For the past three decades, second language (L2) reading has attracted unprecedented research attention. A multitude of studies have sought ways to identify the factors either promoting or impeding effective reading in a second language. As the field expanded, the research focus progressively shifted from merely describing what L2 readers could or could not do to explaining the basis of their behavior. Currently, the conceptual trends in L2 research tend to lean toward first language (L1) reading theories. Although, to be sure, L1 constructs are the logical point of departure in pursuing new lines of inquiry, the “borrowed” research paradigms to date have not spawned viable L2 reading models. To achieve a clear understanding of L2 reading's unique nature, we need coherent frameworks through which L2 data can first be analyzed and then synthesized into functional theoretical explorations.

Toward this end, Insights into Second Language Reading stems from in-depth analyses of the multiple dimensions of L2 reading. Reading is a multifaceted, complex construct in that it involves a number of component operations, each dependent on a wide range of competencies. Obviously, the complexity increases in L2 reading since, by definition, it involves more than one language. The ultimate goal of the analyses is to lay a conceptual foundation for building serviceable models of L2 reading capable of delineating how L1 and L2 reading theories must differ. Three specific objectives guided the pursuit: (1) providing detailed descriptions of the processing components inherent in L2 reading; (2) applying cross-linguistic analyses of research-based insights, derived primarily from monolingual studies; and (3) exploring potential new directions for expanding current research paradigms.