Extensive Reading and Grammatical Development : A Case Study within SLA

Abstract: This is a case study focusing on the effects of extensive reading. The study mainly deals with grammatical development and the relationship between input and output, but it also discusses learning strategies. The study aimed to answer the following question: To what extent, and in what ways, does extensive reading affect output and grammatical performance? The essay analyses the grammatical performance of a Spanish speaking PhD student in chemistry, whose main exposure to English was scientific literature during the study period. Accuracy tests were used in combination with free writing. The study did not find any direct, unquestionable relationship between extensive reading and grammatical development. Instead it shows the difficulty of separating input and output. However, the study indicates that output may be an effective tool for improving grammatical performance and that some focus on form may be necessary, at least for the grammatical development of adults. Furthermore, the study indicates that teaching may influence grammatical performance and, therefore, the presentation of grammar needs to be carefully considered.