Written by a team of leading experts working in different SLA
specialisms, this fourth edition is a clear and concise introduction to
the main theories of second language acquisition (SLA) from multiple
perspectives, comprehensively updated to reflect the very latest
developments SLA research in recent years.
The book covers all the main theoretical perspectives currently active
in SLA and sets each chapter within a broader framework. Each chapter
examines the claims and scope of each theory and how each views
language, the learner and the acquisition process, supplemented by
summaries of key studies and data examples from a variety of languages.
Chapters end with an evaluative summary of the theories discussed. Key
features to this fourth edition include updated accounts of developments
in cognitive approaches to second language (L2) learning, the
implications of advances in generative linguistics and the "social turn"
in L2 research, with re-worked chapters on functional, sociocultural and
sociolinguistic perspectives, and an entirely new chapter on theory
integration, in addition to updated examples using new studies.
Second Language Learning Theories continues to be an essential
resource for graduate students in second language acquisition.