The Importance of Supporting Inferences with Evidence: Learning Lessons from Huffman (2014) in the Hope of Providing Stronger Evidence for Extensive Reading

Autor/in	McLean, Stuart
Titel	The Importance of Supporting Inferences with Evidence: Learning Lessons from Huffman (2014) in the Hope of Providing Stronger Evidence for Extensive Reading
Quelle	In: Reading in a Foreign Language, 28 (2016) 1, S.143-147 (5 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1539-0578
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Inferences; Evidence; Reading Strategies; Reading Achievement; Reading Instruction; Research Methodology; Time on Task; Criticism; Reader Response; Second Language Learning; Intensive Language Courses + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Inference; Inferenz; Evidenz; Reading strategy; Leselernstufe; Lesetechnik; Leseleistung; Leseunterricht; Research method; Forschungsmethode; Zeitaufwand; Kritik; Leserbrief; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Intensivkurs; Sprachkurs
Abstract	Stuart McLean refers in this commentary to Jeffrey Huffman's article "Reading Rate Gains during a One-Semester Extensive Reading Course" (v26 n2 p17-33 Oct 2014) [See: EJ1044344], in which Huffman reports that extensive reading (ER) was an effective way to provide large amounts of comprehensible input to foreign language learners, but that many teachers and administrators remained unconvinced, and that there was still insufficient evidence to support the claims that have been made regarding its benefits. McLean infers that Huffman's research methodology included a number of novel characteristics that future ER research would benefit from utilizing. However, a significant difference in time on task between groups, combined with weekly timed-reading practice by only the ER group participants, results in the presence of not one independent variable (ER versus IR) but three (ER versus IR, weekly timed reading practice versus a lack thereof, and time on task). As a result, McLean argues that Huffman cannot validly infer so strongly that ER more effectively develops learners' reading rate than IR. McLean hoped that this discussion will encourage researchers to make appropriate inferences, and so provide stronger evidence for the inclusion of ER in language programs. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Reading in a Foreign Language. National Foreign Language Resource Center, 1859 East-West Road #106, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822. e-mail: readfl@hawaii.edu; Web site: http://nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01