What if they are set free? Using Autonomous Reading-Listening and Book Clubs in Reading Fluency Development

Recent research has shown that reading and listening together can be helpful in developing EFL reading fluency, but learner-autonomous bimodal reading research remains scarce. The present study, in an intensive academic English program in Japan, was intended to explore whether reading rates and related reading skills might improve while autonomously reading and listening outside class, holding “book clubs” in class, and while meeting course goals. Within the program setting’s trimester sessions, young adult participants carried out extensive reading and listening online at their own pace, followed by small group “book club” discussions, and conducted monthly silent reading rate checks. Participant data collection found the participants (N = 130) reported approximately 64 wpm in overall average gain through their 9-10 week projects. Post-project survey responses and interviews also indicated positive views of book club discussions and possible growth in skills related to increasing fluency, such as mentally “hearing” while reading, and visualizing. Rates of spoken word delivery in audiobooks were measured and compared to reading rates and fluency development markers discussed in research to date. Correlating these with participants’ reading rates was found potentially helpful in visualizing ranges in learners’ reading fluency development. Further research investigating these points is suggested.