Focus on

USING GRADED READERS

FOR EXTENSIVE READING

1. What are graded readers?

Graded readers are reading books adapted or written for second or foreign language
learners. They are typically available as part of a series which is graded according to
language level. The grading scheme usually consists of between four and eight levels,
often described according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Other factors, in particular the number of vocabulary items the student is expected to
understand, may also be used.
Many graded readers are fiction, ranging from classic texts, such as the novels of
Charles Dickens and Louisa May Alcott, to modern fiction, including genres such as
crime, adventure, mystery, horror, and fantasy. Some stories are taken from film and TV.
Non-fiction titles, such as biographies and books on science, technology, the natural
world, and the arts, can also be found in series of graded readers.
Most graded readers are available in both printed and digital form. Some students may
prefer to hold a physical book, while others prefer the convenience of a digital book
on a phone or tablet. One advantage of a digital library is that students have access to
a wide range of readers. Digital libraries can also give teachers the ability to monitor
what different students are reading.
Most graded readers include photographs or illustrations, which can help to support
understanding by illustrating key vocabulary or important stages in the story.
Photographs and illustrations can also help to break up large blocks of text, which can
be daunting for some students.
Graded readers are usually published with support material in the book or online,
including, for example, a glossary of difficult or key words, a range of activities and
exercises, tests, and audio recordings of the story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Bullard wrote his first graded reader nearly thirty years ago and has
written, adapted, or edited hundreds of graded readers since then. He has also
participated in the development of graded reader programmes all over the world.

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USING GRADED READERS FOR EXTENSIVE READING

2. What do graded readers mean for ELT learners? 3. What are the challenges?
Extensive reading Motivation
In extensive reading, students read frequently and they read Students can become demotivated if the language level of a
texts which are easy for them to understand. When students graded reader they are reading is too difficult or if the story or
read a text that is well within their ability to understand, they topic is not interesting to them. It is important, therefore, to
will be able to read more easily and more fluently. choose books carefully. In terms of level, students will be able to
Graded readers play a key role in extensive reading. The read more fluently if they are reading slightly below their level
grading process ensures that students can have access to books than above it. When it comes to engaging students’ interest,
at an appropriate level to allow them to read fluently. When series of graded readers usually include a wide enough range
the grammar and vocabulary in a text are not too challenging, of topics and genres that most students will find something of
students will not struggle with difficult grammatical structures interest to them.
or need to use dictionaries to look up a lot of unknown words. Authenticity
They can focus on the content and meaning of the story, which Some teachers might think it would be better to spend time
allows them to engage with the story and makes the reading reading authentic texts, rather than specially adapted texts.
experience more enjoyable. However, if an authentic text is too difficult for students, this will
By allowing students to have extensive contact with English not help them to develop fluency. In addition, even if reading
in a way that is pleasurable, rather than hard work, a virtuous authentic texts fluently is the ultimate goal for many students,
circle emerges. By reading more, students become more fluent graded readers can be a valuable part of the journey towards
at reading and want to read more. By using graded readers, that goal. Just as coursebooks are graded by level and chosen
students will, over time, be able to read progressively longer to match the level of the students using them, graded readers
and more difficult texts. This can also help to prepare them to take a similar approach.
read unadapted, authentic texts.
Time
Benefits of using graded readers Teachers and students may feel that they already have too much
■ Four skills to do, making it hard to justify spending time using graded
readers for extensive reading. However, it does not have to take
Research has shown that students who read a number of
up much class time because most of the reading will take place
graded readers see an improvement in all the four skills of
outside the classroom. Encouraging students to read regularly
reading, listening, speaking, and writing, with the biggest
outside class, even for as little as ten minutes a day, will be time
gains in reading and writing.
well spent on developing their language skills.
■ Vocabulary
Cost
Research suggests that students acquire and consolidate
Some people may be concerned about the cost of buying sets
their learning of vocabulary by encountering it in graded
of graded readers, but they are relatively inexpensive. Printed
readers.
books can be used in a library system, where a single book can
■ Motivation be read by dozens of students in its lifetime, and most digital
Considerable improvements have been seen in student library subscriptions are reasonably affordable, considering the
motivation and in attitudes to the English language. This large number of titles available.
seems to happen because students read material which they
find engaging and they enjoy being able to read something
in English.
■ Learner autonomy
If students are given the freedom to choose their own
readers, or, at the very least, to choose when and where
to read, and how fast, they can begin to develop their
autonomy.
■ Critical thinking
Many graded readers cover topics which are specifically
designed to develop critical thinking. In many novels or in
biographies, for example, the protagonists have to make
moral or ethical choices. Students can engage with these
choices and consider how they would respond in the same
situation. Moral dilemmas can also form the basis for
classroom discussions which can help to develop critical
thinking.

