• Offers advanced students, researchers, and university administrators with the state of the art in research and practical, evidence-based insights on heritage language program administration/direction and curriculum development, in order to understand and provide quality education to HL learners through effective HL program direction. • Meets a need for synthesis of the great increase in work on heritage language learners and university-based programs, heretofore covered in articles and individual chapters but not all in one place on the book level. Makes much-needed connections between the research literature and practice in developing programs and curricula. • The first book that discusses this subject, full stop. A few books focus on L2, ESL, or FL language program direction but they lack any attention to heritage language learners.

• This state-of-the-art text reviews, evaluates, and reflects on L2 development across the lifespan as a complex variable that is both socio-cultural as well as maturational in nature – with a chronological chapter lineup from infant bilinguals to L2 learners in adolescence, adulthood, and older age. • Offers in-depth discussion of highly pertinent yet underresearched topics, like L2 learners in older individuals, as well as an innovative chapter on L2 learning in the context of cross-cultural/binational/plurilingual romantic relationships, in both cases with diverse circumstances, motivations, and outcomes. • The first book taking on this area in its fullness and in a way accessible to students and non-specialist – with a concerted, authored text. Previous works are focused on one age cohort, edited volumes rather than unified authored books, and the most closely competing books were published over a decade (and sometimes over three decades) ago.

• Offers advanced students, researchers, and university administrators with the state of the art in research and practical, evidence-based insights on heritage language program administration/direction and curriculum development, in order to understand and provide quality education to HL learners through effective HL program direction. • Meets a need for synthesis of the great increase in work on heritage language learners and university-based programs, heretofore covered in articles and individual chapters but not all in one place on the book level. Makes much-needed connections between the research literature and practice in developing programs and curricula. • The first book that discusses this subject, full stop. A few books focus on L2, ESL, or FL language program direction but they lack any attention to heritage language learners.

This comprehensive, forward-looking text is the first holistic research overview and practical methods guide for researching the role that affective and conative factors play in second language learners’ task performance and language acquisition. It provides a long overdue update on the role of the learner in task-based language teaching (TBLT). The book brings together theoretical background and major constructs, established and innovative methodological and technological tools, cutting-edge findings, and illuminating suggestions for future work. A group of expert scholars from around the world synthesize the state of the art, detail how to design and conduct empirical studies, and authoritatively set the agenda for future work in this critical, emerging area of language learning and instructional design. With a variety of helpful features like suggested research, discussion questions, and recommended further readings, this will be an invaluable resource to advanced students and researchers of second language acquisition, applied linguistics, psychology, education, and related areas.

• This state-of-the-art text reviews, evaluates, and reflects on L2 development across the lifespan as a complex variable that is both socio-cultural as well as maturational in nature – with a chronological chapter lineup from infant bilinguals to L2 learners in adolescence, adulthood, and older age. • Offers in-depth discussion of highly pertinent yet underresearched topics, like L2 learners in older individuals, as well as an innovative chapter on L2 learning in the context of cross-cultural/binational/plurilingual romantic relationships, in both cases with diverse circumstances, motivations, and outcomes. • The first book taking on this area in its fullness and in a way accessible to students and non-specialist – with a concerted, authored text. Previous works are focused on one age cohort, edited volumes rather than unified authored books, and the most closely competing books were published over a decade (and sometimes over three decades) ago.

This book provides an in-depth look at pragmatic development by second language learners of French through their production of French discourse markers. It showcases a holistic production-focused approach designed to provide a broad picture of learner discourse marker use in French. The book begins with a comprehensive description of the major theoretical frameworks in discourse marker research. It provides a detailed analysis of prior second language research on discourse markers in several languages and the dominant avenues of inquiry. Additionally, this book engages in a discussion of methodology that can serve as a guide for future researchers on the topic. The data presented in this book provide a broad picture of both native speaker and learner production of discourse markers with implications for theoretical and formal understandings of pragmatic meaning. This book will be of particular interest to scholars in pragmatics for both second language acquisition and formal or theoretical perspectives.

