Investigating Arabic teachers’ perceptions of extensive reading practices in higher education

Abstract

This study investigated Arabic teachers’ perceptions of the practice of extensive reading (ER) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study was conducted as part of an interdisciplinary research project at one of the largest higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country. The project aimed to develop and launch an Arabic online reading tracking tool to mirror its successful English forerunner, the M-Reader. The present study aimed to use teachers’ perceptions to proactively address any challenges regarding the support needed from HEIs before launching the tool. A total of 34 teachers of Arabic courses in an HEI responded to an online questionnaire, which explored the reasons for, methods and approaches used, and motivation techniques and difficulties associated with implementing ER. The results showed that the teachers were aware of the benefits associated with ER practice and its positive impact on language competency. They reported encountering difficulties, which included students’ lack of interest and time for reading and their inability to read independently. Teachers also reported challenges in motivating students to read and in assessing ER practices, particularly when ER is a standalone course rather than a part of the curriculum. Based on the results, we offer practical suggestions that can benefit ER practitioners in HEIs. We conclude by offering a set of implications for the successful implementation of ER programs.

Keywords:

• extensive reading
• teacher perceptions
• extensive reading difficulties
• extensive reading practices

1. Introduction

Extensive reading (ER) is a process or approach through which students are exposed to a great deal of interesting reading materials for the sake of pleasure, knowledge, or both (F. Al-Homoud & Schmitt, 2009; Hafiz & Tudor, 1989; Soliman, 2012). ER is one of the main pathways to improving and developing students’ language skills (Hedgcock & Ferris, 2009; Krashen, 1982; Lee, 1995; Nuttall, 1982; R. R. Day & Bamford, 2002) and overall proficiency (F. Al-Homoud & Schmitt, 2009; Alkhawaldeh, 2011). Though most research on ER has been conducted in English language settings, ER can be a valuable approach to reading development in all languages, mainly through exposure to reading.

In the past two decades, many studies have been conducted on ER. However, most of these have focused on the benefits of ER and its effectiveness in improving overall language competency from the student’s perspective (e.g., De Burgh-Hirabe & Feryok, 2013; Dupuy & Krashen, 1993; Elley & Mangubhai, 1981; Fernandez de Morgado, 2009; Rodrigo et al., 2007; Shih, 2015; Shih & Reynolds, 2018) and have ignored the teacher’s perspective (Trykacz, 2019).

The scarcity of studies dealing with teachers’ perceptions of ER was a major challenge for the authors as implementing an ER program is no easy task (Malley, 2009). Therefore, it was essential for the authors to learn more about the perceptions of L1 teachers regarding ER practices and their willingness to implement these kinds of practices, the exact methods used and why, and the associated challenges.

Thus, this study investigates teachers’ perceptions of ER in an academic, Arabic-medium setting, providing an important non-English and teacher-centric perspective that is missing from the literature. To better understand the backdrop in which this study is situated, Section 2 provides a brief overview of the history of education, specifically reading-focused education, in the UAE. Subsequently, Section 3 presents a review of the relevant literature, Section 4 details the study methodology, and Section 5 discusses the results. Finally, in Section 6, recommendations and conclusions are provided.

2. Background and context

The UAE is a relatively new country and has been characterized by rapid development. A brief overview of the UAE education system is provided below, followed by a specific look into reading in the Arab context.

2.1. The UAE Education system

After the establishment of the UAE in 1971, a newly formed Ministry of Education and Youth made basic public education mandatory for all children (Ridge, 2014). Since then, developing the education system has been at the vanguard of all government policy (Ashour & Fatima, 2016). Massive investments have been made in the UAE education system in response to globalization and in pursuit of the country’s goal to make the UAE a leading economy by 2021 (UAE Vision 2021 (2009)). This has largely focused on moving from a fossil-fuel based economy to a knowledge economy, emphasizing the participation of UAE citizens in higher education and the national workforce.

In 2022, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president and ruler of Dubai, unveiled further major education changes by announcing the restructuring of the Education and Human Resources Council. The changes initially involved the launching of a new dedicated Federal Authority for Quality and Standards of Education. This entity, which is also affiliated with the UAE Cabinet, is responsible for measuring the educational outcomes, student performance, and the efficiency of the educational process. The new structure also created a dedicated Federal Authority for Early Childhood Education for developing policies, strategies, legislation, and programs related to early childhood educational needs. It also works with parents to enhance their role in early childhood education. Another part of this new structure is the Emirates Schools Establishment, which also falls under the umbrella of the UAE Cabinet. This unit is solely focused on monitoring the efficiency of government schools and nurseries, supervising public schools, and implementing policies, strategies, and standards related to education sector development (Naar, 2022).

In terms of the education system’s focus on reading, the National Reading Strategy was launched in 2016 by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, after he declared 2016 the “Year of Reading.” That year, many reading initiatives were introduced, and arrangements for the development of a National Literacy Strategy were made (UAE Cabinet, 2016). The introduction of the National Reading Strategy by the UAE’s leaders indicates that the government is aware that basic education and literacy skills need attention (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2016). These initiatives continue, with the most recent one being the “Reading Month 2022 Identity” (Ministry of Culture and Youth Education, 2022).

It should be noted that at the time of this study, male and female students in the higher education institutions (HEIs) reviewed in this study were educated separately on 16 different campuses across each of the seven Emirates that constitute the UAE.

