Intervention and Transfer Effects in Reading Interventions for Second Language Students: A Systematic Scoping Review

This review presents findings from reading intervention studies of L2 students, with a particular focus on: students learning a second language other than English, students learning English who have first languages other than Spanish, and intervention studies which address the issue of transfer of gains made in one language to outcomes in another. Twenty-two studies conducted between 2008 and 2023 with learners of school age were identified using the PICOS and PRISMA Flow Diagram procedures. A clear implication from this review is that intervention studies concerning learning to read in a second language remain a relatively under-researched area which is dominated by studies on learning to read in English. The studies identified in this review suggest that, regardless of the learners’ L1, additional small-group or in-class programs targeting phonological awareness, letter-sound correspondence, and word decoding can produce accelerated and sustained gains in L2 reading, in comparison to “treatment as usual.” Relatively little evidence is available about interventions for older students learning to read in different first languages or about interventions to improve comprehension. Mixed evidence was found concerning the transfer of training effects from one language to another, with typically higher effects for phonological awareness, and letter-sound knowledge compared to comprehension. The finding that reading skills, especially phonological awareness, and letter-sound knowledge, can transfer from one language to another has important implications for policy and practice. We discuss the challenges of attempting to synthesize studies in this area and identify practical implications.