Reading in a Second Language and the Significance of Background Knowledge

The major aim of the paper is to identify general trends and major issues in the field of background knowledge for second language (L2) reading by reviewing a number of previous studies. The study goes over studies on schema theory, which has become the basis of research on the relationship between background knowledge and L2 reading; empirical studies on the impact of background knowledge on L2 reading, which are often conflicting in their conclusions; and several more empirical studies on the impact of the building of background knowledge on L2 reading. In the process of review, the study also addresses major issues such as the threshold hypothesis. The paper ends with a discussion of implications that the issues identified in the review hold for L2 pedagogy. The discussion includes the dealing of culturally loaded words, selection of textbooks and other materials, and culture teaching, contrastive approaches to cultures in particular.