Exploring Postgraduate Students’ Lived Experiences in Extensive English Reading Courses: A Phenomenology Study at One Public University in Jambi

Siti Khairunnisa, Mukhlas Abrar Abrar, Nely Arif Arif

Abstract


This study explores postgraduate students' lived experiences in the newly introduced Extensive English Reading course at a state university in Jambi as part of the English education curriculum revision. The objective is to understand students' challenges, strategies, and reflections using a qualitative phenomenological approach. The population comprised Master's in English Education students in 2024, with a purposive sample of three second-semester female students. Instruments included semi-structured interviews and reflective journals, analyzed via Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis. Findings revealed three themes: linguistic challenges, workload, and low motivation; cognitive, metacognitive, and social strategies; and positive reflections with greater need for instructor support. The conclusion emphasizes the necessity of accessible texts and active teacher guidance to optimize Extensive Reading implementation.


Keywords


Extensive Reading, Phenomenology, Postgraduate Students, Reading Strategies, Linguistic Challenges

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abrar, M. (2024). [Publication details adapted from the original source].

Afiani, N., et al. (2024). [Publication details adapted from the original source].

Ahmed, SK, Mohammed, RA, Nashwan, AJ, Ibrahim, RH, Abdalla, AQ, Ameen, BM, & Khdhir, RM (2025). The use of thematic analysis in qualitative research. Global Medicine, Surgery and Public Health, 6, 100198.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.globmed.2025.100198

Arai, Y., & Takizawa, K. (2025). Day and Bamford's (2002) ten principles for teaching extensive reading revisited: A methodological synthesis of research practices. Reading in a Foreign Language, 37(1), 1–28.

Basri, B. (2024). Exploring undergraduate students' perceptions of the Extensive Reading course. [Journal Name], 3(8), 1703–1712.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Day, R.R., & Bamford, J. (2002). Top ten principles for teaching extensive reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 14(2), 136–141.

Farhan Tri Ardiansyah, RK (2021). Experiences during an extensive reading program of English department students. RETAIN (Research on English Language Teaching in Indonesia), 9(3), 27–33.https://ejournal.unesa.ac.id/index.php/retain/article/view/40930/37453

Fitriasti, A., Setyaningsih, E., & Sulistyawati, H. (2024). Understanding issues in the implementation of extensive reading: Insights from Indonesian tertiary EFL students' experiences. Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 16(1), 135–144.https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v16i1.4297

Gopal, T., Maniam, M., Benjamin, J., & Singh, C.K. (2022). Investigating the utilization of extensive reading from students' reader response perspective. World Journal of English Language, 12(5), 176–188.https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v12n5p176

Grabe, W., & Stoller, F.L. (2011). Teaching and researching reading (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Hidayat, R., & Rohati. (2020). [Publication details adapted from the original source regarding vocabulary and reading comprehension limitations].

Huynh, D. P. (2022). Extensive reading on graduate students' perceptions and its impact on reading comprehension. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 2(4), 32–47.https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.22243

Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon.

Krashen, S. D. (1985). The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. Longman.

Kullman, S. M., & Chudyk, A. M. (2025). Participatory member checking: A novel approach for engaging participants in co-creating qualitative findings. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24, 1–12.https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251321211

Lloyd, N., Hyett, N., & Kenny, A. (2024). To member check or not to member check? An evaluation of member checking in an interpretive descriptive study. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 23, 1–12.https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241301383

Morriss, L. (2024). Themes do not emerge: An editor's reflections on the use of Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Qualitative Research, 24(5), 789–804.https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250241277355

Nation, ISP (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL reading and writing. Routledge.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.

Willis, J. (2008). Teaching the brain to read: Strategies for improving fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. ASCD.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v11i2.1929

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Siti Khairunnisa, Mukhlas Abrar Abrar, Nely Arif Arif

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.