2.2. Reading in the Arab world

Despite the proposed efforts to enhance access to reading and education in general, reading rates are low in the Arab region (Ridge et al., 2013). Although the literature on reading in the Arab region dates back to over a decade, research remains scarce. Furthermore, many studies have found mixed results and do not use nationally representative data (Martin et al., 2017). Nevertheless, most scholars agree that a reading culture does not exist in the Arab world (Al-Mahrooqi et al., 2010; Shannon, 2003). Al-Yacoub, 2012), for example, reported that the average European reads approximately 35 books a year, in contrast to the average Arab, who reads only a fraction of one book; he also stated that Western children usually read for approximately 12,000 min a year, whereas Arab children read for approximately 6 min.

There is evidence that students in the UAE lag in reading compared to their international counterparts (Marquez et al., 2022; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2019). This is often attributed to the assertions that many households in the region do not have books at home and that parental involvement in children’s education is infrequent (Al-Mahrooqi et al., 2010; Demirci, 2019). A recent survey conducted by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge showed that only 23% of parents read to their young children (Kumar, 2022); this is primarily because most parents are either unaware of the advantages of reading or are uneducated (Marquez et al., 2022).

Additionally, Wischenbart (2011, as cited in Zoubeidi et al., 2018) found that Emirati students prefer reading online books over printed ones; however, higher education students in the UAE have poor attitudes toward reading in general as well as a limited awareness of reading strategies (O’Sullivan, 2009).

In an opinion piece in Arabic higher education news publisher Al-Fanar Media titled “Why Don’t Arabs Read?” journalist Ursula Lindsey addresses this issue:

Every time I hear someone complain that people don’t read in the Arab world, I wonder: Is that true? And if so, why? … There are many indications that readership is relatively low in the region. But we don’t know the extent of the problem, and partly because of that, we can’t clearly tell what its causes and effects are. (2016, para. 3)

Thus, the issue at hand is not whether most Arabs read but whether they have as vigorous a reading culture as others in different parts of the world. In fact, some Arab readership statistics are less pessimistic. According to the Arab Reading Index (UNDP & Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, 2016), data drawn from 148,000 respondents from across the Arab world showed that contrary to what has been indicated by limited research, Arabs read an average of 35 h per year (15 h for school or work and 20 h in their free time). Meanwhile, the average number of books read was 16 per year, 7 within school or work hours and 9 outside formal settings. The index also showed that e-reading surpassed traditional reading, with social media topping the list, followed by news websites, e-books, and blogs. Regarding paper publications, respondents read scientific books, novels, specialized magazines, newspapers, and comics, in that order. Similarly, Martin et al. (2017) examined print and e-book reliance among Internet users in six Arab countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE (Arab respondents: n = 3,510; Western and Asian expatriates: n = 989). The study reported that Arabs relied less on books than on TV, interpersonal sources, or the Internet for information and entertainment. Thus, Martin et al.’s (2017) study suggests that Arab residents of Arab countries use books for learning and leisure less than the Western and Asian expatriates in those countries.

Therefore, even when the best statistics are considered, readership rates among Arabs are low because reading is done chiefly in formal, intensive settings rather than for leisure or entertainment (Khoury & Duzgun, 2009). Other contributing factors are the lack of parental involvement in reading (Al-Mahrooqi et al., 2010; Demirci, 2019; Kumar, 2022; Ridge et al., 2013), parental illiteracy or low literacy (Khoury & Duzgun, 2009), challenges related to the difference between classical and colloquial Arabic dialects, and poor library networks (Harabi, 2009; Olson & Torrance, 2009).

Thus, using an ER-focused approach, this study sought to investigate this perceived lack of reading by eliciting Arabic teachers’ perceptions of ER in an HEI in the UAE so that their practices can be compared to those of other ER practitioners, whose students are perceived as being more successful readers.

3. Literature review

There has been a great deal of research on the benefits of ER for learning both first (L1) and second languages (L2; Renandya, 2007). These benefits include spelling acquisition (Pellicer-Sánchez & Schmitt, 2010; Pigada & Schmitt, 2006), increased reading proficiency (F. Al-Homoud & Schmitt, 2009; Chen et al., 2013; Cho & Kim, 2004; Kargar, 2012; Yamashita, 2008), vocabulary acquisition (F. Al-Homoud & Schmitt, 2009; Cho & Kim, 2004; Kweon & Kim, 2008; Rashidi & Piran, 2011), writing proficiency (Cho & Kim, 2004), and increased overall language proficiency (Iwahori, 2008; Lee, 2007; Nakanishi, 2015). A growing number of language teachers have begun to implement ER in their teaching to help their students improve their overall language proficiency. Nevertheless, although ER has been successful in various contexts, the results remain mixed. This literature review explores the implementation of ER, both successful and less so, and discusses common barriers to implementation. It also examines specific ER approaches (i.e., wide and narrow reading).

3.1. Successful ER programs

Where ER has been successfully implemented, it has been done so for a variety of purposes and learning outcomes. Suk (2016), for example, employed 30 min of ER instruction in his classes with Korean university students of English as a foreign language to examine the effects of ER on reading comprehension (RC) and rate, and vocabulary acquisition. The results showed that ER positively impacted L2 students’ reading abilities and increased L2 vocabulary acquisition significantly, even though only 30% of class time was used for ER instruction. Suk (2016) suggested that these findings implied that ER can be integrated into L2 programs without major changes to the curricula and can improve RC /rate and vocabulary acquisition. Similarly, Rodrigo et al. (2007) used sustained silent reading, book talk, and reading aloud with 43 L1 and L2 adult literacy learners and concluded that ER could successfully be used to assist adults with reading difficulties.