Shows how corpora can be used for language learning and teaching Examines the state-of-the-art in DDL research, in light of the available empirical evidence on both etic and emic dimensions, while placing particular emphasis on the methodological gaps Illustrates the main methodological challenges in researching DDL, from corpus resource selection to empirical evaluation of its pedagogical effectiveness, and describes how they can be overcome Demonstrates, by means of an in-depth case study, how the guidelines provided above can be applied when researching DDL effects in a specific second language learning and teaching context while outlining some desirable avenues for future research and pedagogical practice Of interest to those conducting research in corpus linguistics and teaching in the Italian domain, but also to those working with other languages

This comprehensive, forward-looking text is the first holistic research overview and practical methods guide for researching the role that affective and conative factors play in second language learners’ task performance and language acquisition. It provides a long overdue update on the role of the learner in task-based language teaching (TBLT). The book brings together theoretical background and major constructs, established and innovative methodological and technological tools, cutting-edge findings, and illuminating suggestions for future work. A group of expert scholars from around the world synthesize the state of the art, detail how to design and conduct empirical studies, and authoritatively set the agenda for future work in this critical, emerging area of language learning and instructional design. With a variety of helpful features like suggested research, discussion questions, and recommended further readings, this will be an invaluable resource to advanced students and researchers of second language acquisition, applied linguistics, psychology, education, and related areas.

This book encourages readers to think about reading not only as an encounter with written language, but as a lifelong habit of engagement with ideas. We look at reading in four different ways: as linguistic process, personal experience, collective experience, and as classroom practice. We think about how reading influences a life, how it changes over time, how we might return at different stages of life to the same reading, how we might respond differently to ideas read in an L1 and L2. There are 44 teaching activities, all founded on research that explores the nature, value and impact of reading as an authentic activity rather than for language or study purposes alone. We consider what this means for schools and classrooms, and for different kinds of learners. The final part of the book provides practical stepping stones for the teacher to become a researcher of their own classes and learners. The four parts of the book offer a virtuous join between reading, teaching and researching. It will be useful for any teacher or reader who wishes to refresh their view of how reading fits in to the development of language and the development of a reading life.

The monograph is devoted to the notion of strategic intervention and its application in the foreign language classroom, in particular with reference to teaching grammar structures. The first four chapters, which are theoretical in nature, address such concepts as form-focused instruction, language learning strategies and strategies-based instruction. The last chapter provides insight into the results of a study investigating the grammar learning strategies employed by advanced learners of English. Additionally, the chapter presents the views of foreign language teachers on the idea of introducing strategy training in the foreign language classroom. The book closes with the discussion concerning the implementation of strategy training and its value in teaching target language grammar.

This book presents a selection of empirical papers dealing with second and multiple language acquisition, in which qualitative research methodology is employed. Each of the studies reported in individual chapters is based on a solid theoretical background and an overview of studies in a given area. Although the main focus is on qualitative methods, some of the papers demonstrate the complementarity of quantitative and qualitative approaches in studying language acquisition.

Tensions and conflicts related to linguistic identity and security are inevitable - even necessary - in liberal democracies. However, if conflicts related to language and identity negatively impact democratic participation, and lead to social fragmentation, civic withdrawal, and lack of trust in societal institutions, then the political system itself may become suspect and unstable. Written by experts from the fields of sociolinguistics, bilingual studies, political science/philosophy, and education, this volume provides a comprehensive picture of the current political, cultural and social factors impacting language policy in the United States and Canada. The chapters cover many aspects of social life in North America, such as immigration, bilingual education, heritage languages, and linguistic identity, and explore the challenges and set-backs, along with the many positive steps taken in recent years to advance the values of inclusion amidst diversity in a variety of contexts and domains in the United States and Canada.

