2006-11-29 One of the Bibles of Second Language Reading

During my literature review done as exploratory research for my employer, I kept coming back to this teachers' manual on second language reading for my own reference purposes. It was the most thorough volume we had obtained in terms of both the theoretical and pedagogic perspectives, even though it is not a research-oriented book. It was constructed in the mode of a very experienced teacher giving advice and help to students of L2 reading pedagogy. Although based primarily on Nuttall's own teaching experience (which is extensive), it is a very complete, thorough primer and teachers' guide for the field of second language reading. It contains the best chapter in the English language on extensive reading (for teachers, that is). Her advice is sage-like and right-on. It does not contain a lot of research findings, but its advice reads like a summary of L2 reading research. Somehow, without referring to findings, she puts them all together in incredible nuggatts of useful information. This book is also among the most-quoted of all nonresearch volumes on L2 reading.
I put it in the same class as another bible on reading, Florence Davies' Introductory Reading. However, Davies' book concerns text and discourse issues of L2 reading much more than does this one of Nuttall's. These two books taken together should become the background and reference encyclopedias for anyone learning or reviewing the subject matter of L2 reading. They will 'put it all together'for the student teacher. They will not lead them astray. They are the classics of the field.