What I have also noticed is that there is very limited research investigating reading and writing development in children who are being educated in two languages, especially in Middle and High School. To what extent do skills in both languages develop simultaneously when children are immersed in a school context in which both languages are used for instruction?

Dear Sir, we can see this new paper:

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/edri/2022/5478088/

I am currently working on reading in L2, particularly at a beginner level.

Dear Professor Wen,

I agree with Professor Sparks when he says the lack of interest in L2 reading research may be localized. My main interest at the moment is L2 reading comprehension, especially inference generation. I am also interested in individual differences such as working memory capacity and previous domain knowledge. I have not delved into writing yet, but I might consider studying reading/writing relationships with a focus on literacy and handedness.

Best regards.

Reading and listening are considered receptive L2 skills, while writing and speaking are productive L2 skills. It is generally more difficult to train productive skills, such as teaching students how to speak or write the L2. Receptive skills seem to emerge from doing the thing itself (i.e., reading/listening), via mere repetition/exposure (possibly in increasing levels of task difficulty). So L2 receptive skills might seem less difficult to acquire and teach. Might this be a reason why there is, in comparison, less interest in L2 reading?

I would most definitely agree with Mr Wirag's answer. The difference in nature between receptive and productive skills is the key here. Let me add a few extra personal points.

Reading is a receptive skill and thus requires less effort on the part of the learner, given that they can process a written text as much as they wish, going back and forth, reading again and again for better comprehension. They do not have to " produce' language- everything is already there. It is also a solitary task.

Speaking, on the other hand, is intented for istant communication, as well as it involves a second party. Writing is also a productive skill, but, while it is solitary as a task, it is intennted for communication with a second party as well- asynchronous communication! However, speakers and writers have to "produce" language out of scratch, thus making the skills more difficult than the receptive ones.

I am not sure if the focus of the question is on Reading Comprehension techniques, though, and not Reading Ability and Comprehension as a skill. In the latter case, I would say that this should primarily be an L1 rather than an L2 concern.