This volume offers an introduction to the field of second language acquisition with a particular focus on second language Spanish. It connects key issues in the acquisition of Spanish as a second language to theoretical and empirical issues in the field of second language acquisition more generally by exemplifying central concepts in second language acquisition through the exploration of the most widely researched structures and most recent developments in the field of second language Spanish. It is written for a non-specialist audience, making it suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses and readers, while its treatment of recent empirical developments also makes it of interest to researchers in second language Spanish as well as allied fields.

This book is a reference that provides an overview of the major work done in Spanish second language acquisition. It contains a section on the major theoretical approaches (generative, cognitive, and sociocultural), a section on the major elements of language (phonemes, morphemes, tense, syntax, discourse, pragmatics), and a concluding chapter on the effects of different instructional approaches. We are publishing it primarily for its potential course use, but the quality of the contributors will also attract attention from scholars.

Bringing together a comprehensive collection of newly-commissioned articles, this Handbook covers the most recent developments across a range of sub-fields relevant to the study of second language Spanish. Provides a unique and much-needed collection of new research in this subject, compiled and written by experts in the field Offers a critical account of the most current, ground-breaking developments across key fields, each of which has seen innovative empirical research in the past decade Covers a broad range of issues including current theoretical approaches, alongside a variety of entries within such areas as the sound system, morphosyntax, individual and social factors, and instructed language learning Presents a variety of methodological approaches spanning the active areas of research in language acquisition

By examining the acquisition of Spanish in combination with languages other than English (Arabic, Basque, Catalan, Chinese, Dutch, Farsi, French, German, Nahuatl, Quechua, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish), this volume advances novel data pertinent to the field’s understanding of acquisition of Spanish in the XXI century. Its crosslinguistic nature invites us to reconsider major theoretical questions such as the role of L1 transfer, linguistic typology, and onset of acquisition from a fresh perspective, and to question the validity of the traditional parameter (re)setting perspective taken in SLA. Additionally, this volume underscores the necessity of providing accurate descriptions of the language pairings investigated, emphasizing the interconnection between linguistic and SLA theory, and pushing us to a more atomic view of the system in which features and feature bundles mapped onto lexical items comprise the skeleton of language. This volume is of great relevance for researchers and students of SLA alike.

This is the first book on the acquisition of Spanish that provides a state-of-the-art comprehensive overview of Spanish morphosyntactic development in monolingual and bilingual situations. Its content is organized around key grammatical themes that form the empirical base of research in generative grammar: nominal and verbal inflectional morphology, subject and object pronouns, complex structures involving movement (topicalizations, questions, relative clauses), and aspects of verb meaning that have consequences for syntax. The book argues that Universal Grammar constrains all instances of language acquisition and that there is a fundamental continuity between monolingual, bilingual, child and adult early grammatical systems. While stressing their similarities with respect to linguistic representations and processes, the book also considers important differences between these three acquisition situations with respect to the outcome of acquisition. It is also shown that many linguistic properties of Spanish are acquired earlier than in English and other languages. This book is a must read for those interested in the acquisition of Spanish from different theoretical perspectives as well as those working on the acquisition of other languages in different contexts.

Developed directly with the IB to be fully integrated with the revised MYP Language Acquisition framework, for first teaching in 2020. This comprehensive, inquiry-based resource equips learners to acquire and practice essential language skills while developing wider conceptual and contextual awareness. An inquiry-led, concept-based approach applies key and related concepts to relevant learning material, helping you fully deliver the MYP approach and build meaningful conceptual connections. Fully comprehensive, the resource addresses all the topics suggested in the MYP Language Acquisition Framework to help learners progress into the Diploma Programme.

The comparative investigation of the acquisition of gender in Spanish by early and late bilinguals of different language combinations is highly debated and crucial as the phenomenon of gender involves grammatical features that differ in all three languages under investigation. Against this background, both early and late bilinguals face an arduous learning task which differs in complexity. Couched within a generative framework, the empirical study focuses on 257 participants with different levels of proficiency in Spanish ranging from low to advanced, and through a series of tests aims to discover which extra-linguistic and intra-linguistic factors act as triggers for non-native outcomes in adult heritage speakers and L2 learners. The observed morphological variability is argued not to stem from a representational (i.e. syntactic) deficit, but rather from a mapping problem in L2 learners and heritage speakers. Successful attainment in terms of gender is possible but dependent on the interplay between various extralinguistic and linguistic factors.

