This book evaluates a project where formal classroom learning of a second language was supplemented with informal, natural interactions with older native speakers of the target language, delivering a number of pedagogical and societal benefits. The authors introduce a model of intergenerational, intercultural encounters which aims to promote the use of community language resources; enrich the experiences of young learners; foster greater understanding between generations; break down cultural stereotypes; encourage appreciation of different cultures and enhance the quality of life and community engagement of older people with a bi/multilingual background. It draws on theories of language acquisition, discourse analysis and psychosocial perspectives to propose a model of language learning for students that can be used for any language or locality. It is therefore an essential resource for graduate students, researchers and language teachers as well as for education, aged and youth care policy makers, practitioners and community services workers who are interested in innovative language pedagogy.

This volume focuses on the everyday legalities and practicalities of naturalization including governmental processes, the language of citizenship tests and classes, the labelling and lived experiences of immigrants/outsiders and the media's interpretation of this process. The book brings together scholars from a wide range of specialities who accentuate language and raise issues that often remain unarticulated or masked in the media. The contributors highlight how governmental policies and practices affect native-born citizens and residents differently on the basis of legal status. Furthermore, the authors observe that many issues that are typically seen as affecting immigrants (such as language policies, nationalist identities and feelings of belonging) also impact first-generation native-born citizens who are seen as, or see themselves as, outsiders.

This collection addresses issues of authenticity in second language contexts from a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches along three principal themes: What is authentic language? Who is an authentic speaker? How is authenticity achieved? The volume responds to these questions by bringing together scholars working in a range of contexts, including with language learners in the classroom and in residence or study abroad, with a variety of second or additional languages: Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. Contributions focus on authenticity as it relates to patterns of language and meaning, and to agency, identity and culture, and serve as an opening to an extended conversation about the nature of authenticity and its development in L2 contexts. This volume is relevant for students and scholars interested in learning about or investigating questions of authenticity and interaction in a wide range of language learning contexts.

This book presents a view of human language as social interaction, illustrating its implications for language learning and second language teaching. // The volume advocates for researchers, practitioners, and administrators to rethink and reconceptualize an understanding of language beyond that of the written word to one encompassing social and interactional activity built on co-construction, collaboration, and negotiation. The book emphasizes the ways in which this view of language can shed light on the language learning process as one which draws on discrete linguistic units and constructions in conjunction with a range of temporal, sequential, and embodied resources across a variety of social contexts. In turn, these insights prompt further reflection and discussion on their implications for advancing second language teaching practice. // This book will be key reading for scholars interested in second language teaching research, as well as active second language teachers and language program administrators.

Written corrective feedback (CF) is a written response to a linguistic error that has been made in the writing of a text by a second language (L2) learner. This book aims to further our understanding of whether or not written CF has the potential to facilitate L2 development over time. Chapters draw on cognitive and sociocultural theoretical perspectives and review empirical research to determine whether or not, and the extent to which, written CF has been found to assist L2 development. Cognitive processing conditions are considered in the examination of its effectiveness, as well as context-related and individual learner factors or variables that have been hypothesised and shown to facilitate or impede the effectiveness of written CF for L2 development.

This study examines the acquisition of phonological duration contrast in Japanese, and aims to contribute to second language acquisition theory from the viewpoint of interlanguage phonology. Acoustic techniques are used to investigate the mechanisms of English-speaking learners' speech perception and production.

This book opens up new lines of debate in language learning and intercultural communication through an investigation of tandem language learning (a method of language learning based on mutual language exchange between native speakers and learners of each other's language) in connection with intercultural learning and identity construction. Through an empirical study of face-to-face tandem conversations, Jane Woodin provides compelling evidence for the re-definition of the tandem partnership beyond the traditional native speaker-non-native speaker (NS-NNS) paradigm. By analyzing conversation shapes, learner identification of self and other and interactants' own focus on culture, this book reveals how interactants themselves address the complexities of language, learning, ownership and meaning. The book also questions the prevalence of models of intercultural competence which describe the competence of the individual, with little recognition of the role of the relationship or interaction. Woodin considers the broader applicability of the tandem framework of autonomy and reciprocity, and suggests new directions for further research on tandem learning.

