Similarly, Feyten(1991) examined the effects of listening-based instruction on the second language development of 90 students of English as a second language attending an intensive language program in the United States. The results indicated that there is a high correlation between listening and general language development. One of the rarely found non-North American listening-based study was carried out by Damhuis(1993) in Netherlands. The results strengthened the view that comprehension-based activities along with communicative oriented ones facilitates second language acquisition.

Reading-based Studies

Elley and Mangubhai(1983) studied the effects of pleasure reading activities at some Fijian primary schools. While the experimental group were exposed to book floods, the control group underwent a formal second language instruction. At the end of the first year, the reading group improved considerably in terms of receptive skills. At the end of the second year, the experimental group outperformed the other even in writing and speaking. In another study Hafiz and Tudor (1989) found similar results. Krashen (1984) also found positive effects of pleasure reading on Canadian immersion students' proficiency development including writing ability.

In a rather curious study at Indians University, Gradman and Hanania (1991) assessed the relative effectiveness of a number of factors affecting second language development. Among the factors such as formal learning, intensive English activity, speaking outside the class, private school, exposure and use in class, communicative oral use, and oral exposure, reading outside the class was found to be the major factor determining success in second language acquisition, determining 49% of English language proficiency.

Sustained silent reading (SSR) in class is also shown to be an effective technique of second language development. A number of studies (Oliver, 1973, 1976; Ewans and Towner, 1975; Ninio and Bruner, 1979; Elley, Lamb and Wyllie, 1979; Collins, 1980; Snow and Goldfield, 1983; Nevmann et al., 1984; Ninio and Wheeler, 1984) have all shown that students who are engaged in SSR outperformed others following a form- focused second language instruction, in terms of vocabulary development and reading comprehension.

Almost every study designed to investigate the effects of comprehension-based instruction on second language proficiency development has arrived at positive results. For some, such findings might be interesting. After all, it is more than apparent th at input plays a crucial role in second language acquisition. What is more interesting is to test whether heavily comprehension-oriented instruction based on receptive skills; listening and reading in the form of free voluntary reading, with minimum emphasis on production or productive skills; speaking and writing, would yield similar results. In this paper, the design and results of such a study are presented

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