The CATESOL Journal

Academic reading at college and university poses a real challenge for international students with English as a second language. Often the main hurdles are a lack of language proficiency, critical-reading skills, or background knowledge. Also, unfamiliarity with cultural and academic conventions plays a role. Even with intensive English-language training, reading success remains elusive without the support and participation of faculty, especially at the critical prereading stage. This article examines the obstacles that negatively affect student reading and elaborates on the importance of faculty intervention by incorporating effective prereading strategies in their classrooms. Specifically, 3 activity menus are provided that contain a selection of strategies to help with activating prior knowledge, analyzing text features, and developing vocabulary