THE JOURNAL OF ASIA TEFL Vol. 16, No. 2, Summer 2019, 752-758 http://dx.doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2019.16.2.24.752 752 The Journal of Asia TEFL http://journal.asiatefl.org/ e-ISSN 2466-1511 © 2004 AsiaTEFL.org. All rights reserved. Speed Reading in an Intensive EAP Course in Thailand: A Pilot Study Alexander Nanni Mahidol University International College Joseph Serrani Mahidol University International College Introduction Reading has numerous benefits for language learners — improving vocabulary, grammatical accuracy, writing skills, and spelling (Kim & Krashen, 1997) — and is thus a critical skill for language learners to develop. When reading in a foreign language, learners often read “laboriously word by word” (Chang, 2010, p. 284), methodically looking up vocabulary as they work towards “decoding the word meaning and comprehending the content.” Discussion of reading skills often centers on comprehension; however, it is not the only aspect to consider. Reading speed is also highly relevant to learners’ success. Rasinski (2002) warned that “excessively slow reading leads to reading frustration” (p. 92). Slow reading presents problems in the classroom, where learners may be embarrassed that they cannot complete tasks at the same rate as their peers. It also presents problems for work done outside of the classroom: “Just to keep up with their classmates in the amount of reading done, these slower readers have to invest considerably more time and energy in their reading” (Rasinski, 2002, p. 92). This is particularly true at the university level, where many courses require learners to engage with dense texts about academic topics. In the Thai context, the development of reading skills is particularly relevant. Thai learners of English often struggle to develop their reading skills (Chomchaiya & Dunworth, 2008; Suknantapong, Karnchanathat, & Kannaovakun, 2002). Chomchaiya and Dunworth (2008) explain: The reasons for this are numerous and include issues with first language reading ability, low level of decoding skills, lack of cultural knowledge of material, lack of motivation to learn, lack of diversity in teaching materials, over-dependence on the teacher and a concomitant lack of learner autonomy, lack of opportunities to read and inadequate exposure to reading materials. (p. 98) This problem extends from the primary school level (Bowornkiengkai, 2011) to the graduate school level (Prapphal, 2003). For example, a study by Prapphal (2003) found that learners who had graduated from “international” (i.e., English medium) bachelor’s degree programs at Thai universities received lower scores on the reading section of an English-language graduate school entrance exam than they received on the writing and listening sections. Investigation of various approaches to developing reading skills is thus of particular interest in the Thai context.