Students’ Engagement in Extensive Reading Activities in English at University of Mataram

Abstract

This study investigated students’ engagement in Extensive Reading activities among English Education students at the University of Mataram. It aimed to describe students’ behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement and to identify the factors influencing their engagement. Although previous studies have reported the benefits of Extensive Reading for language proficiency and motivation, relatively little research has simultaneously examined the three engagement dimensions and their contextual influences in Indonesian EFL higher education. A qualitative descriptive design was employed with ten students completing a questionnaire and five students participating in semi-structured interviews. The closed-ended questionnaire functioned only as descriptive supporting data, while the semi-structured interviews provided the main qualitative explanations; therefore, the study was not designed as mixed methods and did not use inferential statistics. The questionnaire was used to identify general patterns through descriptive frequencies and percentages, while the interviews provided more detailed explanations of students’ reading experiences. The findings showed generally positive engagement. Behavioral engagement was reflected in relatively strong participation and effort, although reading consistency remained the main challenge. Emotional engagement was shown through interest, enjoyment, motivation, and positive attitudes toward English reading. Cognitive engagement appeared through reading strategies, comprehension monitoring, reflection, and connections between texts and prior knowledge. Five factors influenced engagement: reading materials and personal interest, language difficulty, time and academic responsibilities, motivation and academic requirements, and reading autonomy and lecturer support. Overall, students’ engagement in Extensive Reading was shaped by interacting personal, textual, and academic conditions.