ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how digital media can be integrated into L2 reading instruction to help learners improve their reading skills. Drawing on literature that outlines principles of L2 reading instruction, this chapter focuses on technological tools that can be used in activating background knowledge, enriching vocabulary, teaching for comprehension, improving reading fluency, and promoting extensive reading. Some of these tools are specifically geared to provide reading support, such as hypermedia annotation, text-to-speech, and text reformatting; others are more general, such as Internet resources, wikis, and blogs. We discuss findings from empirical studies that examine how effectively these tools facilitate cognitive processes integral to L2 reading, thereby assisting reading skills development. Limitations surrounding these studies are also addressed. We conclude by summarizing pedagogical implications for L2 instructors and offering suggestions to researchers who study the use of technologies in L2 reading.
