A case study of the construct of extensive reading tests and the role of reading comprehension in a context of EFL teaching

Abstract

The following investigation explores and analyses the assessment construct of extensive reading tests and the place of reading comprehension within that construct in a particular educational setting of English as a Foreign Language. We also explored possible reasons behind the diversity of formats in that program. We collected and carried out a thematic analysis of data drawn from interviews of teachers involved with Extensive Reading, tests and rubrics to represent possible constructs. The findings of this study revealed that 1) the construct of Extensive Reading tests consists mainly of linguistic abilities and competencies, as well as the development of the target language, 2) that reading comprehension is not a central part of the construct, and 3) that the diversity of formats of the ERT is mainly driven by teachers’ considerations of the environment and the needs of the students in the context of the assessment process. These results are interesting as they suggest that reading comprehension, as a process/ skill that is intrinsically associated with extensive reading activities, is not part of the formal assessment focus of Extensive Reading tests, and other types of language abilities and ways of processing information are more relevant when assessing this activity. These findings are relevant therefore to the longstanding debate on the purposes and construct of Extensive Reading as a beneficial activity for programmes of teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language.