Reading graded readers (GR) as part of an ER program has also been shown to be beneficial in improving vocabulary, reading skills, and understanding different cultures, as reported by both university faculty and students (Kim, 2019). Robb and Kano (2013) used additive ER, or what is widely known as the Moodle Reader module (called the M-Reader), to monitor reading completed outside class in their large-scale study in a university setting in Japan. Students were required to read outside class as part of their course requirement. The authors reported statistically significant gains using pre-and post-test comparisons.

Wang and Ho (2019) asked Taiwanese first-year university students (n = 190) to write book reports and keep reading logs while using graded English or literature books suitable for teenagers. After implementing ER for one year, the pre- and post-test scores showed statistically significant gains in listening, reading, and writing. A detailed analysis of questionnaire responses indicated that the students had positive views of ER and perceived it as effective in helping them enhance their English skills and raising their confidence in learning English. The instructors (n = 3) reported feeling optimistic regarding implementing ER in their reading classes and promoting the practice to other instructors, as well as willingness to improve themselves in teaching with ER. Though the instructors used different approaches to implementing ER, the outcomes were the same with respect to students’ reduced fear of reading, better reading habits, and positive attitude towards ER.

3.2. ER in the Arabian gulf region

The Arabic literature about ER is not as vast as that in English, but reviewing what is available will help build bridges between various types of knowledge of ER practices in HEI. Demirci and Gobert (2015) used GR and the M-reader software program to motivate Emirati English Foundation students in an HEI. Given the novelty of this approach, the authors aimed to increase students’ intrinsic motivation by rewarding the students with certificates and by introducing competitions. The program proved to be a suitable method to meet the needs of students when it comes to developing a habit of reading and a way for students to experience reading for pleasure.

Various other studies about ER were reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). For example, F. Al-Homoud and Schmitt (2009) compared the benefits of ER versus intensive reading (IR)in developing language knowledge, comprehension skills, reading speed, and vocabulary gains for a group of Saudi college students enrolled in an Intensive English Program (IEP) course. The study showed that ER was as efficient and better than the IR approach in improving RC ability, reading speed, and vocabulary acquisition, particularly in a challenging teaching situation characterized by a short-duration and inactive readers. F. A. Al-Homoud and Alsalloum (2012) studied the effects of reading GR extensively versus reading a material textbook intensively on two groups of English foreign language (EFL) female university students over eight weeks. Both groups made similar gains on 2000, 3000, and academic word sections of the Vocabulary Levels Test, suggesting that both ER and IR had the same effect. However, the ER group made better gains on the Word Associate Test. Moreover, ER was effective in changing learners’ attitudes towards learning a foreign language. Al-Homoud and Alsalloum’s study, the first of its type, adds to the growing evidence showing the benefits of ER on poor readers. Salameh (2017) investigated the effect of ER on 70 EFL Saudi learners’ various components of reading attitude: affective, cognitive, and behavioral. Pre- and post-test results from the attitudinal questionnaire indicated positive changes in the EFL learners’ overall attitudes toward reading (42.09 vs. 65.40), with the most tangible change in the cognitive variable and the least in the behavioral.ER was effective in increasing students’ confidence and autonomy, but had a limited range on the practical value, the behavioral variable, which could be due to the insufficient implementation period of 15 weeks. The study asserts that the love for reading can be fostered if ER is incorporated into reading programs. Al-Mansour and Al-Shorman (2014) examined the effect of an ER program versus the traditional method on the writing performance of 48 Saudi male EFL university students. The study’s findings suggested that integrating ER programs into writing instruction effectively enhanced students’ writing performance and provided a positive learning experience. Al-Mansour infers that ER effectively motivated the students to read, which was conducive to their writing performance. Furthermore, with students reading more, their writing had richer vocabulary and meaningful content. Al-Nafisah (2105) investigated the effectiveness of an ER program in developing the RC of 54 Saudi EFL university students. Pre- and post-test data collected within three months revealed that the experiment group outperformed the control group that was taught using conventional methods in RC, further supporting the positive effect of ER on EFL learners’ RC. Participants were motivated to read different genres, which increased their reading proficiency and vocabulary acquisition. Furthermore, ER was shown to successfully alleviate boredom-an implication that it would be beneficial if ER is used to complement IR in EFL pre-university education. The last study found by the authors of this study in in Saudi settings by Abdellah, 2013) explored the effectiveness of an ER program on developing selected intensive reading skills for English majors at the College of Education. Based on the results attained in this study, using reading materials outside the main textbook was an effective technique for improving RC and other higher skills of reading that consequently had a positive effect on improving reading performance in the main reading course. Therefore, from an educational implication perspective, the study offers valuable insights so that students can, with time, transfer the reading skills applied extensively to improve their RC with the formal instructional materials. It further acts as a reference for HEI and secondary reading course designers to add supplementary readers for students to read at their own pace for pleasure.

The most comprehensive study reported in the Arabic literature about ER in an HEI was conducted by Meniado (2021), who mapped out how 17 HEIs in the Arabian gulf practice ER, including the approaches implemented and the challenges encountered. Results from Meniado’s study revealed that most HEIs share the same ER approach, that of using GR, implying that they are in line with the ER principles that provide learners’ the freedom to choose books appropriate to their proficiency levels from a wide range of interesting topics and what and when to read, mainly for pleasure, learning, and understanding. Meniado further found that modified ER was the most adopted model, where teachers make changes to the ER programs to meet the specific needs of the learners and learning contexts. Finally, most HEIs integrated ER programs into their curriculum, for example, as part of the IEP. Therefore, most HEIs shared the same ER approach with a variation in assessment activities, duration, number of hours and sessions, the target number of words, the required number of books read, and engagement and enrichment activities. The differences could be attributed to admission standards, institutional policies, systems, and perspectives. The diversity of ER practices across the 17 HEIs shows a need for regional collaboration to avail the benefits of ER for language and literacy development. Several challenges were also reported, mainly insufficient funds to maintain GR and access to ER online platforms like M-reader, in addition to issues with monitoring students’ reading, given the large number of students and teachers’ workloads. Meniado’s study is a true indication that ER programs in the Arabian Gulf region match international practices in terms of approach, structure, and curriculum integration. It also asserts the need for a sturdy regional policy on ER to institutionalize reading as part of Arab culture.

