Understanding Second Language Acquisition

Oxford Applied Linguistics

by Rod Ellis

In the 30 years since Rod Ellis first published the award-winning Understanding Second Language Acquisition, it has become a classic text. This new, fully updated edition continues to provide an authoritative and highly readable introduction to key areas of theory and research in second language acquisition.

Ellis presents a comprehensive overview of the different theories in this field and examines critical reactions to them. The book reflects recent trends in looking at cognitive and social aspects of second language acquisition, as well as examining the roles played by implicit and explicit instruction in language learning.

“An excellent and much-needed, in-depth review of the research on how children and literate adults learn a second language. Ellis provides a sound knowledge base for language teachers and beginning graduate students in applied linguistics, focusing on relevant findings of research on second-language learning by children and literate adults in both naturalistic and instructed contexts.” Elaine Tarone, Director of the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota

Additional online resources are available at www.oup.com/elt/teacher/understandingsla

Rod Ellis is the Distinguished Professor of Applied Language Studies in the School of Cultures, Languages and Linguistics in the University of Auckland.

Oxford Applied Linguistics Series Advisers: Anne Burns and Diane Larsen-Freeman.

Genres: Linguistics, Nonfiction, Language, Academia

727 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 1985

About the author

Professor Rod Ellis is Professor in the Department of Applied Language Studies and Linguistics at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He has worked in Zambia, the UK, Japan, and the U.S.A for extended periods. He has published a number of books on second language acquisition and teacher education. He has also published EFL/ESL textbooks. His main interest lies in the application of second language theory and research to language teaching.

He is co-author of Analysing Learner Language, and author of Second Language Acquisition, SLA Research and Language Teaching, The Study of Language Acquisition, which won the English Speaking Union's Duke of Edinburgh Book Competition, Understanding Second Language Acquisition, which won the BAAL Book Prize, and Task-based Language Learning and Teaching, all published by Oxford University Press.

Reviews

[Julio Adrian]

I want to download this book

[Madhu Sudan]

i utterly need to read it.

[Astri Eka]

i want looks all this book

[Anastasia Tuple · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rod Ellis is a very well-known academic in the field of applied linguistics.

However, this book tired me, so I skimmed through it. I found it tiring maybe because it's old (37 years have passed since it was first published, and the research it cites dates back to the 70's and 80's...) or maybe because of the spate of theories it analyses without giving practical advice on what works and what doesn't work in classroom teaching.

[Maria Khurshid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read please help

[Shohel Rana]

good

[Muh Effendi · Rating 3 out of 5]

i want read this book

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

64: 2023
Obviously not fresh and new, but still a worthwhile read. A lot of the questions addressed are still topics of discussion today in SLA.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made me want to quit grad school

[Babu]

I need to understand the term what is second language?