Experts on ER (e.g., Yu, 1993) suggest the following characteristics for successful programs.
1. A large selection of reading materials to suit various reading levels and interests.
2. Time set aside for students to read during school.
3. Teachers who:
a. read silently along with students and tell students about what they read,
b. read aloud to students,
c. teach reading skills,
d. ask students to share with their classmates about their reading, and
e. monitor students' ER progress.
4. Engaging post-reading tasks, ones which do not take away from the joy of read and that do some or all of the following:
a. allow students to "advertise" to peers the texts they have enjoyed,
b. help teachers and students check students' progress,
c. provide students with some check and demonstrate their understanding,
d. encourage students to apply and develop their understanding of concepts and issues addressed in their reading in a variety of ways, including via art, music, and drama.
From our own observations and from talking with colleagues in various Asian countries, we feel that much good work in ER does takes place. For examples of such programmes, see the collection edited by Jacobs, Davis, and Renandya (1997) which contains chapters describing successful ER programmes in a number of countries in Southeast Asia and elsewhere around the globe. For instance, Lie (1997) describes ER among Indonesian university students, Smith (1997) explores the establishment of an ER programme in a Brunei secondary school, and Cockburn, Isbister, and Sim-Goh (1997) explain a buddy reading programme in Singapore in which older primary school students promote reading among schoolmates from lower grades.