The present study investigated which facets of perceived self-efficacy (PSE) in L2 reading are significantly related to L2 reading proficiency (L2RP), which type of linguistic knowledge feeds into PSE, and how they are related to L2RP when considered together. Participants (n = 95) were college students from two universities in Seoul. Four subcomponents of PSE were identified for investigation: text-based PSE, general PSE, PSE in linguistic knowledge, and PSE in authentic reading. The result of stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the general PSE whose items reflect dimensions of social comparative influences and perceived controllability over environments was the only significant predictor of L2RP (R2 = 17.7%). For the relationships between linguistic knowledge and PSE, vocabulary knowledge (VK) was shown to be the only significant predictor of PSE when considered together with grammar knowledge (GK) and L2RP (R2 = 22.9%), while VK and GK were significant predictors of L2RP (R2 = 69.4%). PSE was not found to make an independent contribution to L2RP when considered with linguistic knowledge.

The language threshold effect on comprehending an L2 (second language) text was experimentally examined, using two types of measurement tool, multiple-choice & true/false questions and a recall task for L2 reading comprehension. Cognitive processes implicated in each measure were delineated to allow a finer analysis on the role of L1 reading competence and L2 proficiency in comprehending an L2 text. In order to observe how one aspect of L2 proficiency, vocabulary knowledge, is related to language threshold effect, thirty-two 9th grade Korean students in Korea were given a vocabulary knowledge acquisition activity in a treatment condition between a pretest and a posttest. The relative contributions that L1 reading competence and L2 proficiency made to L2 reading comprehension were analyzed before the treatment and after the treatment using multiple-regression analysis technique. The findings of this repeated measure design were consistent with previous correlational studies showing that the role of L1 reading competence became stronger as L2 proficiency operationalized via vocabulary knowledge improved. What is elaborated in the present study is the fact that cognitive processes, initiated by a recall task, are more sensitive to the weakening of language threshold effects.

The research on the role of working memory in L1 and L2 reading comprehension has provided valuable insight on domain-general mechanisms at work in both comprehension processes. The present paper explains a construct of working memory as a multicomponent model (Baddeley, 2007; Baddeley & Hitsch, 1974), reviews empirical studies that investigated the impact of working memory in L1 and L2 reading comprehension, introduces a newly adopted construct to the model of working memory, episodic buffer or long-term working memory (Erricson & Kintsch, 1995), and discusses the role of background knowledge in relation to working memory. The review of the studies showed that central executive, an attentional control system, is a significant predictor for not only L1 reading but also L2 reading comprehension. Phonological loop, a storage system, is significantly related to central executive. However, it is not a direct significant predictor for L1 and L2 reading comprehension; instead, it explains significant variances of vocabulary acquisition in the beginning stage of language acquisition, which is a direct significant predictor for reading comprehension. How high vs. low working memory groups make use of their cognitive resources in L1 and L2 reading when provided with additional background knowledge is further discussed.