Introduction to bilingual research methods

Abstract

The current chapter introduces the reader to the vision and the contents of the present volume-Methods in Bilingual Reading Comprehension Research. The focus is on traditional as well as newly developed methodological approaches to the study of bilingual reading. Findings are critically reviewed stemming from the well-known behavioral approaches to those that are neuropsycholinguistic in nature. The ways in which reading comprehension is measured are critically important to the eventual outcomes of empirical work and to their theoretical signifi cance. An emphasis is placed on the advantages and the challenges of using particular methods to examine language representation and cognition with caveats where necessary to inform the researcher as to the limitations or benefi ts of employing a particular technique. Overall, methods are used to understand how cognitive processes operate and how the mind interprets stimuli, regardless of the particular language that is known or spoken. This compendium is meant to provide a comprehensive overview of the methodology and empirical techniques that can be used to accurately assess reading behavior in bilingual readers and to stimulate new research directions regarding bilingual reading comprehension.