This workshop session will introduce the participants to the world of graded readers. We will see and experience graded readers at various levels of difficulty from those which use less to 100 unique words to tell their story to ones with over 3000 unique words ('headwords'). We will discuss both paper-based and digitally-based material. While fictional graded readers are the most common, there is now an abundance of non-fiction readers on topics such as biographies, science and technology, the environment, and geography. Mention will also be made concerning "youth readers" -- books written with native-speaking children as their target audience, but which can be prudently used.

The goal of most extensive reading programs is to increase each student’s volume of reading. However, getting students to read and assessing each student's participation can be a daunting task. This presentation will look at various ways to assess student participation and ways to vary tasks according to different motivational types. The presentation will look at easy solutions to getting students to read and record their activity, and examine how varying attitudes about reading amongst students can greatly influence their engagement. The presentation will look at four types of students – the player, the pupil, the participant, and the prisoner. Attendees will learn how to identify students with different motivations, and how to create tasks that cater to their interests. The presenter will share various activities that have worked successfully, and not, over a ten-year span teaching ER classes at universities in Japan.

This talk will discuss the value of extensive reading for language learning. It will begin with a discussion of the four strands of language learning: meaning-focused input, meaning-focused output, language-focused learning, and fluency development. The talk will then move into a discussion of what extensive reading is, best practices, and how it helps learners master their language skills by improving reading, listening, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar. Resources for extensive reading will also be introduced.

The aim of this workshop is to equip EFL teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to write branching narratives for extensive reading activities using artificial intelligence (AI). The workshop will begin by providing an overview of what branching narratives are and how they can enhance the reading experience of EFL learners. Participants will then learn about the principles behind an AI-trained language model and how it can be used to generate coherent and engaging storylines. The workshop will guide participants through the process of creating their own branching narratives using an AI-trained language model, providing step-by-step instructions and practical tips. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a greater understanding of how to use an AI-trained language model to create immersive and engaging reading experiences for their students.