Research Overview

This body of research explores the multifaceted nature of second language (L2) literacy. By examining the cognitive processes of reading, the use of dialogue journals, and the impact of culturally relevant materials, these studies highlight how meaning-construction is both an individual cognitive effort and a social, dialogic process. The work emphasizes the importance of understanding the “whole learner”—including their identity and sociocultural background—in the development of literacy skills.

Meaning Construction & Cognitive Processes

• Verbal Reports in the Reading Processes of Language Learners: A Methodological Review (2012) A critical review of the “think-aloud” method, evaluating how researchers use verbal protocols to access the hidden cognitive processes of L2 readers.
• Dialogic Meaning Construction and Emergent Reading Domains (2007) Explores how young English language learners (ELLs) construct meaning through social interaction and dialogue during the reading process.
• Constructing Meaning: Four English-Language Learners’ Portrayals (2006) A qualitative study documenting the unique ways different learners navigate texts and build comprehension based on their prior knowledge.
• The Second Language Literacy Process in the Language Arts Classroom (2001) Adopts a sociocultural constructivist perspective to analyze how L2 literacy is shaped by classroom interactions and cultural contexts.

Literacy Practices & Strategy Use

• Upper-Intermediate-Level ESL Students’ Summarizing in English (2015) Analyzes the challenges and strategies involved in synthesizing and summarizing academic information in a second language.
• Reading-Strategy Use by ESL Learners in Online Reading Tasks (2014) Identifies the specific navigational and comprehension strategies students employ when reading digital and web-based texts.
• Elementary English Learners’ Use of Reading Strategies with Culturally Relevant Stories (2013) Investigates how the cultural familiarity of a text influences the types and effectiveness of reading strategies used by young ELLs.

Identity, Dialogue & Community

• An Adolescent English Learner’s Expression of Self and Identity (2011) Examines how multiliteracy practices allow students to negotiate and express their shifting identities within a new language and culture.
• Language Teaching at a Distance: An Overview of Research (2011) Provides a comprehensive look at the evolution of distance language education and its implications for literacy and instruction.
• A Young English Learner’s L2 Literacy Practice through Dialogue Journals (2007) A longitudinal case study investigating how a young student develops literacy and communicative competence through private, written dialogue with a teacher.
• L2 Literacy Practice through Dialogue Journals (2005) Documents the use of written dialogue between teacher and student as a tool for fostering literacy development and personal connection.
• Focusing on Content: Discourse in L2 Peer Review Groups (1997) Investigates how students interact in peer groups to improve their writing and literacy through collaborative feedback and discourse.