Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, Fourth Edition [Paperback]

H. Douglas Brown (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0130178160 | ISBN-13: 978-0130178169 | Publication Date: March 6, 2000 | Edition: 4

How do people learn a second language? For almost two decades, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching has been recognized as an exceptional guide to the theoretical foundations of language teaching. This new fourth edition offers an overview of the study of Second Language Acquisition, while acting as a reference for the growing storehouse of research, subfields, and specialization of SLA.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

How do people learn a second language? For almost two decades, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching has been recognized as an exceptional guide to the theoretical foundations of language teaching.
The fourth edition offers an overview of the study of Second Language Acquisition, while acting as a reference for the growing storehouse of research, subfields, and specializations of SLA.
Features include:

• Topics on constructivist approaches to SLA, emotional intelligence, the critical period hypothesis, language aptitude, strategies-based instruction (SBI), and more.
• Additional diagrams and charts to make this edition more accessible, offering visual reference and support for key points.
• Updated chapter-ending vignettes to provide information on various pedagogical applications and implications of second language research.
• Improved end-of-chapter activities designed explicitly for in-class group work, pair work, whole-class discussion, and individual self-study.
• Revised and updated end-of-chapter suggestions for further reading.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Pearson ESL; 4 edition (March 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130178160
• ISBN-13: 978-0130178169
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #251,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One-stop resource on language learning, March 20, 2001

By 

Peter J. Silzer "AKA Dr. Language" (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

Language learning and language teaching are complex and difficult subjects. H. Douglas Brown provides a good summary of key elements in the field in his newest (4th) edition of "Principles of Language Learning and Teaching".

This book provides a good introduction to current theories of language teaching, including critical evaluations of such popular theories as Krashen's Input Hypothesis. Brown couches each discussion in an overall view of the bevaviorist / cognitivist debate and refers to these larger theories regularly.

As a classroom textbook, this edition provides discussion questions and case studies for analysis.

The bibliography is extensive and up to date and the index points to all major topics covered.

I recommend this book to university students and to language teachers who want to refresh their understanding of the field.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, January 22, 2001

By 

Stacey Wright (Wichita, KS, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

I found this book very helpful in my ESL classroom. Brown does an excellent job in chapter 3 comparing and contrasting first and second language acquisition. I believe this book is a must not only for ESL teachers, but all teachers. As our country becomes more diverse, it is important to know how to teach English to students of all ages. This would also be a good book for businesses who are struggling with employees with limited English. This book could also be useful for English teachers of all grades because it does go into great detail about how the first language is acquired. One important chapters for educators is chapter 10 on language testing. I would definately recommend this book and I will keep it for years to come as I have already referred back to it several times in my classroom.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introductory text to give students and practitioners a solid working knowledge of theory and research in SLA, October 14, 2005

By 

Wynne Wong (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

Mr. "Berlitz pro-teacher['s]" review is a perfect example of why students who want to go into language teaching/education need to have at least a solid working knowledge of theory and research in second language acquisition. As I tell my graduate students, intuition and "experience" are certainly important things but effective teaching can only happen if instructors are able to make sound informed decisions that are based on what we know about how languages are acquired in the first place. As a university professor and researcher of SLA, I believe H. Douglas Brown's text is one of the good places to start to get this knowledge. The book is accessible, easy to read, and does a good job of bringing theory and classroom practice together. I show my students Mr. Berlitz pro-teacher's review at the beginning of my seminars and this review has been very effective in showing graduate students why a working knowledge of SLA theory and research is so important for language teachers. A teacher who has no understanding of how languages are acquired is like a doctor who practices medicine without any idea of how the human body works. My students have also pointed out that Mr. pro-teacher probably did not learn English with the best approach or method when you see all the spelling and grammatical mistakes in his review. See what all those drills and "repeatition" did for him?!!!

Addendum of Oct 28, 2005 - My students noticed that Mr. Pro Teacher has now corrected his spelling of "repeatition."