3.3. Unsuccessful ER programs

Research has also highlighted situations in which ER did not generate positive results. De Burgh-Hirabe and Feryok (2013) reported an insignificant impact of ER. They encouraged nine Japanese foreign language learners in New Zealand to read as many Japanese books as possible outside class for five to seven months. Data from interviews and journal entries showed that only four of the nine students’ motivation increased over time, three reported decreased motivation, and two had low motivation throughout. Williams (2007) examined the longitudinal effect of ER on primary school students who received book boxes for use in the program. Summative evaluation through baseline and project-end testing and retesting four years after the start of the program showed a statistically significant decrease in mean scores.

Some studies have presented mixed results. In a quasi-experimental study in Taiwan in which two groups of students were taught reading strategies and ER was used with only one group, no statistically significant differences in reading proficiency were found between the groups. However, the reading strategies of the group that used ER improved more significantly than those of the control group (Shih, 2015). Further, in a scientific reading course in a Venezuelan university, students reported that the ER program helped build vocabulary, RC, and confidence, although the data showed no statistical gain in RC performance (Fernandez de Morgado, 2009).

3.4. Difficulties in implementing ER

Various barriers have impeded the successful implementation of ER. The first barrier comes from the teachers themselves. Where ER is isolated from the language curriculum, its importance for teachers is diminished (Milliner & Cote, 2015). Teachers have reported difficulty in confirming whether students have really read the books (Campbell & Weatherford, 2013) and have little time to monitor students’ progress and provide feedback (Milliner & Cote, 2015). Some teachers lack an understanding of ER and its associated benefits and may therefore hold negative feelings toward it, particularly with the increasing academic pressure from administrators and community members to follow and finish syllabi (Jacobs & Gallo, 2000). Further impediments to the successful implementation of ER relate to a teacher-centered view of reading instruction and the high expectation from teachers to boost students’ observable academic performance (Bamford & Day, 1997; Powell, 2005; Tanaka & Stapleton, 2007). Some believe that ER is advantageous with advanced level students, and they insist on adopting explicit and systematic teaching approaches with lower proficiency students (Elley, 2001), while others favor books of literary value rather than romance books or thrillers, which are often chosen for pleasure reading (Renandya et al., 2018). Teachers also struggle when placing students into the appropriate reading level and with finding ways to show their students the value of ER (Domenica, 2010). These difficulties may explain why some teachers do not implement ER programs or abandon them shortly after implementation (Renandya et al., 2020). Macalister (2010) found that even when teachers held positive beliefs about ER, these beliefs did not necessarily result in the inclusion of ER practices in the classroom curricula.

Other difficulties are associated with the students themselves, who are consumed with completing their coursework assignments and assessments (Huang & Gritt, 2015). Students might also underestimate the seriousness of the program and even resist it as it is not part of their curriculum (Green, 2005). Students claim they have no time for reading and many have also had unpleasant reading experiences and prefer watching movies (Alavi et al., 2012). In addition to the students’ lack of time and interest, some may have trouble understanding the benefits of ER because they have no experience with this novel approach (Nishizawa et al., 2010). Others may have a biased mindset that reading easy material, unlike their intensive learning material, is unbeneficial (Hu & Nation, 2000). These deeply seated ideologies may negatively interfere with their willingness to begin ER or engage in reading a book at their level (Mercer, 2015).

Some researchers have acknowledged this quandary and have suggested various solutions to try and address some of the barriers that teachers and students have reported. Some examples include dedicating in-class time for reading for pleasure (Macalister, 2010); holding students accountable for reading by asking them to produce oral reports, reflections, group discussions, and picture drawings (Bamford & Day, 2004); and using the M-Reader to monitor students’ ER outside class (Robb & Kano, 2013). However, these optimistic solutions are further dismissed and challenged by the cultural politics of ER alongside the ideological, social, and economic issues. For example, the stakeholders’ attitudes towards using GR over real-world texts is debatable as they believe it results in shallow vocabulary learning (Chien & Yu, 2015). The delayed positive effect of ER is another concern where decision-makers, including teachers, want to see tangible results, such as a significant increase in RC skills and noticeable improvement in students’ performance in examinations-a misconception about how ER works (Renandya et al., 2021). Demanding immediate and concrete evidence of the positive effect of ER on improving students’ high-stakes examination results may negatively affect ER funding, let alone sustain motivation. Similarly, Prowse (2002) discussed the legitimacy issues reported by administrators who think that independent, unsupervised reading time with minimal teacher intervention is not worthy of any curriculum time. Lastly, financial logistics are a challenge. Hinkelman (2013) points to the costly monetary burden incurred by educational institutions when purchasing a wide selection of GR readers of varying genres and ability levels. Resource management, such as staffing a moderately sized library collection for day-to-day operation, is also cumbersome. To conclude, the advocates of ER face various challenges despite numerous researches supporting its benefits on overall language competence.

3.5. Wide and narrow reading

GR are often at the heart of ER programs (R. Day & Bamford, 1998). GR allow students to participate in wide reading, that is, they read a wide variety of books at their level. Almost any genre or topic can be found in graded reading collections. This allows students to have a broad reading experience and raise the count of different words encountered across a school year. Conversely, narrow reading focuses on reading only one genre or subject matter or the work of one author over an extended period (Cho et al., 2005).