Arabic L2 Interlanguage is a significant and timely addition to the field of Second Language Acquisition, providing valuable insight into the development of 'interlanguage', the interim language of early beginners, in learners of Arabic. This book: Clearly establishes what interlanguage is and why it should form an important part of foreign language teaching Presents the reader with a sequence in which six English-speaking learners of Arabic acquire the language Makes use of the rich morphological and syntactic property of Arabic to offer a new perspective on the field of Second Language Acquisition. Arabic L2 Interlanguage contributes directly towards building a more comprehensive theoretical framework for explaining how L2s are acquired. It will be key text for SLA scholars as well as an important resource for graduate students in Linguistics and Foreign Language Teaching.

This volume provides an unprecedented insight into current approaches to crosslinguistic influence (CLI). The collection investigates a range of themes including linguistic relativity, the possible contributions of neurolinguistics, the problem of cognitive development and the role of the frequency of structures in acquisition from distinct, overlapping and complementary perspectives. Chapters focusing on vocabulary, morphosyntactic categories, semantic structures, and phonetic and phonological structures feature in the volume, as do over 20 languages, in order to offer new insights into both theoretical and empirical issues in CLI, including the consequences of great or little similarity in structures between languages. The relevance of CLI research for teaching is discussed in a number of chapters, as is the phenomenon of multilingualism. The collection will appeal to researchers, graduate and postgraduate students, teachers and professionals interested in the field of CLI in SLA.

This volume provides an unprecedented insight into current approaches to crosslinguistic influence (CLI). The collection investigates a range of themes including linguistic relativity, the possible contributions of neurolinguistics, the problem of cognitive development and the role of the frequency of structures in acquisition from distinct, overlapping and complementary perspectives. Chapters focusing on vocabulary, morphosyntactic categories, semantic structures, and phonetic and phonological structures feature in the volume, as do over 20 languages, in order to offer new insights into both theoretical and empirical issues in CLI, including the consequences of great or little similarity in structures between languages. The relevance of CLI research for teaching is discussed in a number of chapters, as is the phenomenon of multilingualism. The collection will appeal to researchers, graduate and postgraduate students, teachers and professionals interested in the field of CLI in SLA.

Corpus Linguistics for Education provides a practical and comprehensive introduction to the use of corpus research-methods in the field of education. Taking a hands-on approach to showcase the applications of corpora in the exploration of educationally relevant topics, this book: * covers 18 key skills including corpus building, the role of frequency, different corpus methods, transcription and annotation; * demonstrates the use of available corpora and desktop and online corpus analysis tools to conduct original analyses; * features case studies and step-by-step guides within each chapter; * emphasises the use of interview data in research projects. Corpus Linguistics for Education is an essential guide for students and researchers studying or conducting their own corpus-based research in education.

Speaking Out: Issues and Controversies is an advanced Chinese language textbook that explores topics such as human nature, moral values, mass consumption, Western influences, and technological innovation. In presenting subjects that reflect major concerns in contemporary China, the book invites students to reflect upon the forces shaping modern Chinese society. This textbook presents ten lessons in five units entitled "Constancy and Change," "Joy and Sorrow," "Right and Wrong," "Chinese Tradition and Western Influence," and "New and Old." These pairs of opposites conjure up an ever-changing world of ebb and flow, a world that stimulates learners' imaginations and arouses their enthusiasm for open dialogue and lively discussion. Concise in language and with lessons in both simplified and traditional characters, the textbook is a valuable aid for university students interested in passing the HSK Level VI or attaining ACTFL advanced-level proficiency. Accompanying audio recordings can be found online at www.routledge.com/9780367902704.

