Researchers have shown that learning a second language early in life improves children’s cognitive abilities and influences their achievement in other areas, such as increasing critical thinking skills, creativity and flexibility of mind. For young children, the journey of learning English as a second language can be both exciting and challenging.  It is not uncommon if you hear a child next to you refusing to read an English book as their parent tries to talk them into doing more reading. “I don’t understand the words in the book. It is not interesting to me because it is too hard.” In such cases,  the language barriers for the child may include vocabulary, grammar and syntax, pronunciation and cultural differences that lead to difficulties in understanding the text and expressing themselves.  

Barack Obama once noted: “Reading is the gateway for children that makes all other learning possible”. This is especially true for ESL learners as reading not only facilitates language acquisition but also provides them with an abundance of knowledge and information in the English language.  

But what makes a successful reading program? The two most important and commonly known reading styles are Intensive Reading and Extensive Reading. In this article, we will explore the importance of a balanced approach to intensive reading and extensive reading in inspiring a lifelong love for reading for ESL (English as a second language) learners while supporting them in overcoming the challenges they face as they learn a new language.

Intensive reading and extensive reading are two extremely powerful tools for ESL learners as they develop their reading skills and language ability. The key to a successful reading program is balance. A balanced approach to teaching young ESL learners involves a combination of intensive and extensive reading strategies that cater to their developmental stages and language acquisition needs. Parents and teachers must grasp the what, how, and why behind these two reading approaches to effectively assist ESL young learners in surmounting the challenges they encounter when acquiring a new language. Without such understanding, it is improbable that they can foster a lasting passion for reading in English among these children.

Intensive reading involves learners reading in detail with specific learning aims and tasks. (1) The three levels of reading comprehension can be categorised as follows:

Level 1: Understanding the surface code = Understanding the literal meaning and reading what is right there.

Level 2: Making meaning from the text base = Understanding the interpretive meaning through reading between the lines.

Level 3: Constructing a situation or mental mode of the text = Applying what is learned from the text to a broader theme  through reading beyond the lines. All the above tasks  are considered to be important during intensive reading. (2)

The first level which is at the bottom, solves the problem of basic understanding. In order to achieve a literal meaning of the text, it is necessary to figure out the unfamiliar words, phrases, sentences, and what they mean in the text. Intensive reading strategies can help children lay a solid foundation in their learning with detailed analysis of the target language. For example, when we read The Very Hungry Caterpillarby Eric Carl, one of the intensive reading strategies children need to develop include decoding words and  phrases. Flashcards and visual aids can be used to introduce key vocabulary words such as “caterpillar”, “cocoon”,  and “butterfly”  to make them more accessible to young learners. To help children understand sentence structures, we can break down sentences from the book to discuss sentence structure. For instance, “On Monday, he ate through one apple” can be analysed as how time (Monday) and quantity (one) are expressed in English. After that, students can be engaged in sentence building exercise following the language pattern of the book.

To extract meaning from the text, we can ask questions like “What did the caterpillar eat on Monday?” to ensure comprehension of the text’s literal meaning. It is also very important to analyse the progression of the story with an emphasis of the cause-and-effect relationships, such as how the caterpillar’s reading habits lead to its transformation into a butterfly.  

The second level involves understanding the "implicit meaning", which requires the readers to read between the lines to make connections, draw

conclusions or reveal underlying themes, emotions and intentions that may not be directly expressed by the author. To identify the author’s implication during intensive reading, the readers need to develop reading comprehension skills such as analysing the context, inferring , making connections and identifying themes or the author’s intent or commentary on certain subjects

For Example, we can start discussing the basic plot by asking the following questions:

1. What happened at the beginning of the story?

2. How did the caterpillar change throughout the book?

After that, we can encourage children to make inferences and make connections to their own experiences by asking the following questions:

1. Why did the caterpillar eat so much food?

2. How might it feel when it transformed into a butterfly?

3. Can you relate the caterpillar’s experiences to when you were hungry or when you felt different?

To discuss the theme of the story, we may ask the following questions:

1. What do you think the writer is trying to teach us through the story?

2. What are some of the challenges or obstacles the caterpillar encounters during its transformation into a butterfly?  

3. How does the story emphasize the idea of patience and the natural process of growth?

Finally, we can encourage children to explore the commentary the writer might be making on topics such as nature, life cycle and the beauty of small moments.

The third level of intensive reading requires students to dig under the surface of the language and uncover the essence of the text through discussion of the core theme. The reason why many classic works can endure the test of time and remain vigorous after hundreds of years is because they pointed out major issues of human nature and society. To go beyond the literal text of the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, students can be inspired to relate the caterpillar’s journey to a broader theme of personal growth and change, such as starting a new school, learning a new skill or facing a significant life transition.

By using the intensive reading approach, we can foster ESL learners’ understanding of not only the vocabulary and sentences in the linguistics sense, but also engagement in discussions about the implicit meaning, themes and the author’s intent. Furthermore, students are even challenged to think outside the box and to construct their understanding of the world around them.

In contrast with intensive reading,  extensive reading involves learners reading texts for enjoyment and to develop general reading skills. (1)

For children in the enlightenment stage of English reading, extensive reading is to solve the non-content related problem in reading .For example, extensive reading helps children understand the followings:

1. the print concept,

2. how to establish the relationship between pictures and text,

3. how to establish the corresponding relationship between phonetics, letters and words,

4. understand the logic between words, sentences and paragraphs,

5. establish the relationship between book information and real life.

Extensive reading is also a great way to build the learners’ vocabulary in a second language. This helps them understand the sentence structure, grammatical rules and styles of the target language.

While intensive reading focuses on helping children deepen their understanding of language structures, vocabulary and comprehension,

extensive reading promotes fluency, enjoyment and exposure to diverse language patterns. The following table shows the differences between them.

Source: Intensive vs. extensive reading, adapted from Day and Bamford, 1998

While there are both advantages and disadvantages for both reading styles, a good balance between them is essential for ESL learners their overall language development.

That is because too much intensive reading leads to  spending too much time on developing accuracy and resulting in insufficient reading for developing fluency and vice versa.  Balancing intensive and extensive reading for young ESL learners provides a well-rounded approach to language development. Intensive reading helps learners master specific language skills, while extensive reading offers exposure to diverse content and contexts, fostering fluency, motivation, and a deeper understanding of the language. Both approaches are essential for building strong English language proficiency. A balance between them will enhance the language skills of ESL learners while fostering a life-long love for books.