It is suggested that Chinese students in China and Chinese Americans have difficulty learning to read in English due to native language interference and to cultural traits and thinking patterns. Reading in English requires overcoming some psychological barriers. A chart outlines the different ways in which a Chinese student would read the same article in Chinese as in English, including such elements as sitting attitude, facial expression, use of hands, initial reading strategy, psychological aim, reading style (browsing/skimming vs. word-by-word reading), attention given to new words, tempo, and overall comprehension. The Chinese student, lacking cultural background knowledge, would pay more attention to specific words and structures rather than think and infer actively. In addition, he would prefer and expect a transmission model rather than an interpretive model of reading instruction. To address these culturally-based traits, it is recommended that English second language instruction should include development of non-linguistic competence and both intensive and extensive reading strategies, as well as linguistic competence. (MSE)