The field of second and foreign language reading has been revitalized in recent years by changes in our understanding of the nature of the reading process. On the one hand, reading theory and research has contributed notions such as top-down and bottom-up processing. Reading is no longer viewed as a process of decoding, but rather as an integration of top-down processes that utilize background knowledge and schema, as well as bottom-up processes that are primarily text or data driven (Carrell, Devine, and Eskey 1988). In addition, researchers have focused on readers themselves and have sought to identify the strategies employed by successful readers as they interact with a text during reading (see Chapter 2). Using think-aloud and introspective/retrospective research techniques, students perform reading tasks and verbalize their thought processes, reflecting upon the cognitive strategies and heuristics they employ when dealing with different kinds of reading problems (Hosenfeld 1984).

The second or foreign language reading teacher who understands the differences between top-down and bottom-up processing and the role played by schema and background knowledge in reading will look for classroom strategies that encourage second language readers to use an appropriate combination of processing strategies when they approach a text. Likewise a familiarity with differences between effective and ineffective reading strategies can help the teacher look for effective reading behaviors in learners, encourage wider use of these strategies, and be on the lookout for learners using less effective strategies.