Expanding the discussion on second language reading strategy training: A response to Taylor’s commentary on Lin, Gao, and Huang (2023)

Abstract

This article responds to Alan Taylor’s commentary (Taylor, 2024) on our study, Lin et al. (2023), which reported the positive effects of a strategies-based Chinese as a second language reading instruction program on reading comprehension. First, we clarify the calculation of effect size in our study, which indicates a moderate effect size. In agreement with Taylor, we emphasize that the effectiveness of reading strategy training may depend on many factors, including the types of strategies taught, learners’ language proficiency, and the linguistic features of target languages. As a result, there is no clear consensus on the impact of reading strategy training. The success of reading strategy training also largely depends on the design and structure of the training programs. Building on Taylor’s discussion, we further elaborate on the strengths and limitations of our reading strategy training program and suggest improvements for further research.