Problems in Second Language Acquisition by Michael H Long

Problems in Second Language Acquisition by Michael H Long

Second language acquisition has an identity problem. It is a young field struggling to emerge from the parent fields of education and applied linguistics. In his new book, Problems in Second Language Acquisition, Mike Long proposes a way to help second language acquisition develop a systematic and coherent focus using the philosophy of science as the lens.

The volume is neatly organized into three parts--theory, research, and practice. This structure allows a focus on areas of SLA of interest to many in the field. These include theory proliferation and comparative theory evaluation; the Critical Period Hypothesis and negative feedback; and the practice of “synthetic” language teaching.

The controversial volume will be of interest to researchers, educators, and graduate students in second language acquisition, applied linguistics, TESOL, and linguistics programs. It may be recommended as additional reading for an introductory SLA course in order to stimulate class discussions.

“This book brings together six chapters on theory development in SLA; detailed accounts of research in two areas where SLA research findings are accumulating; and implications of these and other SLA findings for practiceThe theory, research, practice section and chapter sequencing gives the book shape, as does the recurring theme of theory development, and in particular Laudan’s notion of science as a problem-solving activity, from which the book takes its title.”
—Peter Robinson
Aoyama Gakuin University

“Chapter 3 is a detailed review of the sensitive period controversy in SLA and a convincing defense of that notion. This chapter contains some unpublished research and is, therefore, valuable for senior scholars as well as new ones to the field. Chapter 4 is a review of the literature on recasts in second language pedagogy and a powerful argument for their use.”
—John Schumann
University of California at Los Angeles