Extensive Reading Affects Second Language Listening Proficiency: an fNIRS Study

Abstract

One of the difficulties in learning English as a foreign language (EFL) is obtaining sufficient input in the language. The importance of input in EFL settings has been discussed for decades, and extensive reading (ER) has been proposed to supply input to learners of English. Many studies have provided evidence that ER enhances learners' reading proficiency, vocabulary, and grammar. Interestingly, some studies have reported the effect of ER on listening besides reading skills. The current study aimed to clarify the effect of ER on listening ability from both behavioral and neurophysiological points of view. The participants were university students in Japan who took the same compulsory English class and were required to complete 150,000 words of ER per semester. To examine the effect of ER, measurements were obtained at three time points: the beginning of the spring semester, the end of the spring semester, and the end of the fall semester. Our results showed that ER training affects both behavioral performance and brain activity during foreign language listening and that ER training enables listening processing with less energy. The findings demonstrate that ER training affects real-time processing during foreign language listening tasks.