This book provides an accessible and readable overview of linguistic research. The text uses pedagogical tools such as analogies, metaphors, and graphic organizers to clarify the meaning of complex linguistic concepts. To ensure that readers develop a firm and lasting grasp of new ideas, the book illustrates theoretical concepts with language samples (such as popular song lyrics or famous sayings) that are likely to be familiar to the reader. The use of such recognizable language material is intended to help students see the language in their own environment as worth observing and analyzing. Above all, the book is meant to help future teachers in the classroom. This goal largely determines the book's scope. The text provides an overview of those studies that have especially significant implications for classroom practice. For instance, the chapter on neurolinguistics covers research into the gestures that accompany speech, and the chapter on semantics places special emphasis on discussing the role of conceptual metaphors in cognition. Each of the book's eleven chapters concludes with a section entitled "Implications for Instruction." These sections engage to reader in exploring the practical significance of linguistic research.

This volume addresses a gamut of questions of interest to teachers of young second language learners. Why do immigrant children leave their home countries, and what are their journeys to the United States like? How do young children adjust to the new culture? What sort of dynamic prevails in immigrant families? What are young immigrants' schooling experiences like? What are language learning processes like in young children? The first part of the book contains an overview of recent ethnographic, sociological, and psycholinguistic research concerned with answering these questions. The second half of the volume focuses on classroom practice. Gordon provides an extensive overview of activities that have been proven to be effective with young language learners. Practical recommendations contained in these pages flow directly from the classroom. Gordon describes innovative second language lessons developed and implemented by ESL teachers who work with language learners enrolled in primary grades. The book places special emphasis on those instructional strategies that stir young language learners' interest while stimulating their linguistic and cognitive development.

This book provides an accessible and readable overview of linguistic research. The text uses pedagogical tools such as analogies, metaphors, and graphic organizers to clarify the meaning of complex linguistic concepts. To ensure that readers develop a firm and lasting grasp of new ideas, the book illustrates theoretical concepts with language samples (such as popular song lyrics or famous sayings) that are likely to be familiar to the reader. The use of such recognizable language material is intended to help students see the language in their own environment as worth observing and analyzing. Above all, the book is meant to help future teachers in the classroom. This goal largely determines the book's scope. The text provides an overview of those studies that have especially significant implications for classroom practice. For instance, the chapter on neurolinguistics covers research into the gestures that accompany speech, and the chapter on semantics places special emphasis on discussing the role of conceptual metaphors in cognition. Each of the book's eleven chapters concludes with a section entitled "Implications for Instruction." These sections engage to reader in exploring the practical significance of linguistic research.