Introduction to Instructed Second Language Acquisition

'It is high-time that a book bringing together research and theory about instructed second language learning was published. Shawn Loewen’s book will prove invaluable for both researchers and teachers. It succinctly summarizes a wide body of research that has investigated the effects of instruction on all aspects of language, relates it to relevant second language acquisition theories, draws clear conclusions for language pedagogy ,and provides thought-provoking follow-up activities.' – Rod Ellis, The University of Auckland, New Zealand

'Shawn Loewen succeeds in making clear connections between theory and practice in this useful synthesis of classroom SLA research, and does so in a refreshing way that explores a range of instructional approaches across linguistic domains while also accounting for the role of context and individual differences.' – Roy Lyster, McGill University, Canada

'By providing a broad overview of ISLA, the author succeeds in filling a gap in the ISLA research base. This is a much needed source of information in the growing popularity of the study area.' - Marga Stander, University of the Free State, South Africa, The LINGUIST List

Introduction to Instructed Second Language Acquisition is the first book to present a cohesive view of the different theoretical and pedagogical perspectives that comprise instructed second language acquisition (ISLA), defined as any type of learning that occurs as a result of the manipulating the process and conditions of second language acquisition. The book begins by considering the effectiveness of ISLA and the differences between ISLA and naturalistic L2 learning. It then goes on to discuss the theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical aspects of such key issues in ISLA as grammar learning; interaction in the classroom; focus on form, function and meaning; vocabulary learning; pronunciation learning; pragmatics learning; learning contexts; and individual differences. This timely and important volume is ideally suited for the graduate level ISLA course, and provides valuable insights for any SLA scholar interested in the processes involved in second language learning in classroom settings.