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USING GRADED READERS FOR EXTENSIVE READING

Selecting graded readers

4. How can graded readers be used?
Ways of using graded readers
Institutional library
If printed books are available, graded readers can be included
in a school or institutional library. This would allow a wide
range of levels and topics to be available to all students. It also
indicates to users that graded readers are part of the range of
reading resources. From a practical point of view, integration
into a library also relieves the teacher of the management of
library loans.
Institutional libraries are increasingly converting to digital
delivery for academic books or reading materials in the
students’ first language and digital readers can also be
integrated into a digital library.
Class library
Another option is to create a class library of printed or digital
readers. A class library can be selected to reflect the level of the
students in the class, ensuring that some books are at a level
above and below that of the average student to provide options
for more and less able students. A class library can also focus on
topics which are known to be of interest to the students.
A class library would ideally have a few more books in it than
there are students in the class. For example, if there are 30
students, there could be 45–50 books in the library. With a
digital library, use a filter, if possible, so that books which are
inappropriate for the students’ level, or for other reasons, are
not visible to them.
Class sets
An alternative to a class library is class sets of printed or digital
readers. In this case, all the students read the same book,
although most of the reading will probably take place outside
the classroom. The teacher usually chooses the book, ensuring
that it will appeal to the whole class. The teacher also initiates
class discussions or other activities about sections of the book,
requiring students to prepare for the class activity by reading
at home. One advantage of the class set is that teachers have a
better knowledge of what the students have read.
It is possible to use both class sets and an institutional or class
library. Students could read a book each term as a class reader
but make use of the library for additional reading.
It is important to provide books for your students that are at an
appropriate language level. If you are not sure about their level,
there are a number of level tests online to help you to decide.
Ensure that you choose a range of levels to match the needs of
all your students, from the lower to the more advanced levels.
Selection of the right topics and genres is also important. You
can make use of your own knowledge of your students and their
interests, and you can also consult the students themselves.
Choosing a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles should
cater to all needs and help to motivate students to pick up the
books and read them.
Students themselves should also be involved in the choice of
the books to read. If they find this difficult at first, spend some
time looking at books with them. The cover, for example, is
usually designed to be a ‘window’ into the book. The picture on
the front cover and the blurb on the back cover should signal
to the student what the book is about and whether it will be of
interest to them. A quick look through the illustrations inside the
book is also helpful. If you do not have actual books to show the
students, printed or online catalogues can help as they usually
reproduce front and back covers.
How much should students read?
How much students read is usually measured in word count, and
most graded readers provide this. If students read for an hour
a week, they will read between 100,000 and 200,000 words
a year – between 10 and 20 books – but if a large number of
books can be made available, some students will read even
more. It is not unusual on some programmes for students to
read a book a week, or a book every two weeks, and reach
up to half a million words a year. The more students read and
understand, the greater the benefits.
Tracking what students have read
As mentioned earlier, digital libraries enable teachers to track
what different students are reading. If students are reading from
a library or a class set of printed readers, it is also a good idea
to keep a record of what each student has read. A wallchart or
online spreadsheet can be used for this. When they have read
a book, students add its title and a brief comment to indicate
whether they would recommend it to others, for example by
using emojis ().

Reading circles
An approach which combines the class set and the library is the
reading circle. With a reading circle, students work in groups
of five or six, each group reading a different book. The reading
usually takes place outside class, but the groups meet regularly
in class to discuss what they have read. The teacher monitors
the group discussions by moving from group to group. Once
a group has finished a book, it can exchange books with a
different group and repeat the process. The reading circle can
also be combined with the use of an institutional or class library.