This text draws together the principal issues related to the identification of language difficulties in pre-school children. Factors closely associated with the development of language such as cognitive skills, play, behaviour and hearing are discussed. The basic principles underlying early identification, the role of the parent and the issue of early identification within the context of public health are also included.;To reflect the range of related professionals involved with language impaired children, there are chapters written by a health visitor, a psychiatric social worker and speech and language therapists specializing in hearing loss. This book should be a useful reference for all those professionals working with children in the health and education setting.;This book should be of interest to practising and student speech therapists, nurses, health visitors, paediatric nurses, nursery leaders, play group leaders, clinical medical officers, educational and clinical psychologists.

This volume offers new insights into the assessment of the language of Young Learners (YLs). YLs are defined here as being from 5 to 17 years, and are treated as three distinct subgroups: younger children (5/6 to 8/9 years), older children (8/9 to 12/13 years) and teenagers (12/13 to 17 years).The first half addresses fundamental issues, beginning with the characteristics of YLs and how these are manifested in first language development. The authors consider the potential ability of each age group to perform in a second or foreign language, proposing a rough age-related correspondence with CEFR levels. Finally, principles of assessment, specifically formative assessment and testing, are presented in the light of linguistic, cognitive and social development.The second half focusses on testing a range of 'skills'. Theoretical models of performance are introduced, followed by a practical analysis of approaches to the testing of each skill for the three age groups, illustrated with examples. The authors conclude by summing up developmental characteristics of each age group, and their implications for language testing.The book is intended for a wide readership within the field of teaching and assessing the language of young learners. Researchers are offered scope for further investigation of what emerges from the discussion, while practitioners will hopefully find support in their day-to-day work with YLs.

In recent years, the expansion of screen media, including film, TV, music videos, and computer games, has inspired new tools for both educators and learners. This book illustrates how screen media can be exploited to support foreign language (L2) teaching and learning. Drawing on a range of theories and approaches from second language acquisition, audio-visual translation, multimodality, and new media and film studies, this book provides both best practices and in-depth research on this interdisciplinary field. Areas of screen media-enhanced learning and teaching are covered across 4 sections: film and broadcast media, in-depth case studies, translation and screen media, and interactive media. With a focus on pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning Spanish, French, German, and English as a Foreign Language, Teaching Languages with Screen Media presents innovative insights in this new interdisciplinary field.

This edited volume provides an overview of current thinking and directions for further research in applied linguistics by bringing together in a single volume a range of perspectives regarding original research agendas and innovative methodological approaches. It focuses not only on the challenges that applied linguistics researchers have been facing in recent years but also on producing workable and productive research designs and on identifying ways of how alternatives to conventional research methodologies can be used. Discussions featured in the volume include the so-called ‘Bilingual Advantage’ in psycho- and neurolinguistics; the optimal starting age debate in foreign language learning; the growing interest among applied linguists in more nuanced and more complex (statistical) data analysis and the priority given to more descriptive and social approaches to linguistics rather than to theorising. The collection will be a useful reference and stimulus for students, researchers and professionals working in the areas of applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, second language acquisition and second language education.

This book represents the most comprehensive account to date of foreign language (FL) writing. Its basic aim is to reflect critically on where the field is now and where it needs need to go next in the exploration of FL writing at the levels of theory, research, and pedagogy, hence the two parts of the book: 'Looking back' and 'Looking ahead'. The chapters in Part I offer accounts of both the inquiry process followed and the main insights gained in various long-term research programs. The chapters in Part 2 contribute a retrospective analysis of the available empirical research and of professional experiences in an attempt to move forward. The book invites the reader to step back and rethink seemingly well established knowledge about L2 writing in light of what is known about writing in FL contexts.

