Key Questions in Second Language Acquisition: An Introduction

by Bill VanPatten, Megan Smith, Alessandro Benati

This highly accessible introductory textbook carefully explores the main issues that have driven the field of second language acquisition research. Intended for students with little or no background in linguistics or psycholinguistics, it explains important linguistic concepts, and how and why they are relevant to second language acquisition. Topics are presented via a 'key questions' structure that enables the reader to understand how these questions have motivated research in the field, and the problems to which researchers are seeking solutions. It provides a complete package for any introductory course on second language acquisition.

Genres: Linguistics, Language, Education, Nonfiction

596 pages, Hardcover

Published January 9, 2020

Reviews

[E.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed that. It's been a while since I read an actual work on linguistics and being prompted to think about what experimental set-ups will yield what kinds of knowledge about the whole process of language acquisition was fun and fascinating.

The book is very clear and can be read with very little prior linguistic knowledge. Even if you do have some relevant knowledge, there's plenty to get you thinking. The organisation by key questions is relevant and helpful.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read this so I could keep fighting with people on FB about Duolingo and the lack of Comprehensible Input involved in endlessly translating sentences back and forth between native and target languages.

[Zoe Evangeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

my favorite work that i've read so far on SLA! very fascinating and i learned a lot, but it was SO dense