Exploring general language ability development through monitored extensive reading, extensive listening, and audio‐assisted extensive reading

Abstract Research studies on extensive reading (ER) are often limited by their lack of control over how the ER treatment is conducted and assessed. Recent research has found participants often falsify reading records when ER activities are self‐reported and unmonitored (Mikami & Shiozawa, 2023). This falsification introduces bias into studies that rely on unmonitored self‐reported ER. Furthermore, few studies investigate the possible effects of other extensive input (EI) approaches, including extensive listening (EL) and audio‐assisted extensive reading (AER). This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of monitored ER, EL, and AER on the general language ability development of learners of Japanese as a foreign language. Using an experimental design, participants' standardized language test data were collected over 1 year. Results indicate that AER outperformed all other groups on the Japanese Computerized Adaptive Test, suggesting that incorporating AER into the curriculum can foster growth in global language competence more effectively than ER or EL alone. Pedagogically, AER can be implemented both in class and outside of class to provide bimodal input that enhances listening, vocabulary, grammar, and reading development.