural wonders, and more
• Find the right titles for your students with titles mapped to the
CEFR and help build confidence with carefully levelled content
• Build contextual knowledge while progressing reading skills Q
and developing a love for reading

Q Discover more online!

Find out Follow the QR code on the back cover to find free Super
Reader resources, including comprehension quizzes to
more boost understanding and foster critical thinking skills.

editorial@elgazette.com 31