Extensive Reading and Second Language Acquisition: Pedagogical Implications

Abstract

Extensive reading, defined as the practice of reading large amounts of easy, interesting, and largely self-selected texts, has been widely investigated as a source of comprehensible input for second language (L2) development. This literature review synthesizes 20 empirical studies published between 1990 and 2023 that investigated how extensive reading supports vocabulary acquisition, reading fluency, writing accuracy, grammatical development, and learner motivation in L2 English and other foreign-language contexts. Studies were located through structured database searches of ERIC, JSTOR, and Google Scholar; 127 records were initially identified, and after duplicate removal and title and abstract screening, 41 articles were assessed in full text for eligibility. Of these, 20 empirical studies were retained for narrative thematic synthesis. Across experimental, quasi-experimental, and case-study designs, the reviewed evidence indicates that ER is consistently associated with incidental vocabulary gains, faster reading, improved written accuracy, and stronger motivation, particularly when reading is frequent and sustained and comprehensible texts are supplemented with audio or interactive tasks. At the same time, the magnitude and pattern of effects depend on exposure frequency, text difficulty, instructional setting, and learner beliefs about reading. The review concludes that ER provides a low-cost, theoretically grounded, and pedagogically flexible route to L2 development and is most effective when embedded as a sustained component of a broader language-learning program.