Both forms have potential benefits for students; the difference lies in the selection of reading materials (McQuillan, 2016; Schmitt & Carter, 2000). Narrow reading focuses on text redundancy, wherein the vocabulary and concepts are familiar because books written by the same author or on the same topic are used (Gardner, 2008). Min (2008) confirmed that books written about the same theme will allow students to have greater exposure to the related vocabulary. Empirical studies have supported narrow reading (e.g., Cho & Krashen, 1994; Kang, 2015). In one example, a small number of adult female students were asked to read as many Sweet Valley Kids books as possible. The students became fond of the series and more familiar with the style and contextual background of the stories, which led them to continue reading the Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High series (Cho & Krashen, 1994). Though the study lacked statistical significance, it can be used as a piece of subjective yet powerful evidence that reading a series can help improve reading ability. Additionally, Kang (2015) found that narrow reading led to increased receptive and productive knowledge gains in a study conducted with senior high school students.

While mixed results and barriers to implementation have been found in relation to ER, the potential positive benefits of these programs warrant further investigation. Many ER studies have been conducted in the past two decades; however, most of them have focused on ER benefits and students’ attitudes and perceptions of ER rather than teachers’ perspectives (Trykacz, 2019). To fill this gap, this study sought to investigate the perceptions of L1 Arabic teachers (L1 teachers) regarding using ER, their willingness to implement ER practices, the practices used and reasons for their deployment, and the challenges associated with these practices. The following research questions underpinned the study:

1. Why do L1 teachers implement ER?

2. What difficulties do L1 teachers encounter while implementing ER?

3. What reading materials do L1 teachers advise their students to read?

4. How do L1 teachers track the amount of ER their students engage in?

5. How do L1 teachers motivate their students to practice ER?

4. Methodology

Given the novelty of the phenomenon and the aim of the study, we selected a mixed-methods and a single case study approach to discern the meaning of the participants (Creswell, 2007; Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). Creswell (2013) adds that a case study is useful when the research focus is a program, event, or activity involving individuals. Therefore, a case study is advantageous because it thoroughly describes the participants’ experiences to identify categories and themes to describe the case and further elicit contemporary issues for future studies. Thus, the small-scale research study was designed as a single case study to explore the teachers’ perceptions about ER. The mixed-methods design further allows the study to benefit from the advantages of quantitative and qualitative research. Having more respondents answer close-ended questions enables more objective and generalizable conclusions. Further, having the subjects’ thoughts and opinions in their own words provides access to in-depth information to formulate a better understanding of the teachers’ perceptions of ER.

4.1. Data analysis

The data used for the present study came from the online questionnaire. Since the main purpose of this study was to explore teachers’ perceptions holistically and insightfully, simple descriptive statistics, mainly frequency counts and percentages, were only reported for fixed option items on the survey.

The open-ended questions’ data were analyzed using a combination of content and thematic analysis. Content analysis is the process of organizing information into categories related to the central questions of the research (Bowen, 2009). Accordingly, we conducted a first-pass responses’ review to identify meaningful and relevant data. Building on this, we conducted a thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is characterized by carefully reviewing the data where the researcher uncovers themes pertinent to a phenomenon (Bowen, 2009). To maintain objectivity and sensitivity in selecting and analyzing data, predefined codes may be used (Fereday & Muir-Cochrane, 2006). Thus, we employed color-coding when organizing the data. We searched for information that coalesced around keywords such as “competitions,” “post-reading quizzes,” and “grades.” Subsequently, we categorized the data and labeled the categories with a general descriptive theme, such as, post-reading discussions.

4.2. Survey instrument

Given the scarcity of studies on teachers’ perspectives on ER, this study used a questionnaire developed by Chang and Renandya (2017) as a starting point. With permission from the creators, the research team used the literature discussed earlier to adapt the survey to meet the needs of the current study, to suit the context, and for language clarity. Whereas the original authors investigated both ER and extensive listening, the adapted survey focused on ER alone. It asked five demographic questions and five questions on ER, including frequency and the setting in which it was implemented, reading material used, tracking and motivation methods employed, and any difficulties encountered while implementing ER (see Appendix A for the full adapted survey).

The questions in the survey were translated into Arabic using a forward translation design: a group of translators translated the text from the source to the target language, in this case, from English to Arabic. The source and target versions are judged by another group of translators using judgmental analysis, and appropriate revisions are made. The advantage of this process is that judgments are made directly on the equivalence of the source and target language versions (Hernández et al., 2020). The translated questionnaire was piloted twice before it was administered. The pilot study verified that all linguistic inaccuracies were excluded before the actual study was administered.

4.3. Participants

A link to the questionnaire was sent to 50 Arabic L1 teaching faculty in a UAE federal HEI using purposive sampling. The teaching faculty was distributed across seven campuses nationwide. A total of 34 faculty members responded to the questionnaire (response rate: 68%). All respondents taught courses on Arabic, Arabic and Emirati studies, Islamic culture, and Arabic communications. Of the total respondents, 22 were female and 12 were male. Additional demographic information on the respondents is presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Respondents’ teaching profiles

Years of teaching experience
1–5 years	0%
6–10 years	3%
11–15 years	26%
16–20 years	29%
20+ years	42%
Years of extensive reading practice
0–3 years	3%
4–6 years	18%
7–9 years	26%
10+ years	53%
Frequency of extensive reading practice
Every day	12%
Once a week	50%
Once every two weeks	12%
Once a month	26%
Setting for practicing extensive reading
During class time	9%
Outside class time	15%
Both	26%

As shown in Table 1, 97% of the respondents had over 10 years of teaching experience, and all had been asking their students to read extensively. Approximately three-quarters (76%) of the respondents indicated that they asked their students to read both inside and outside the classroom. Only 12% required their students to practice ER on a daily basis, with 50% requiring practice once a week.

