Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course (Topics in Applied Psycholinguistics) [Paperback]

Susan M. Gass (Author), Larry Selinker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0805804943 | ISBN-13: 978-0805804942 | Edition: 2nd printing

In the past 20 years the field of second language acquisition has developed into an independent and autonomous discipline complete with its own research agenda. In addition, there has been an increase in the number of conferences - of both a general and a topical nature - dealing exclusively with this topic, as well as special sessions on second language acquisition as part of larger conferences. Furthermore, the field now has journals devoted exclusively to its study as well as numerous edited volumes concentrating on specific subareas. Dealing with the ways in which second languages are learned, the authors take a multidisciplinary approach by presenting research emanating from other well-established disciplines - sociology, psychology, education and linguistics. The content is limited, for the most part, to a discussion of adult second language acquisition. Designed to be used in an introductory course for undergraduate or graduate students, the authors' goal is to make the information available to students with a wide variety of backgrounds. This volume was born out of the belief that the complexities of the field can and should be brought to the attention of many students - those intending to delve further into the field and those only curious about the pervasive phenomenon of learning a second language. The companion workbook audiocassette package for this text is available under Sorace Gass Selinker.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A tour de force. The authors have taken the best text available for an introductory course in second language acquisition (SLA) and made it even stronger…. The improvements in the third edition are palpable from the very beginning of the text ….The third edition of Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course should form the basis for any introduction to SLA, at either the graduate or undergraduate level." - Fred Eckman, Center for the Advanced Study of Language, University of Maryland

"Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course presents the most balanced, grounded, and accessible introduction to a broad field.... and a new, updated, and expanded edition is most welcome. In the third edition, Gass and Selinker’s overview of the field of SLA continues to be encyclopedic…" - Richard Young, Professor of English Linguistics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Susan M. Gass, Michigan State University and Larry Selinker, NYU

Susan Gass is University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages at Michigan State University. She has conducted research in a wide variety of sub-areas of second language acquisition including language transfer, language universals, second language research methods, and input and interaction. She is the author/editor of numerous books, has served as the President of the American Association for Applied Linguistics and is the President of the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA).

Larry Selinker is one of the original contributors to the research field of Second Language Acquisition, having introduced the concepts "interlanguage" and "fossilization" and having conducted one of the first empirical studies in "language transfer" research in 1969. Consistently seeking a more unified account which would integrate concepts of "interdialect," "interculture," and "interliteracy" with new media, he is now preparing a 40-plus year fossilization study on participants first looked at in 1964. He has held professorships at the Universities of Michigan and London and visiting professorships at various universities around the world. Currently, he is Visiting Professor at New York University and, exploring processes of  "around sourcing," is helping to organize Research Production Associates.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 2nd printing edition (November 3, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805804943
• ISBN-13: 978-0805804942
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,900,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SLA. An Introductory Course, September 2, 2005

By 

Theodoor PUTTEMANS "http://www.paris4.sorbonn... (Sorbonne-Paris IV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course (Paperback)

A serious SLA scholar needs at least three broad introductions to begin with. This one is the first to have. Other ones are Ellis (1994) and Doughty & Long (2003). Needless to plough through articles in libraries because the field of SLA is too dispersed and chaotic.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for introducing students to the field., August 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course (Topics in Applied Psycholinguistics) (Paperback)

The book provides a good introduction to the second language acquisition field, as well as the research done in the area. It covers all the major issues, such as first language influence, universal grammar, and classroom learning. The discussion questions at the end of each chapter are particularly useful for students in an SLA introductory class.

35 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A necessity for all serious SLA/TESOL students, November 19, 2004

By 

Sarah - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course (Paperback)

I am a graduate student in Michigan State University's MA TESOL program, and have the distinct honour of having Dr. Susan Gass as my advisor. In addition to being a University Distinguished Professor at MSU and President of the International Association of Applied Linguistics, Dr. Gass has published extensively on SLA research. Her textbook "Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course" is required reading as part of the TESOL program at MSU, and is an indispensable condensed guide to the hundreds of research articles on topics such as child language acquisition, interlanguage data and processes, SLA and linguistics, universal grammar, input, interaction and output, instructed L2 learning and nonlanguage influences (Critical Period Hypothesis, aptitude, anxiety, motivation, personality factors).

"SLA: An Introductory Course" is a necessity for all serious SLA/TESOL graduate students. As I am reading the full versions of many of the articles summarized in the book (over 500 pages of unabridged research), I frequently consult Dr. Gass' guide for overviews, charts, and discussions that pertain to the original articles while making the results salient and easier to put in perspective. To give the prospective buyer an idea of the inclusiveness of the book, there are over 35 pages of references (including landmark studies from the 1950s to the present), a handy ten-page glossary, and an author index and subject index for easy retrieval.

To the reviewer who stated : "[the book] is only for college folks (probably graduate students and up), and there is little if any value for the utiltarian teacher. My warning goes out to anyone who thinks the book might help them as teachers or as students of a foreign language. You are not the intended audience," I disagree. As a future ESL/EFL teacher and a language learner (I am trilingual and can understand basic Japanese), I believe that understanding the complicated mechanisms and processes that govern second language acquisition and keeping on top of current research in the field is just as important as being fluent in the language that you are teaching.

I highly recommend "SLA: An Introductory Course" to those who are interested in linguistics and second language acquisition. It is truly an indispensable overview to the myriad of research conducted in second language acquisition. The book is filled with numerous charts, statistics and examples taken directly from the original studies, all of which are seamlessly interwoven into intuitively organized, easy-to-digest chapters.