Speaking Out: Issues and Controversies is an advanced Chinese language textbook that explores topics such as human nature, moral values, mass consumption, Western influences, and technological innovation. In presenting subjects that reflect major concerns in contemporary China, the book invites students to reflect upon the forces shaping modern Chinese society. This textbook presents ten lessons in five units entitled "Constancy and Change," "Joy and Sorrow," "Right and Wrong," "Chinese Tradition and Western Influence," and "New and Old." These pairs of opposites conjure up an ever-changing world of ebb and flow, a world that stimulates learners' imaginations and arouses their enthusiasm for open dialogue and lively discussion. Concise in language and with lessons in both simplified and traditional characters, the textbook is a valuable aid for university students interested in passing the HSK Level VI or attaining ACTFL advanced-level proficiency. Accompanying audio recordings can be found online at www.routledge.com/9780367902704.

The relationship between language and other aspects of conceptual development is one of the central issues in child language acquisition. One view holds that language is a special capacity, separate from other areas of cognition and learning. Another maintains that language is part of a larger, more general cognitive system, and is crucially dependent on other cognitive domains. Recent research has turned to blind children and their acquisition of language as a way of evaluating whether and how language development relies on the non-linguistic context. Vision and the Emergence of Meaning addresses this complex problem through a detailed empirical analysis of early language development in a group of blind, partially sighted and fully sighted children who took part in a pioneering longitudinal investigation at the University of Southern California. By exploring the strategies which blind children bring to selected aspects of the language learning task, Anne Dunlea not only identifies some important differences between blind and sighted children, but also offers new insights on semantic and pragmatic development in general. Further, the study demonstrates the role of conceptual information in language learning and, at a more fundamental level, reveals a convergence of early language and conceptual development.

The book addresses a controversial current topic in language acquisition studies: the impact of frequency on linguistic structure in child language. A major strength of the book is that the role of input frequency in the acquisition process is evaluated in a large variety of languages, topics and the two major theoretical frameworks: UG-based and usage-based accounts. While most papers report a clear frequency effect, different factors that may be interacting with pure statistical effects are critically assessed. An introductory statement is made by Thomas Roeper who calls for caution as he identifies frequency as a non-coherent concept and argues for a precise definition of what can and cannot be explained by statistical effects.

This practical guide to doing classroom discourse research provides a comprehensive overview of the research process. Bringing together both discourse analysis and classroom discourse research, this book helps readers to develop the analytic and rhetorical skills needed to conduct, and write about, the discourse of teaching and learning. Offering step-by-step guidance, each chapter is written so that readers can put the theoretical and methodological issues of classroom discourse analysis into practice while writing an academic paper. Chapters are organized around three stages of research: planning, analyzing, and understanding and reporting. Reflective questions and discourse examples are used throughout the book to assist readers. This book is essential reading for modules on classroom discourse or thesis writing and a key supplementary resource for research methods, discourse analysis, or language teaching and learning.

This practical guide to doing classroom discourse research provides a comprehensive overview of the research process. Bringing together both discourse analysis and classroom discourse research, this book helps readers to develop the analytic and rhetorical skills needed to conduct, and write about, the discourse of teaching and learning. Offering step-by-step guidance, each chapter is written so that readers can put the theoretical and methodological issues of classroom discourse analysis into practice while writing an academic paper. Chapters are organized around three stages of research: planning, analyzing, and understanding and reporting. Reflective questions and discourse examples are used throughout the book to assist readers. This book is essential reading for modules on classroom discourse or thesis writing and a key supplementary resource for research methods, discourse analysis, or language teaching and learning.

The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Pedagogy of Persian offers a detailed overview of the field of Persian second language acquisition and pedagogy. The Handbook discusses its development and captures critical accounts of cutting edge research within the major subfields of Persian second language acquisition and pedagogy, as well as current debates and problems, and goes on to suggest productive lines of future research. The book is divided into the following four parts: I) Theory-driven research on second language acquisition of Persian, II) Language skills in second language acquisition of Persian, III) Classroom research in second language acquisition and pedagogy of Persian, and IV) Social aspects of second language acquisition and pedagogy of Persian. The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Pedagogy of Persian is an essential reference for scholars and students of Persian SLA and pedagogy as well as those researching in related areas.