5. Results and discussion

This study sought to investigate L1 teachers’ perceptions of ER in a higher education setting in the UAE. The findings are as follows.

5.1. Main reasons for ER Implementation

The first research question explored the main reasons L1 teachers implemented ER. The respondents were allowed to give multiple responses. As seen in Table 2, 91% of the teachers considered ER important in enhancing overall language competence. A large group indicated that they practiced ER as part of their curriculum (47%) and for reading for pleasure (50%). A smaller number of teachers stated that their departments required it (38%).

Table 2. The main reasons that L1 teachers asked students to read extensively(Multiple responses)

Statement	Percentage of responses
Extensive reading is important to improve overall language competence	91%
Extensive reading is required by the department	38%
It is a part of our curriculum	47%
Reading for pleasure	50%

It is promising that such a high percentage of teachers responded that they implemented ER because they believed its impact on their students’ language competence was very positive. This supports previous studies (Chang & Renandya, 2017) where similarly high percentages were reported. Teachers’ beliefs that ER is important in developing overall language competence are sound, given the numerous research studies that have demonstrated the positive effects of ER (e.g., Hayashi, 1999; Hong & Wang, 2007; Leung, 2002).

5.2. Difficulties encountered while implementing ER

This study sought to uncover difficulties encountered while implementing ER in the Arabic higher education setting. Table 3 shows that the teachers’ difficulties arose from three primary sources: students, teachers, and the institutions in which they worked. Chang and Renandya (2017) investigated teachers’ perceptions of the ER practices in the Asian context and found that the main difficulties experienced by L2 teachers came from students who were not interested in reading; 71% of the respondents in the current study reported the same. Students’ lack of interest in reading has also been reported in Arab settings (e.g., Al-Mahrooqi et al., 2010; Al-Yacoub, 2012, February 14; Bouzenirh, 1991; Jazzar, 1991; Nazzal, 2014; Shannon, 2003; Taylor, 2008). Even when encouraged to undertake ER in English, learners do not feel inspired to do so because they connect all types of reading to academic study—an activity that gives them no pleasure and that precludes a transfer of skill from one language to the other (Wurr, 2003).

Table 3. Major difficulties L1 teachers encountered while implementing extensive reading (Multiple responses)

Statement	Percentage of responses
Students are not interested in reading	71%
Reading independently is difficult for students	41%
Students have no time for extra reading	38%
The curriculum has a fixed schedule (extensive reading is not included in the curriculum)	38%
It is difficult to get students to read the materials that will not be assessed	50%
It is difficult to monitor whether students actually read or not	38%
It is difficult to assess what students actually learn from reading	15%
The institute does not have many books for students to read	9%
It is difficult to find suitable reading materials	3%
No difficulties	3%

A substantial number of respondents (50%, see Table 2) implemented ER as a means of reading for pleasure for their students, perhaps in an attempt to change their current reading attitudes. Researchers have suggested that the difficulties reported around students’ lack of interest in reading may be reduced if teachers hold their students accountable for their reading by writing book reports or taking post-reading quizzes (Chang & Renandya, 2017; Van Amelsvoort, 2016). This may be useful advice given that half the respondents in the current study reported that it is difficult to get students to read any materials that are not assessed. The lack of time for reading was also reported by 38% of the participants in this study, supporting previous findings that students did not read owing to their heavy workload from assessments and other school activities (Huang & Gritt, 2015).

The teachers reported difficulties relating to monitoring and assessing ER practices. These findings support those of previous studies (e.g., Huang & Gritt, 2015; Renandya et al., 2021). For example, similar concerns around accountability have been reported. Teachers have found it challenging to monitor ER as well as students’ understanding of texts and to find time to provide feedback to every student (Milliner & Cote, 2014; Robb & Kano, 2013).

In contrast to Chang and Renandya (2017), who found that difficulties from the teachers’ institutions were minor, 38% of the respondents in the current study reported difficulties as a result of ER not being part of their fixed curriculum. Further, 9% reported that their institute did not have adequate reading material. A similar finding was reported in a study of English teaching syllabi in an Arabic context in the KSA (Al-Nafisah, 2015).

The biggest difficulties experienced by L1 teachers came from the students, who were not motivated to read, were unable to read independently, and had no time to do extra reading. Monitoring and assessing what students read and having ER as a standalone course rather than as part of the curriculum were cited as barriers to implementation. Difficulties pertaining to resources such as suitable books were also reported as a challenge. However, this was so only for a small percentage of respondents.

5.3. Reading materials utilized

Despite the difficulties reported, many respondents used ER in their classes. The third research question explored the reading materials used in ER.

Respondents were asked to specify the reading materials they suggested for their students for ER. The survey allowed multiple responses. Table 4 shows that over half the teachers (59%) asked students to read a wide range of GR (wide reading), which have been used widely in ER programs owing to their positive impact on reading and the development of a broad vocabulary (Tanaka & Stapleton, 2007). Books of the same title written at different levels (44%) and of the same genre (35%) were regularly relied on by the respondents. Though the teachers’ responses indicated a higher preference for wide reading, these are promising results that indicate teachers’ familiarity with a narrow reading approach.

