ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights differences that exist between first-language (L1) and second-language (L2) reading contexts and readers. In addition, it explores how those differences might influence classroom instruction. Three major types of differences form the core of the discussion:
• linguistic and processing differences
• individual and experiential differences
• socio-cultural and institutional differences
One of the more difficult tasks we face as reading teachers is deciding how to make use of reading research for our own purposes. The research on reading comprehension in L1 contexts is extensive and complex. Research studies have looked at children and students ranging from 3-year-olds to university level. Some studies have explored comprehension by varying the purposes for reading through a number of different tasks. Others have emphasised different skills that are usually considered part of reading comprehension. For example, some studies focus on reading strategies, others explore vocabulary development, others examine the role of discourse organisation and text structure, and yet others emphasise word recognition and reading fluency. Students participating in these studies have come from a range of social and ethnic backgrounds, with varying motivations and attitudes toward reading. As one might imagine, this range of emphases and reader variables makes it hard to generalise from the research literature to any one specific classroom context.
