Driven to read: Enthusiastic readers in a Japanese high school's extensive reading program

Abstract

The paper reports on a long-term, multi-case study examining the motivations of avid readers in an extensive reading program at a private Japanese high school. Using an ethnographic approach to case study research, the project explores nine participants—their motivations for reading and what English study means for them. The two and a half year study finds strong similarities between the participants such as a love of literacy and a desire for autonomy. The findings call for greater consideration of non-cognitive factors such as affect and personal attributes in motivation research. This study adds to a growing body of qualitative literature focused on L2 reading motivation.