Extensive reading (ER) in a foreign language (L2) has been regarded as incompatible with language assessment primarily because ER aims to read for pleasure (Day & Bamford, 2002), which is believed to be discouraged by assessment. However, in reality, ER programs implemented in the L2 classroom often necessitate assessment, mainly to fulfill the institutional requirement of student evaluation (i.e., summative purposes of the assessment use). Less is discussed as to how assessment can be used to promote language learning through ER (i.e., formative purposes of the assessment use). The present paper aims to discuss how assessment should be conceptualized and implemented in ER practice from the perspective of Turner and Purpura’s (2016) working framework of learning-oriented assessment (LOA). Based on the discussion, this paper emphasizes the necessity for further research on the effectiveness of LOA in language learning in ER programs.

Language testing research has suggested that placement accuracy can be an important factor in the consequences of placement decision-making. However, previous studies primarily have used a one-shot teacher judgment of placement accuracy, suffering from a lack of students’ perspectives of their time-varying experiences. The present study aimed to understand the experiences of nine Japanese students who were placed in (in)appropriate levels of English as a foreign language (EFL) speaking course by measuring flow experiences and their fluctuation over time. A flow questionnaire was administered four times during the speaking course, followed by semi-structured interviews at the end of the course. The findings empirically supported the discrepancy between students’ flow experiences and the one-short teacher judgment of placement accuracy. The in-depth investigation of students’ experiences also suggested two main factors affecting flow experiences: environmental factors and students’ attempts to find meaningfulness in their courses. Based on these findings, this study emphasizes the applicability of flow theory to the understanding of test consequences from students’ perspectives.

This feature offers an archive of articles published in other venues during the past year and serves as a valuable tool to readers of Reading in a Foreign Language (RFL). It treats any topic within the scope of RFL and second language reading. The articles are listed in alphabetical order, each with a complete reference as well as a brief summary. The editors of this feature attempt to include all related articles that appear in other venues. However, undoubtedly, this list is not exhaustive.

Although a number of studies have been conducted on incidental second language (L2) vocabulary learning from reading, there is little discussion on the importance of reading text and task variables in research design and learning outcomes. This methodological synthesis aims to systematically review and critically appraise the methodological choices related to text variables (text audience, quality, genre, topic and content, length, and amount) and reading task variables (reading task instruction, reading comprehension assessment, and time allocation for reading) in previous studies. A total of 33 primary studies were retrieved and reviewed. The results indicated that the current practice of the use of texts and reading tasks should be reconsidered, and that researchers should provide more information on these variables. The findings contribute to the methodological rigor of the research on incidental L2 vocabulary learning from reading.

While the importance of print exposure has been emphasized in first, second, and foreign language reading, little is still known concerning how to help language learners develop reading habits. The present paper argues that flow experiences (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975/2000), which were originally proposed in the field of positive psychology, could play an important role in encouraging language learners to read extensively as well as to develop their reading proficiency through a large amount of print exposure. The goals of this paper are to identify the characteristics of flow experiences and discuss their relationship to reading in Japanese as a second or foreign language mainly from the perspectives of perceived text difficulty and reading motivation. Based on the discussion, implications for further research and practice in the classroom will also be provided.