"Read and Reflect": A case Study of Webtoon as Extensive Reading Practice for EFL Students

Abstract

In this era, with advancing technology, the use of digital platforms in EFL learning is becoming widespread; research on how students read and reflect spontaneously and sustain motivation through Extensive Reading (ER) on visually oriented digital platforms such as Webtoon remains limited. Therefore, to address this gap, this study examines how EFL students read and reflect on extensive reading through Webtoon, as well as what motivates them to do so. To complete this research, a qualitative single-case study design was used, involving three female EFL participants from an English education program at a university in Malang. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and data were collected through in-depth, structured interviews and documentation of activities on Webtoon, including comments, screenshots, and students' post-reading notes. The results of interviews and participant documentation were analysed using thematic analysis.
The findings generated four themes, namely: 1) Students' reading practice; 2) Students' reflection on reading; 3) Students’ motivation to read on Webtoon; and 4) Students’ motivation to reflect on reading Webtoon. Speaking of reading practice, the three participants showed active reading on Webtoon, including ongoing independent reading behaviour, vocabulary acquisition through reading cognitively assisted by visuals, and continued social engagement through the comment feature. Regarding reflection on reading, participants spontaneously reflected after reading using features. For example, participan 1 (P1) wrote a story summary and recorded vocabulary, while participant 2 (P2) and participant 3 (P3) reflected through captioned screenshots and perspective comparisons in the comments feature. This occurred without teacher supervision, allowing them to engage in independent reflection. Then, the participants were motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsically, they were engaged by the compelling storyline, sustained curiosity, and high-quality visuals. Extrinsically, they were motivated by a desire to develop their English language skills and to align their reading habits with their respective fields of study. However, this motivation was not limited to the act of reading itself but was continuously renewed through reflection, thereby establishing an interconnected cycle of reading practice, reflection, and sustained motivation. Overall, this study concludes that the Webtoon platform serves a function that extends beyond mere entertainment reading. It serves as a digital medium that fosters reading practice and spontaneous reflection while also providing sustained motivation for EFL university students. Furthermore, the platform facilitates a cycle of reading practice driven by two motivational factors, intrinsic curiosity and evolving extrinsic motivation that reinforce and independently evolve alongside one another, without reliance on classroom supervision or teacher instruction.
These findings indicate that Webtoon enables students to engage in independent reading reflection and fosters motivation outside the classroom; furthermore, the study contributes theoretically to the extensive reading (ER) literature by presenting findings on the reading cycle, specifically reading practices, reflection frameworks applied within a Webtoon-based ER context, and autonomous motivation, thereby broadening assumptions regarding student reading processes within ER theory. Practical implications for students and teachers suggest that reading activities on integrated digital platforms can naturally support students' reading practices, reflection, and motivation in an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) context. However, the study also has limitations, including the type of reflection employed in this study, which is reflection-on-action. Consequently, subsequent researchers might use both reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. Additionally, the sample size could be larger and include male participants; future studies could explore students' reading practices, reflection, and motivation on the Webtoon platform in greater depth and over a longer period.