Assessing English Language Proficiency in U.S. K-12 Schools offers comprehensive background information about the generation of standards-based, English language proficiency (ELP) assessments used in U.S. K-12 school settings. The chapters in this book address a variety of key issues involved in the development and use of those assessments: defining an ELP construct driven by new academic content and ELP standards, using technology for K-12 ELP assessments, addressing the needs of various English learner (EL) students taking the assessments, connecting assessment with teaching and learning, and substantiating validity claims. Each chapter also contains suggestions for future research that will contribute to the next generation of K-12 ELP assessments and improve policies and practices in the use of the assessments. This book is intended to be a useful resource for researchers, graduate students, test developers, practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in learning more about large-scale, standards-based ELP assessments for K-12 EL students.

Assessing English Language Proficiency in U.S. K-12 Schools offers comprehensive background information about the generation of standards-based, English language proficiency (ELP) assessments used in U.S. K-12 school settings. The chapters in this book address a variety of key issues involved in the development and use of those assessments: defining an ELP construct driven by new academic content and ELP standards, using technology for K-12 ELP assessments, addressing the needs of various English learner (EL) students taking the assessments, connecting assessment with teaching and learning, and substantiating validity claims. Each chapter also contains suggestions for future research that will contribute to the next generation of K-12 ELP assessments and improve policies and practices in the use of the assessments. This book is intended to be a useful resource for researchers, graduate students, test developers, practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in learning more about large-scale, standards-based ELP assessments for K-12 EL students.

This edited volume provides a single coherent overview of vocabulary teaching and learning in relation to each of the four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking). Each of the four sections presents a skill area with two chapters presented by two leading experts in the field, relating recent advances in the field to the extent that each skill area relates differently to vocabulary and how this informs pedagogy and policy. The book opens with a summary of recent advances in the field of vocabulary, and closes by drawing conclusions from the skill areas covered. The chapters respond to emerging vocabulary research trends that indicate that lexical acquisition needs to be treated differently according to the skill area. The editors have chosen chapters to respond to recent research advances and to highlight practical and pedagogical application in a single coherent volume.

This edited volume brings together several original studies that critically examine the quantitative and qualitative effects of service-learning (SL) on foreign and second language learning, and its impact on communities, learners, pre-service teacher candidates, and faculty-researchers. The book focuses on two key aspects: Innovative SL methodologies that seek to develop linguistic and cultural competencies and empirical investigations on the SL effects on all stakeholders. The analysis presented provides a unique insight into the challenges and future directions of SL research, pedagogical assessment, and community impact.

The Routledge Handbook of Chinese Second Language Acquisition is the first reference work of its kind. The handbook contains twenty contributions from leading experts in the field of Chinese SLA, covering a wide range of topics such as social contexts, linguistic perspectives, skill learning, individual differences and learning settings and testing. Each chapter covers historical perspectives, core issues and key findings, research approaches, pedagogical implications, future research direction and additional references. The Routledge Handbook of Chinese Second Language Acquisition is an essential reference for Chinese language teachers and researchers in Chinese applied linguistics and second language acquisition.

The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Second Language Acquisition introduces major current approaches in Arabic second language acquisition (SLA) research and offers empirical findings on crucial aspects and issues to do with the learning of Arabic as a foreign language and Arabic SLA. It brings together leading academics in the field to synthesize existing research and develops a new framework for analyzing important topics within Arabic SLA. This handbook will be suitable as a reference work for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students and scholars actively researching in this area and is primarily relevant to sister disciplines within teacher training and Arabic applied linguistics. The themes and findings should, however, also be attractive to other areas of study, including theoretical linguistics, psycholinguistics, cognition, and cognitive psychology.

This book correlates English-speaking children's brain development and acquisition of language with the linguistic input that comes from children's books. Drawing from the most current research on the developing brain, the author demonstrates how language acquisition is exclusively interactive, and highlights the benefit that accrues when that interaction includes the exploratory language play found in early childhood literature. Through discussions of specific domains of grammar, the relation of these domains to children's literature through scaffolding, and the resultant linguistic and cognitive advantages for the child, this volume offers an innovative approach to early brain maturation.