In this accessible introduction to Vygotskian sociocultural theory, narratives illuminate key concepts of the theory. These key concepts include mediation; Zone of Proximal Development; collaborative dialogue and private speech; everyday and scientific concepts; the interrelatedness of cognition and emotion; activity theory; and assessment. A final chapter provides readers with an opportunity to consider two additional narratives and apply the SCT concepts that they have become familiar with. We hear from learners, teachers and researchers in a variety of languages, contexts, ages and proficiencies. Intended for graduate and undergraduate audiences, this new edition of the textbook includes controversies in the field, improved questions for collaborative discussion and provides updated references to important work in the literature of second language teaching, learning and research.

In many countries, including Belgium, English is pervasively present in public life: it is the number one foreign language in music, computergames and television programmes. As a result, children are extensively exposed to English long before they get their first English class in school. This volume questions to what extent this massive exposure to English actually leads to language acquisition by children prior to instruction of English in school. In other words: is there such a thing as media-induced second language acquisition?

This book unites a range of emerging topics in the burgeoning transdisciplinary fields of second language acquisition and interculturality in a study abroad context. It explores key issues, trends and approaches within each strand and how the strands relate to one another, painting a big picture of the diversity and complexity underpinning second language acquisition in a study abroad context. The chapters highlight themes such as social networks, input and interaction issues, learner identities and study abroad in lingua franca contexts, while also presenting other themes spanning the breadth of second language acquisition and interculturality research, such as individual differences and linguistic development. This comprehensive and cohesive volume showcases the latest innovative research using quantitative, qualitative and mixed method approaches across a range of source and target language learner cohorts, and highlights emerging themes and directions for future research.

Berwick and Chomsky draw on recent developments in linguistic theory to offer an evolutionary account of language and humans' remarkable, species-specific ability to acquire it. "A loosely connected collection of four essays that will fascinate anyone interested in the extraordinary phenomenon of language." -New York Review of Books We are born crying, but those cries signal the first stirring of language. Within a year or so, infants master the sound system of their language; a few years after that, they are engaging in conversations. This remarkable, species-specific ability to acquire any human language-"the language faculty"-raises important biological questions about language, including how it has evolved. This book by two distinguished scholars-a computer scientist and a linguist-addresses the enduring question of the evolution of language. Robert Berwick and Noam Chomsky explain that until recently the evolutionary question could not be properly posed, because we did not have a clear idea of how to define "language" and therefore what it was that had evolved. But since the Minimalist Program, developed by Chomsky and others, we know the key ingredients of language and can put together an account of the evolution of human language and what distinguishes us from all other animals. Berwick and Chomsky discuss the biolinguistic perspective on language, which views language as a particular object of the biological world; the computational efficiency of language as a system of thought and understanding; the tension between Darwin's idea of gradual change and our contemporary understanding about evolutionary change and language; and evidence from nonhuman animals, in particular vocal learning in songbirds.

An examination of the relation between concepts and experiencing. This work examines the edge of awareness, where language emerges from non-language. In moving back and forth between what is already verbalized and what is as yet unarticulated, Eugene Gendlin shows how experiencing functions in the transitions between one formulation and the next. A whole array of more than logical ""characteristics"" enables us to examine as well as to employ this new kind of thinking which is not merely conceptual because it begins from the intricacy of felt meaning and returns to it again and again.

An investigation of how children balance rules and exceptions when they learn languages. All languages have exceptions alongside overarching rules and regularities. How does a young child tease them apart within just a few years of language acquisition? In this book, drawing an economic analogy, Charles Yang argues that just as the price of goods is determined by the balance between supply and demand, the price of linguistic productivity arises from the quantitative considerations of rules and exceptions. The learner postulates a productive rule only if it results in a more efficient organization of language, with the number of exceptions falling below a critical threshold. Supported by a wide range of cases with corpus evidence, Yang's Tolerance Principle gives a unified account of many long-standing puzzles in linguistics and psychology, including why children effortlessly acquire rules of language that perplex otherwise capable adults. His focus on computational efficiency provides novel insight on how language interacts with the other components of cognition and how the ability for language might have emerged during the course of human evolution.