ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the results of the two test-based and product-oriented experiments. Experiment 1 was designed to investigate the effects of first language (L1) reading ability on second language (L2) reading, by testing the transferability of L1 reading skills and the existence of mutual compensation effects in L2 reading between the two variables L1 reading ability and L2 proficiency. Experiment 2designed within the framework of Gernsbacher's (1990) Structure Building Theory investigates the type of cognitive processes that are transferred and the cognitive mechanisms involved in the transfer. It also examines how they exert their effects on L2 reading, thus further exploring the psycho-cognitive nature of the transfer and the threshold effect proposed by L2 reading researchers. The relation between automaticity and control is clearly shown by the relations among such factors as language proficiency, the cognitive mechanism of suppression, and Working Memory (WM) capacity.