Table 4. Reading materials suggested to students(Multiple responses)

Statement	Percentage of responses
Reading a wide range of books or graded readers	59%
Reading many books or graded readers written by the same author	9%
Reading many books or graded readers of the same genre	35%
Reading many books of the same title written at different levels	44%

5.4. Tracking engagement

The fourth research question explored the methods teachers use to track the amount of ER their students engage in.

The respondents reported a variety of methods for tracking students’ ER, including requiring students to read journals and/or write book summaries or reports (see Table 5). These post-reading activities are supported by the literature (e.g., R. Day & Bamford, 1998; Harmer, 2007; Leung, 2002) and can help teachers check students’ understanding after reading and gain insights on the effectiveness of ER. Only 12% of the respondents required students to engage in post-reading discussions, which is an area for improvement. Proponents of post-reading discussions recommend that students discuss what they have read, share opinions and ideas on the reading topic, and critique the reading materials (Harmer, 2007; Sweet, 2000).

Table 5. Tracking the amount of extensive reading in which students engage(Open responses)

Method	Percentage of responses
Reading journals	50%
Book summaries and reports	35%
Short quizzes	41%
Post-reading discussions	12%
Long-term projects	15%
Oral presentations	9%
Reading clubs	6%

This study investigates teachers’ perceptions of implementing ER in higher education in the UAE. Given the widespread opinion that Arabs are not readers, as reported in the literature review, and that ER has empirically proven benefits for students, this study presents a clear picture of the current state of ER in an Arabic academic setting, explaining how and why teachers are implementing ER and how they motivate and track their students. It also provided respondents an opportunity to describe the difficulties they encountered in implementing ER. The study found that a considerable number of participants had positive perceptions of ER and its impact on improving overall language competency. Though the teachers showed some experience implementing ER, they also reported major difficulties with the students’ lack of interest in reading, having ER as a standalone course, and in monitoring what students have read. In view of the results and based on the literature, we offer some recommendations that may support practitioners in implementing ER.

Assessments in the form of short quizzes have been helpful in keeping students accountable for reading outside class (Robb & Kano, 2013). In the current study, 41% of the teachers reported using short quizzes. However, given that the teachers reported encountering difficulties in getting students to read without an assessment attached (see Table 3), increasing this percentage could be a simple means of encouraging and assessing reading.

5.5. Motivating students

The final research question explored the ways in which L1 teachers encouraged their students to engage in ER. This open-ended question invited the respondents to write about their methods freely. The responses were categorized into three major themes: providing recognition through reading competitions (44%), using extra grades as external incentives (50%), and using graded post-reading written reports, short quizzes, and oral presentations (47%); all respondents used at least one motivational strategy.

The use of recognition through competitions is debated in the literature. For example, giving incentives to the best readers may result in students reading only to get the incentive and not out of their own interest or volition (Powell, 2005; Robb, 2002). Zacharias (2017) used awards for “Best Readers of the Week” in her research to examine motivating tasks that teachers may use to teach ER; she found that setting up awards for best readers helped acknowledge students’ achievements. Gobert and Demirci (2014) also developed a competition called “The Reading Challenge” to increase their L2 learners’ ER, which proved successful. Using quizzes and other assessments has a positive motivational influence. Stoeckel et al. (2012) found that post-reading quizzes enhanced students’ intellectual values, and Mori et al. (2010) found that students felt compelled to read by linking course materials and subsequent assessments to reading. Nevertheless, the use of graded written reports, quizzes, and oral presentations is also debated in the literature. Whereas such activities can be useful in tracking students’ reading progress, some argue that using follow-up activities will only distract from students’ reading development (Van Deusen, 2011).

6. Recommendations and conclusion

This study investigated teachers’ perceptions of implementing ER in higher education in the UAE. Given the widespread opinion that Arabs are not readers, as reported in the literature review, and that ER has empirically proven benefits for students, this study presents a clear picture of the current state of ER in an Arabic academic setting, explaining how and why teachers are implementing ER and how they motivate and track their students. It also provided respondents with an opportunity to describe the difficulties they encountered in implementing ER.

The study found that a considerable number of participants had positive perceptions of ER and its impact on improving overall language competency. Though the teachers showed some experience implementing ER, they also reported major difficulties with the students’ lack of interest in reading, having ER as a standalone course, and in monitoring what students have read. In view of the results and based on the literature, we offer some recommendations that may support practitioners in implementing ER.

Several reading systems allow teachers to implement ER simply and easily and enable access to a wealth of reading materials. For example, XReading is a virtual library that has hundreds of GR and a learner management system that is exclusively devoted to ER purposes (Milliner & Cote, 2014). It is ideal for helping teachers monitor individual students’ reading, provides immediate feedback, and helps teachers motivate students to read based on their performance and preferences (Milliner & Cote, 2014). Similarly, the M-Reader is a free learning tool that allows students to take short, timed quizzes with randomized questions on their graded reading, controlling the level of the book for which they can take quizzes and the frequency with which they can access them (Day et al., 2011; Robb & Kano, 2013). To make the best use of these systems, some in-class time should be dedicated to reading for pleasure (Macalister, 2010).

Holding students accountable for reading outside the classroom is beneficial to developing intrinsic motivation with reluctant readers (Chang & Renandya, 2017; Van Amelsvoort, 2016). Mercer (2015) stated that students must be convinced to make necessary commitments and suggested that this requires institutions to align student and program goals while monitoring students’ performance and motivation as the program progresses.

The use of task-based language teaching, such as Drop Everything and Read (DEAR), Reading Experience Sharing Time (REST), Creative Activity for Reading Engagement (CARE), Skill Enhancement Activities (SEA), and Drop Everything and Listen (DEAL), can have beneficial effects on students’ reading development, particularly reading attitudes and proficiency (Zacharias, 2017), and is therefore worth exploring in an Arab context.