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USING GRADED READERS FOR EXTENSIVE READING
Activities to support reading
Students often need some support when they first start using
graded readers. For example, pre-reading activities can help
students to understand the context of the reader and predict
what the text is about. They could involve the use of the cover,
chapter titles, illustrations, or photographs. For example,
looking at and discussing the list of chapter headings can help
to give students an idea of how the story develops. Giving
students a list of chapter headings in jumbled order and asking
them to put them in the correct order can be a stimulating
exercise. Illustrations can help students to think about the plot
or the characters in a story. In addition, you could encourage
students to think of some questions they have about the book
before they start reading. For example, for a story they could be
questions about what the characters are like and what is going
to happen; for a non-fiction book, they could be questions
about what they are going to find out or understand that they
did not know before. Pre-reading activities like these can help to
stimulate students’ interest and motivate their reading.
During- and after-reading activities can be helpful, especially
when a class is reading the same book. Graded readers usually
have activities in the book or online to support teachers and
their students. Most graded readers are also available with
audio. Many students will enjoy listening to the audio version of
a book, either listening while they read or listening to the story
again after they have finished reading it.
© Oxford University Press www.oup.com/elt/expert
When students have finished reading, especially when they are
reading from a library, they could take a simple quiz. Quizzes
usually focus on the content of the book, and sometimes on the
vocabulary, and they are often available in print and/or online.
Whatever support and assessment is used with graded readers,
it is important that the time spent on these activities is not too
great. The key activity is the reading itself, and that should be
the main focus. While activities and quizzes can be useful, they
should not get in the way of the main purpose of extensive
reading, which is simply to read frequently and for pleasure,
focusing on content and meaning.
5. Over to you
Being able to read easily and fluently in English will help
students to develop language skills, vocabulary, critical thinking,
and learner autonomy. The wide availability of graded readers
on different topics will also allow them to explore subjects which
link to other areas of the curriculum. Extensive reading using
graded readers will give students a sense of confidence and
achievement and it will encourage them to develop the habit
of reading, which can become a lifelong source of pleasure and
enjoyment.
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USING GRADED READERS FOR EXTENSIVE READING

6. Further reading and resources Talking points

Articles on extensive reading In your opinion, what are the most important reasons for
Day, R. (2002). Top ten principles for extensive reading. Reading using extensive reading in English language teaching?
in a Foreign Language, 14(2). www2.hawaii.edu/~readfl/rfl/
Think about the students you teach. What kinds
October2002/day/day.html
of graded readers would they find enjoyable and
Day, R. (2015). Extending extensive reading. Reading in a motivating?
Foreign Language, 27(2), 294–301. scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.
What would be the best way of introducing graded
edu/bitstream/10125/66893/1/27_2_10125_66893_day.pdf
readers into your classes?
Hafiz, F. M., & Tudor, I. (1989). Extensive reading and the
What would be the main challenges in introducing
development of language skills. ELT Journal, 43(1), 4–13.
graded readers into your classes? How might you
Mason, B., & Krashen, S. (1997). Extensive reading in English as overcome them?
a foreign language. System, 25(1), 91–102. benikomason.net/
In your classes, would you use digital readers, printed
content/articles/extensive_reading_in_english_as_a_foreign_
readers, or a combination?
language.pdf
What do you think are the most useful supporting
Nation, P. (1997). The language learning benefits of extensive
activities to use with graded readers?
reading. The Language Teacher, 21(5), jalt-publications.org/tlt/
articles/2134-language-learning-benefits-extensive-reading
Setting up an extensive reading programme
robwaring.org/er/ER_info/ersetup.html
http://

Level tests for graded readers

elt.oup.com/student/readersleveltest/?cc=gb&​
https://

selLanguage=en
erfpt.ealps.shinshu-u.ac.jp/top/english)
https://

The Extensive Reading Foundation

erfoundation.org/wordpress/
https://

MReader quizzes
erfoundation.org/wordpress/graded-readers/mreader/
https://

ISBN: 978 0 19 420036 3 ISBN: 978 0 19 400312 4

The Extensive Reading Podcast www.oup.com/elt/teacher/itc www.oup.com/elt/teacher/for
erpodcast.wordpress.com/
https://

To cite this paper:

Bullard, N. (2021). Focus on using graded readers for extensive reading [PDF].
Oxford: Oxford University Press. www.oup.com/elt/expert

Acknowledgements
The publisher would like to thank the following for permission to reproduce
photographs:
Alamy Stock Photo (Avril O’Reilly); OUP (Mark Bassett); Shutterstock (Monkey
Business Images, Tanor).

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