The aim of this case study is to investigate the issues in the implementation of extensive reading (ER) in higher education. The students’ experiences were explored to gain insights of what they feel and encounter during their ER practice. Eventually, factors that contribute to the success of ER are elicited. The participants of this research are five female EFL students in their sixth semester at a University in Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. The five participants were chosen purposively under three main criteria, i.e., they know what ER is, they have taken ER course. They are willing to participate fully in this study. The data of this study were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and respondents’ diaries. The data were then processed following the stages of interactive model of data analysis as suggested by Miles, Huberman, and Saldana (2014). The analysis yields two major findings. First, the students shared contrast views on ER. Four respondents reported pleasure and motivation in ER while one participant expressed joylessness and challenge. The limited freedom of choosing what to read, the high level of reading texts, and the students’ different starting point of reading competence may be pointed as the explanation of the finding. Second, based on the participants’ perspectives, there are five factors that can be attributed to the success of ER class, they are love for reading or internal motivation, agency in reading, supportive reading environment, provision of guidance or role model, and varied and engaged ER-based activities. These findings imply that for ER to work, the basic principles of extensive reading should be instituted. Failure to understand and/ or maintain the core principles may deter students’ sustained engagement in extensive reading.