Teachers in the current study reported utilizing both ER (wide) and narrow reading. This is an important finding, as understanding different approaches impacts decisions made vis-à-vis material acquisition, information literacy, and readers’ advisory (Bryan, 2011). Librarians at HEIs should be aware of both approaches so that they can support teachers with appropriate materials.

The sample in this study comprised faculty from an HEI in the UAE. While this institute is the largest in the country, generalizing these results for other institutions in the UAE and in other jurisdictions should be carried out with caution. Future research should involve larger samples from other HEIs in the UAE and other countries. Follow-up interviews can also add depth to the situation described in this study. An ER program must be carefully planned and prepared to be successful. Finally, everyone—students, teachers, and administrators—must be involved in the conceptualization of ER programs, and all stakeholders involved must understand the goals and objectives.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates under Grant (113117), and ethical approval was granted by the Research Ethics and Integrity Committee (REIC). We would like to thank the L1 Arabic teachers for responding to the questionnaire and their helpful comments. We would also like to thank Dr. Anna C.-S. Chang, Hsing-Wu University, New Taipei, Taiwan, and Dr. Willy A. Renandya, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, for giving us permission to adapt the questionnaire used in their study titled, “Current Practice of Extensive Reading in Asia: Teachers’ Perceptions.”

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Higher College of Technology [113117]; Higher Colleges of Technology [113117].

Notes on contributors

Tania Al Aghar

Tania Al Aghar is an Assistant Professor and the Applied Research Coordinator at the Education Division of Higher Colleges of Technology. She is renowned for her experience in educational counselling, teacher training, and teacher education. In addition, she is a special needs expert and has constantly supported students with disabilities in Higher Education by devising assistive technology practices. Her main research interests are inclusive practices and fostering a versatile learning environment focused on career outcomes.

Appendix A

Table

تصورات معلمي اللغة العربية للقراءة المكثفة
عزيزي المشترك,, نود أن ندعوكم للمشاركة في دراستنا البحثية من خلال استكمال الاستبيان أدناه هذا المشروع البحثي هو جزء من منحة بحثية متعددة التخصصات من كليات التقنية العليا. الهدف من هذا الاستبيان هو التأكد من فهم المعلمين للقراءة المكثفة باللغة العربية والممارسات التي يقومون بها وإلى أي حد يقوم مدرسو اللغة العربية بتشجيع الطلاب على الانخراط في القراءة المكثفة.إن تعاونك يحظى بتقدير كبير وسيكون إسهاما قيما في نجاح هذا المشروع البحثي, حيث سيتم التعامل مع إجاباتك بكل سرية عند استخدامها لغرض هذا المشروع.
معلوماتتعريفية
				ما هو جنسك؟
			□ أنثى	□ ذكر
ما هي سنوات خبرتك في التدريس؟
1–5	6–10	11–15	16–20	أكثر من عشرين سنة
القراءةالمكثفة
هل تطلب من طلابك الانخراط في قراءة مكثفة؟
			لا	نعم
عدد السنوات التقريبي التي مارست فيها تحفيز الطلاب على القراءة المكثفة
	أكثر سنوات 10من	مابين (6) إلى (9) سنوات	مابين (3) إلى (6) سنوات	أقل من (3) سنوات
ما هي الأوقات التي تطلب فيها من طلابك القراءة المكثفة؟
		كلاهما	خارج الفصل الدراسي	خلال وقت الدراسة
ما هي الأسباب الرئيسية التي تدعو إلى أهمية تشجيع الطلاب بالقراءة المكثفة؟ (اختر كل ما ينطبق))
□القراءة المكثفة مهمة لتحسين الكفاءة اللغوية الشاملة.
□متطلب من قبل المدرسة أو المنهج التعليمي
□جزء من المنهج التعليمي
□القراءة من أجل الاستمتاع
أسباب اخرى
هل تجد صعوبة في تشجيع الطلاب ينخرطون في القراءة بشكل مستقل
□ لا □ نعم
إذا وجدت صعوبة في إشراك الطلاب في القراءة المكثفة, فما هي الصعوبات الرئيسية التي واجهتها؟
□ الطلاب غير مهتمين بالقراءة.
□صعوبة القراءة المستقلة على الطلاب
□ليس لدى الطلاب وقت للقراءة الإضافية
□المنهج ذات جدول زمني ثابت (لم يتم تضمين القراءة المكثفة كجزء من المنهج)
□من الصعب جعل الطلاب يقرؤون المواد التي لن يتم تقييمه
□صعوبة تتبع ومراقبة ما إذا كان الطلاب يقرؤون بالفعل أم لا
□صعوبة تقييم ما يتعلمه الطلاب بالفعل من القراءة
□عدم توفر كتب كثيرة في المؤسسة يمكن للطلاب قراءتها
□من الصعب إيجاد مواد قراءة مناسبة
كيف يمارس طلابك القراءة المكثفة؟ (اختر كل ما ينطبق)
□قراءة مجموعة واسعة من الكتب أو كتب القراء المتدرجين
قراءة العديد من الكتب أو كتب القراء المتدرجين التي تمت كتابتها من قبل نفس المؤلف □
□قراءة العديد من الكتب أو كتب القراء المتدرجين التي تنتمي لنفس النوع
□قراءة العديد من الكتب التي تحمل نفس العنوان ولكن تمت كتابته بطرق مختلفة
ما هي الأساليب التي تقوم باستخدامها لتتبع مقدار القراءة المكثفة التي يقوم فيها طلابك؟
ما هي الاساليب التي تتبعها لتشجيع طلابك للإنخراط في القراءة المكثفة؟