The efficacy of extensive reading strategies for enhancing reading comprehension among 4th year EFL students at Mizan Tepi University

Extensive reading, characterized by exposure to diverse texts in meaningful contexts, is a proven approach to enhancing learners' reading comprehension skills. The study focused on all 36 4th year regular undergraduate students at Mizan Tepi University. Data were collected through pre- and post-training comprehension tests and questionnaires assessing students' reading strategy preferences. Statistical analysis was used for quantitative data. Addressing a critical knowledge gap regarding the effectiveness of integrating extensive reading into EFL instruction, this research employed a month-long training program where students engaged with literary texts including short stories, novels, and poems to promote independent reading and comprehension. Paired sample t-tests and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Comparative analysis of results demonstrated significant improvements in reading comprehension following the extensive reading intervention. These results emphasized the importance of incorporating extensive reading practices into EFL curricula to enhance comprehension and language proficiency. Based on the study's outcomes, recommendations are proposed to improve learners' reading comprehension skills. These include teachers being encouraged to integrate diverse literary texts into their instruction while fostering awareness of extensive reading benefits. The findings therefore suggested that extensive reading seems to be one of the most real and feasible approaches for input-poor EFL classrooms.