Key Topics In Second Language Acquisition

This textbook offers an introductory overview of eight hotly-debated topics in second language acquisition research. It offers a glimpse of how SLA researchers have tried to answer common questions about second language acquisition rather than being a comprehensive introduction to SLA research. Each chapter comprises an introductory discussion of the issues involved and suggestions for further reading and study. The reader is asked to consider the issues based on their own experiences, thus allowing them to compare their own intuitions and experiences with established research findings and gain an understanding of methodology. The topics are treated independently so that they can be read in any order that interests the reader. The topics in question are: • how different languages connect in the mind; • whether there is a best age for learning a second language; • the importance of grammar in acquiring and using a second language; • how the words of a second language are acquired; • how people learn to write in a second language; • how attitude and motivation help in learning a second language; • the usefulness of second language acquisition research for language teaching; • the goals of language teaching.

This textbook offers an introductory overview of eight hotly-debated topics in second language acquisition research. It offers a glimpse of how SLA researchers have tried to answer common questions about second language acquisition rather than being a comprehensive introduction to SLA research. Each chapter comprises an introductory discussion of the issues involved and suggestions for further reading and study. The reader is asked to consider the issues based on their own experiences, thus allowing them to compare their own intuitions and experiences with established research findings and gain an understanding of methodology. The topics are treated independently so that they can be read in any order that interests the reader.

An introduction to the key questions that drive the field of L2 acquisition research, including its historical foundations.

Introducing Second Language Acquisition: Perspectives andPractices represents a clear and concise introduction to themain concepts, issues, and debates in second language acquisitionstudies aimed specifically at undergraduates encountering the topicfor the first time. Follows six fictitious language learners throughout the textwhose stories serve to introduce various concepts and issues Contains specific chapters on first language acquisition andbilingualism, as well as explicit references to the most recent andimportant research Covers key topics including acquisition contexts, theoreticalperspectives, language teaching methods, second languagedevelopment, and individual differences (such as age, aptitude, andmotivation) Grabs student attention with lighthearted cartoons thatillustrate and reinforce key ideas Features a full range of pedagogical tools to aid studentlearning, including “language learning in practice”textboxes; bolded new terms defined in the margins; an end-of-bookglossary; self-assessment and classroom discussion questions;exercise and project ideas; and further online viewingsections

What does it mean to acquire a language? What is considered a 'second' language in multilingual settings? This practical and comprehensive guide provides an opportunity to consider these issues, providing easy access to concise definitions of key terms and concepts in the study of Second Language Acquisition.

Second Language Acquisition : introduces the key areas in the field, including: multilingualism, the role of teaching, the mental processing of multiple languages, and patterns of growth and decline explores the key theories and debates and elucidates areas of controversy gathers together influential readings from key names in the discipline, including: Vivian Cook, William E. Dunn and James P. Lantolf, S.P. Corder, and Nina Spada and Patsy Lightbown. Written by experienced teachers and researchers in the field, Second Language Acquisition is an essential resource for students and researchers of applied linguistics.

Starting from the premise that language instruction should be informed by how humans learn language, this module on second language acquisition (SLA) aims to provide teachers at any level with a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to the key findings about how second languages are learned in adulthood. This module explores a variety of topics including the mechanisms in the mind responsible for language acquisition, the roles that input and output play in acquisition, and how language develops in the learner’s mind over time. Furthermore, the module explores the many factors believed to impact the outcome of SLA, such as the role of the native language, individual differences in aptitude and motivation, and age of acquisition. Please visit the series companion website for more information: http://routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/9781315679594/

A clear and practical introduction to second language acquisition, written for students encountering the topic for the first time.