The effects of web-based reading activities as extensive reading on the l2 reading motivation and language proficiency

This study investigates the effects of web-based reading activities as extensivereading (ER) on the L2 reading motivation and language proficiency on learners. The researchwas conducted on 36 pre-intermediate level preparatory class students of Celal BayarUniversity. The Traditional Group (TG) followed an ER program via graded readers; theInternet Group (IG) followed a program of web-based activities (webquests) for six weeks.The control Group (CG) received no ER. These groups were given pre- and post-tests to elicitdata on L2 reading motivation and language proficiency. The learners in the experimentalgroups were also given an interview after the treatment. Quantitative data was analyzed usingSPSS program; qualitative data was analyzed descriptively. The proficiency post-test scoresof the IG showed a significant difference from those of the TG and the CG. The three groupsalso showed a significant difference from each other in terms of the differences obtained fromtheir pre- and post-test proficiency scores (p< 0.05). Within-group comparisons of theexperimental groups revealed a significant difference in their L2 reading motivation (p< 0.01and p< 0.05 for the IG and TG, respectively). However, they were not different from eachother in terms of their L2 reading motivation post-test scores. There was also a positivecorrelation between the post-test proficiency and L2 reading motivation scores of theexperimental groups (p< 0.01), which was not the case in the CG. The analysis of theinterview revealed that the learners in the experimental groups found the programs beneficialfrom many respects such as an increase in their vocabulary storage, reading speed, readingcomprehension, motivation in reading in English, developing some comprehensiontechniques, and transferring the vocabulary items gained through ER to the productive skills.