ABSTRACT
Volumes have been written on the nature, processes, components, pedagogies, and problems of reading, both in general and as a component of teaching a second language. So much has been written on this topic that a complete review of the literature is impossible here; I refer the reader to Brown (2001), Urquhart and Weir (1998), and Carrell, Devine, and Eskey (1988). English as a Second Language (ESL) and European languages constitute the subject of most empirical research in the area of foreign language pedagogy. At the opposite end of the spectrum, with the exception of the work of Alosh (1997), Aweiss (1993a, b, c), and Khaldieh (2001), reading in Arabic has received little attention from researchers. Although theory acknowledges that linguistic skills are important to fluent reading, language-specific studies on the particular aspects that present problems to learners remain few, and differences among target languages have yet to be addressed satisfactorily. Urquhart and Weir warn against overgeneralizing second language (L2) reading processes (1998, p. 34). This chapter argues that more research into language-specific reading processes and skills must take precedence over more general theoretical concerns, particularly for teachers of non-Western languages. After outlining what I believe to be the most critical issues in teaching reading in Arabic, I present a hypothetical model for developing reading skills at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels, followed by suggestions for designing reading materials and exercises for the Arabic classroom. I conclude by suggesting some directions for future research into this important topic.
