Abdurahman
Woldia University
About
Abdurahman Ahmed is an assistant professor at Woldia University, Ethiopia. He is an expert in ER. He has given presentations in various national as well as international conferences. Besides, he is an author of children storybooks. Currently, he is the chair of the Ethiopian Extensive Reading Association (EERA), and he has been doing a lot to promote ER in Africa in general and in Ethiopia in particular.Sessions
Affect & Motivation Extensive Reading Habits and Attitudes of EFL Learners: the case of Lower Secondary Schools in Ethiopia more
Fri, Aug 13, 15:00-15:20 Asia/Tokyo
Reading literacy is significant for learners’ academic success, and high levels of reading literacy can be established through strong engagement in extensive reading. This study, thus, investigated lower secondary school learners’ habits and attitudes toward extensive reading. The data were collected from 377 learners in North Wollo Zone, Ethiopia, using a survey questionnaire. Descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and inferential (independent samples t-test) statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings of the study indicated that majority of the learners’ habit of extensive reading was poor: a great majority of them did not read any book over the last year, and most of them did not read for pleasure every day at all. The finding of the study also showed that most of the learners’ attitudes toward extensive reading was not favourable, and they mostly read for academic purposes. It was also found that there was no significant difference between gender and age of learners regarding their extensive reading habits and attitudes. Lack of appropriate reading materials, low English ability, and lack interest in reading are the major factors that affect learners’ leisure reading habits. Based on the results, it can be suggested that integrating extensive reading programme (accessibility of a wide range of interesting reading materials based on the learners’ linguistic level and interest) in input-poor English as a Foreign Language contexts like Ethiopia is essential to promote learners’ extensive reading habits and develop positive attitudes toward (extensive) reading.
ERF Affiliates Report more
Sun, Aug 15, 12:00-12:50 Asia/Tokyo
This is an open session for ERF Affiliate members, those considering starting and ERF Affiliate, and the general public. In this session, the ERF Affiliate liaison will then present the ERFs vision for the future. Then, one member from each ERF affiliate is expected to present a 3-5 minute report on their activities since the last meeting and will mention any upcoming events. Affiliate representatives will be given time to discuss together about how to cooperate in the future, and to ask questions. It is hoped that the Chairs of each affiliate would then give some advice to those who are hoping to form an Affiliate.
How to . . . Get to know your local ER Association more
Sun, Aug 15, 13:00-13:50 Asia/Tokyo
This session will be an open platform for attendees to learn about their local ER associations, in many regions of the world. Come and join them to learn more about the ER community in your area. Each association will have their own breakout room. These include PERC China (Publink Extensive Reading Club), MERA (the Mongolian Extensive Reading Association), IERA (the Indonesian Extensive Reading Association), JALT-ERSig (the Extensive Reading Special Interest group of JALT), TEERA (the Taiwan English Extensive Reading Association); MENA (the Middle-east and North African Extensive Reading Association), KEERA (the Korean Extensive Reading Association); JERA (the Japan Extensive Reading Association); and the forming groups in Thailand, Vietnam, Ethiopia, the UK. There will also be a breakout room for people interested in starting their own ER Association. Some ERF board members will be there to advise.
