For many students, reading is by far the most important of the four skills in a second language, particularly in English as a second or foreign language. Certainly, if we consider the study of English as a foreign language around the world – the situation in which most English learners find themselves – reading is the main reason why students learn the language. In addition, at advanced proficiency levels in a second language, the ability to read the written language at a reasonable rate and with good comprehension has long been recognized to be as important as oral skills, if not more important (Eskey 1970). In second language teaching/learning situations for academic purposes, especially in higher education in English-medium universities or other programs that make extensive use of academic materials written in English, reading is paramount. Quite simply, without solid reading proficiency, second language readers cannot perform at levels they must in order to succeed, and they cannot compete with their native English-speaking counterparts. Thus, for at least these three groups of students (those in EFL contexts, those at advanced levels of proficiency, and those with a need for English for academic purposes), effective reading in a second language is critical. Professionals in second language education should be vitally concerned with approaches that can improve the reading skills of learners. Interactive approaches to reading hold much promise for our understanding the complex nature of reading, especially as it occurs in a second or foreign language and culture.