Jumping from the highest graded readers to ungraded novels: four case studies

Uden, Jez; Schmitt, Diane; Schmitt, Norbert

Abstract

This study follows a small group of learners in the UK to the end of a graded reading program using the Cambridge Readers and investigates whether this particular graded reading series provides a bridge to reading unsimplified novels for pleasure. The participants’ reading comprehension, reading rates, vocabulary text coverage, and overall affect were measured and used for comparison between two of the highest level Cambridge Readers and two ungraded novels. The four books were also analysed to investigate the potential ‘gap’ in vocabulary coverage between graded and ungraded fiction. The overall results revealed that learners can progress from a graded reading program using the Cambridge Readers to reading unsimplified novels for pleasure, but are likely to experience a reduction in vocabulary coverage from over 98% to around 95%. It was also found that the gap between graded and unsimplified novels may not be as big as previously thought.

Citation

Uden, J., Schmitt, D., & Schmitt, N. (2014). Jumping from the highest graded readers to ungraded novels: four case studies

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Mar 14, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 14, 2016
• Journal: Reading in a Foreign Language
• Electronic ISSN: 1539-0578
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 1
• Keywords: Extensive Reading, Grading Readers, Reading Comprehension, Reading Speed, Reading Pleasure
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/723989
• Publisher URL: http://nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/April2014/articles/uden.pdf
• Additional Information: First published in Reading in a Foreign Language