The problematic pursuit of defining advancedness / Mandy R. Menke and Paul A. Malovrh -- The (limited) contributions of proficiency assessments in defining advancedness / Mandy R. Menke and Paul A. Malovrh -- ACTFL OPIc question prompt and advanced Spanish fluency / Alan V. Brown, Gregory L. Thompson and Troy L. Cox -- Advanced users of Spanish : relationships among modalities of speaking, reading, and listening / Dan Soneson -- The role of late-acquired structures in advanced oral proficiency : a consideration of complexity and variability as indicators of development / Paul A. Malovrh and Mandy R. Menke -- Allowable temporal distances for future-time forms : the case of advanced L2 Spanish learners / Matthew Kanwit -- What does advanced L2 pronunciation look like? : evidence from the ultimate attainment of Spanish consonants / Timothy L. Face -- An exploration of advanced-level learners' verb choices in variable mood-distinction contexts / Aarnes Gudmestad -- L2 proficiency and L2 dialect processing during study abroad / Christine Shea -- Sophisticated language use in context : the contributions of variationist approaches to the study of advanced learners of Spanish / Kimberly L. Geeslin -- Linguistic markers of stance in advanced second language Spanish academic writing / Mandy R. Menke -- Sophisticated language use in context : using the L2 to express intercultural competence / Lori Czerwionka -- Spanish-language advancedness : grammatical metaphor and the oral-written continuum / Omar Velázquez-Mendoza -- Developing advanced pragmatic competence in Spanish / J. César Félix-Brasdefer and Megan DiBartolomeo -- Advancing notions of advancedness : clarifying the differential and dynamic effects of working memory across the second language proficiency spectrum / Ellen Johnson Serafini -- Individual characteristics in advanced Spanish proficiency : cluster and case-matching analyses on 127 advanced learners / Paula Winke, Emily Heidrich Uebel and Susan M. Gass -- The effects of study abroad on interlanguage development : a concept-oriented analysis of advanced Spanish majors' direct object expression / Paul A. Malovrh and James F. Lee -- The role of individual characteristics in the acquisition of Spanish copula choice : the case of Korean learners / Avizia Long -- The role of language anxiety and enjoyment in advanced proficiency : considerations for task-based language teaching research / Ángela Donate -- Language aptitude and foreign accent in advanced L2 speakers of Spanish / Gisela Granena -- Looking ahead : future directions for research on advancednesss and instructional practice in second language Spanish / Paul A. Malovrh and Mandy R. Menke.

The Art of Teaching Spanish explores in-depth the findings of research in second language acquisition (SLA) and other language-related fields and translates those findings into practical pedagogical tools for current--and future--Spanish-language instructors. This volume addresses how theoretical frameworks affect the application of research findings to the teaching of Spanish, how logistical factors affect the way research findings can be applied to teach Spanish, and how findings from Spanish SLA research would be applicable to Spanish second language teaching and represented in Spanish curricula through objectives and goals (as evidenced in pedagogical materials such as textbooks and computer-assisted language learning software). Top SLA researchers and applied linguists lend their expertise on matters such as foreign language across curriculum programs, testing, online learning, the incorporation of linguistic variation into the classroom, heritage language learners, the teaching of translation, the effects of study abroad and classroom contexts on learning, and other pedagogical issues. Other common themes of The Art of Teaching Spanish include the rejection of the concept of a monolithic language competence, the importance of language as social practice and cultural competence, the psycholinguistic component of SLA, and the need for more cross-fertilization from related fields.

This book presents cutting-edge research on the nature of grammatical systems developed by bilinguals and second language learners, as well as how speakers put these grammatical systems to use in processing language. The chapters provide a stimulating mix of theoretical contributions and experimental designs addressing a variety of research questions, such as learnability and access to Universal Grammar, native language influence, variability, and what propels language development from one stage to the next. Bilingual development is a special highlight here. The linguistic domains investigated are also extremely diverse, and include morphology, syntax, and language processing, as well as the interfaces between syntax and semantics and between syntax and discourse. The book covers the acquisition of an impressive number of languages including Arabic, Croatian, Chinese, English, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish as first or second languages. Through these diverse contributions, the reader will be able to identify and follow important new directions in which generative language acquisition is developing and expanding.