This volume is focused on the teaching and acquisition of language for special, professional or general purposes, as well as the needs and challenges associated with foreign language pedagogy in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) or, more generally, Language for Specific Purposes (LSP). It presents innovative methodology and technology-integrated approaches that will serve to benefit teacher development and assist language practitioners in enhancing student investment and motivation. A pragmatic tool for utilization at the local level, this collection provides an international panorama of language pedagogy that is of great use to both junior and senior researchers. It will also serve as a source of inspiration for future and seasoned language practitioners and in-service teacher educators.

Current Issues in Second/Foreign Language Teaching and Teacher Development: Research and Practice represents a collection of selected papers from the 17th World Congress of the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA), which was held in August 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. The volume comprises 18 chapters presenting current research projects and discussing issues related to second language acquisition, teaching and teacher education in a variety of contexts from around the world. This collection of research papers will be of use to both new and seasoned researchers in the field of applied linguistics. Teacher educators, language teachers and language policy makers will find this volume equally useful as the papers address current issues in language education.

This book examines current research centered on the second language classroom and the implications of this research for both the teaching and learning of foreign languages. It offers illuminating insights into the important relationship between research and teaching, and the inherent complexities of the teaching and learning of foreign languages in classroom settings. Offers an accessible overview of a range of research on instruction and learning in the L2 classroom Bridges the relationship between research, teachers, and learners Helps evolve the practice of dedicated current language teachers with research findings that suggest best practices for language teaching

This landmark volume provides a broad-based, state-of-the-art overview of current knowledge and research into second language teaching and learning. Fifty-seven chapters are organized in eight thematic sections: *social contexts of second language learning; *research methodologies in second-language learning, acquisition, and teaching; *contributions of applied linguistics to the teaching and learning of second language skills; *second language processes and development; *teaching methods and curricula; *issues in second or foreign language testing and assessment; *identity, culture, and critical pedagogy in second language teaching and learning; and *important considerations in language planning and policies. The Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning is intended for researchers, practitioners, graduate students, and faculty in teacher education and applied linguistics programs; teachers; teacher trainers; teacher trainees; curriculum and material developers; and all other professionals in the field of second language teaching and learning.

Second language acquisition (SLA) is a field of inquiry that has increased in importance since the 1960s. Currently, researchers adopt multiple perspectives in the analysis of learner language, all of them providing different but complementary answers to the understanding of oral and written data produced by young and older learners in different settings. The main goal of this volume is to provide the reader with updated reviews of the major contemporary approaches to SLA, the research carried out within them and, wherever appropriate, the implications and/or applications for theory, research and pedagogy that might derive from the available empirical evidence. The book is intended for SLA researchers as well as for graduate (MA, Ph.D.) students in SLA research, applied linguistics and linguistics, as the different chapters will be a guide in their research within the approaches presented. The volume will also be of interest to professionals from other fields interested in the SLA process and the different explanations that have been put forward to account for it.

New Directions for Research in Foreign Language Education brings together contributions by reputed scholars that examine the challenges, opportunities, and benefits of teaching and learning foreign languages. With a particular focus on languages other than English, the book looks at the socio-political dimension of language learning and teaching and the need to re-theorize multilingualism for our age. The volume includes a range of perspectives, from language teaching as an act of reconciliation to language learning across the lifespan, from innovations in assessment and curriculum to critical appraisals of pedagogy and textbook materials. Each chapter presents a clear case study drawn from diverse contexts to illustrate the different concerns of the contributors. The book is a valuable resource for all students, teachers, teacher educators and researchers who share an interest in researching multilingualism and the different facets of teaching and learning foreign languages.

The present volume deals with some of the challenges that modern foreign language teaching will face in the near future. These challenges are presented with regard to various domains of language teaching, e.g. mobile learning, the overall organisation of learning environments, innovative language teaching methods, internationalisation and language mediation. Techno­logical development and the rapid spread of computers, smartphones and social media are described and analysed as well as instrumental scaffolding, the multilingual classroom, the multilingual learner, pronunciation, and learner motivation.

At the dawning of the 21st century, foreign language education in the United States is experiencing a period marked by exciting possibilities. Theorists and practitioners embrace a move from a perceived position of teaching only the elite to a nationally initiated cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural orientation embodied in the latest standards. Given the presence of non-English languages in all parts of the United States, a growing number of scholars are beginning to examine the sociological context in which this educational endeavor is carried out, noting that the figure of professional practice is inextricably linked to issues of cultural and academic context. Theory-informed practice in the coming years, therefore, will include the challenge of examining a broad range of topics related to curricular and instructional principles and procedures. The text is intended to provide a collection of perspectives related to issues of pluralism and reform as they will influence theory-informed practice of foreign language education in the coming century. Drawing from a variety of contributors from both inside and outside of foreign/second language education, this text brings the voices of scholars together focused on issues of contemporary consequence. The chapters center around a focusing theme in the form of the following question: How does the changing social and academic context of language education in the United States impact the future of our discipline?

Language teaching approaches, methods and procedures are constantly undergoing reassessment. New ideas keep emerging as the growing complexity of the means of communication and the opportunities created by technology put language skills to new uses. In addition, the political, social and economic impact of globalisation, the new demands of the labour market that result from it, the pursuit of competitiveness, the challenges of intercultural communication and the diversification of culture have opened new perspectives on the central role that foreign languages have come to play in the development of contemporary societies. This book provides an insight into the latest developments in the field and discusses the new trends in foreign language teaching in four major areas, namely methods and approaches, teacher training, innovation in the classroom, and evaluation and assessment.

This book offers valuable information about the latest developments in the field of foreign language (FL) teaching and learning. It provides FL practitioners and academics working at all levels of education, generalist teachers working in multicultural environments, and teacher educators with some practical ideas that can help them further develop their teaching skills, optimize their students’ learning and revisit their practices. Specifically, it offers insights into a range of pedagogical practices, based on research or long experience, related to various topics pertaining to the general theme of this edited volume. Such topics include vocabulary teaching in English for Specific Academic Purposes courses, the cultivation of intercultural awareness in multicultural schools, the use of literature in the FL classroom, the enhancement of students’ reading literacy, the importance of motivation and peripheral difficulties in conjunction with dyslexia, and the use of reflective practice for teacher development.