Abstract

The present study aims to explain Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) intermediate learners’ reading processes from the cognitive perspective. The sampling was purposeful based on the intensity sampling strategy. Three CSL intermediate learners participated in the research. Data were collected by in-depth interviews, think-aloud, retrospective interviews, field observations, research journal writings, and reading materials. Data were analysed according to the Moustakas’ (1994) data analysis procedure, Creswell’s (2007) three steps in the data analysis, and Bogdon and Biklen’s (1992) data analysis methods. The results show that CSL intermediate learners’ cognitive reading processes involve mental activities, such as remembering, understanding, analyzing, and evaluating. Among them, remembering includes recognizing and recalling; understanding includes interpreting, summarizing, inferring, and comparing; analyzing includes differentiating and attributing; evaluating includes checking and critiquing and each cognitive reading process includes many specific cognitive reading ways. The present study has theoretical significance to CSL reading research field and pedagogical implications to CSL reading teaching field.