Principles of Language Learning and Teaching: A Course in Second Language Acquisition

The seventh edition of this classic second language acquisition (SLA) text provides an overview of the theoretical foundations of language teaching.

This new edition has been updated to capture current research and practice in the field. Among concepts that are either redefined or entirely new are:

• Language learning in an era of globalization and multilingualism
• The significance of transnationalism, identity, investment, agency, and ideology
• Language learning as situated, usage-based, and socioculturally contextualized
• The importance of emotional engagement, intercultural sensitivity, and self-efficacy in language learning
• Transdisciplinary and ecological approaches as keys to language teaching in the 21st century

The seventh edition also retains useful historical information and foundational cornerstones of SLA that teachers have found beneficial in their instruction. Key principles continue to be presented and explained with direct application to classroom language education and real-life contexts. Features such as "Points to Ponder" (questions for readers’ personal reflection), classroom connections and "Tips for Teaching," suggested readings, and a glossary of terminology are updated in this edition. With its reader-friendly style, practical pedagogical tools, and comprehensive coverage of state-of-the-art research findings, this edition serves as an essential resource for language teacher education programs worldwide, catering to the needs of both novice and experienced language teachers.

H. Douglas Brown, Emeritus Professor of English in the MA-TESOL program, San Francisco State University, has authored articles and books on second language acquisition, language pedagogy, and language assessment, including Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 6th Edition (2014); Teaching by Principles, 4th Edition, with Heekyeong Lee (2015); and Language Assessment, 3rd Edition, with Priyanvada Abeywickrama (2019). For 22 years, Professor Brown was the Director of SFSU’s American Language Institute. He is a past president of TESOL and recipient of the James E. Alatis Award for Distinguished Service.

Heekyeong Lee is a professor of applied linguistics at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Her research interests include language teaching methodology and teacher education, second language acquisition, learner identity and agency, L2 academic literacy development, and transnationalism and refugee education. Her work can be found in TESOL Quarterly, Journal of Second Language Writing, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, and the TESOL Encyclopaedia of English Language Teaching, among others. She is a co-author (with H. Douglas Brown) of the fourth edition of Teaching by Principles (2015).