1. What’s Similar and What’s Different Between L1 and L2 Reading?
Neil J. Anderson
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

2. Introduction – Dr. Neil Anderson
Experience working with reading teachers around the globe, addressing particular needs of L2 readers to make sense of text
Beliefs:
Strong readers emerge from teachers who address issues faced by L2 readers
Good users of language develop from curricula centralized on reading. Reading leads to improved listening, speaking, and writing skills.
Educators can help the 89% of 8th grade L2 students who read below grade level with comprehension

3. What’s Similar and What’s Different Between L1 and L2 Reading?
Defining reading
Keeping key factors in mind
Learning to read and reading to learn
Considering ability (reading) and proficiency (language) issues
Identifying similarities between L1 and L2 reading
Identifying differences between L1 and L2 reading

4. Defining reading
The Reader
The Text
Strategies
Fluency
Reading

5. Defining reading fluency
Rate
Reading
Fluency
Comprehension
Anderson, 2008, p.3

6. Defining reading
The Reader
The Text
Strategies
Fluency
Reading

7. Keeping key factors in mind Who are the learners and what are their previous literacy experiences?
Literacy in L1
Oral language proficiency in L2
Age on arrival to the US
Expectations of the school experience
Types of L2 readers
Parents’ educational levels

8. Learning to read and reading to learn
Learning to Read Reading to Learn
Beginning Intermediate Advanced
The Learning/Reading Continuum, Anderson, 2008, p. 58

9. Considering ability (reading) and proficiency (language) issues
L2 Proficiency
L1 Reading Ability
L2 Reading Ability
Two additional factors:
text type
reading task

10. Keeping in mind-- We learn to read only once
Learning to read in L2 is aided by transference of knowledge and skills acquired in L1 reading

11. Considering ability (reading) and proficiency (language) issues
L2 Proficiency
L1 Reading Ability
L2 Reading Ability
Two additional factors:
text type
reading task

12. Identifying similarities between L1 and L2 reading
Reading in a L1 shares important basic elements with reading in a L2. Both processes—
Involve the reader, the text, and the context in which the reading act takes place.
Involve the use of metacognitive strategies (e.g., setting purpose for reading, re-reading, adjusting rate, etc.) when constructing meaning from text read.

13. Identifying similarities between L1 and L2 reading
Reading in a L1 shares important basic elements with reading in a L2. Both processes—
Involve the orchestration of bottom-up (e.g., decoding) and top-down strategies (e.g., making inferences).
Involve the use of language systems with systematic and rule-governed phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and discourse structures.

14. Identifying differences between L1 and L2 reading
Differences may be found in—
Language systems (e.g., alphabet, directionality, phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and discourse structures—cf. Arabic, German, Japanese).
Size of vocabulary knowledge as well as vocabulary learning among L1 and L2 readers.

15. Identifying differences between L1 and L2 reading
Differences may be found in—
Language awareness among L1 and L2 readers
Time involved in learning to read academic language
Reading fluency — L2 readers read slower than L1 readers
Motivation

16. Identifying differences between L1 and L2 reading
Differences may be found in—
Oral English proficiency
Background knowledge
Context in which literacy is developed
Learner’s position on the path to literacy

17. Summary In this video lecture, we have talked about –
A definition of reading
Key aspects to keep in mind when working with L2 readers
The learning to read / reading to learn continuum
4 similarities and 10 differences between L1 and L2 reading
The interdependence among L2 reading ability, L2 proficiency, and L1 reading ability

18. Resources
Anderson, N.J. , & Nunan, D. (2008). Practical English language teaching: Reading. New York: McGraw Hill. Armbruster, B. B., & Osborn, J. (2003). Put reading first—The research building blocks of reading instruction: Kindergarten through Grade 3 (2nd ed.). Jessup, MD: National Institute for Literacy. Biancarosa, C., & Snow, C. E. (2006). Reading next—A vision for action and research in middle and high school literacy: A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education. Coombe, C., McCloskey, M.L., Stephenson, L., Anderson, N.J. (2008). Leadership in English language teaching and learning. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Short, D., & Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the work: Challenges and solutions to acquiring language and academic literacy for adolescent English language learners—A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education. Grabe, W., & Stoller, F. L. (2002). Teaching and researching reading. New York: Longman.