Second Language Acquisition (Oxford Introductions to Language Study) (Paperback)

~ Rod Ellis (Author), H. G. Widdowson (Series Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

... a powerful tool in opening the door, even to the novice, into this field. - Issues in Applied Linguistics

I am impressed with both the aims of this book and the way the design sets out to achieve them. iSecond Language Acquisition/i will be useful for anyone curious to learn about the issues of this rapidly expanding and complex area. - IATEFL Newsletter

Product Description

This book outlines the study of how people learn a language other than their mother tongue. It is designed to make the essentials of this rapidly expanding field as accessible as possible.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 24, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019437212X
• ISBN-13: 978-0194372121
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #46,254 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #18 in	Books > Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > English as a Foreign Language > English Language Teaching > Methods
  #23 in	Books > Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > English as a Foreign Language > English Language Teaching > Disciplines
  #24 in	Books > Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > English as a Foreign Language > English Language Teaching > Linguistics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Little Intro, July 20, 2007

By	Bu-Chan (Aotearoa) - See all my reviews

Rod Ellis is pretty much the guru on second language acquisition in this part of the world and usually writes some pretty heavy books on the subject. This little book, weighing in at just over 100 pages, stands in stark contrast.

As the title of the series suggests, this is an introduction only and not for people who are already well-versed in second language acquistion theory. This book was really written for those wanting a launching point to further reading or just a quick overview of the main concepts, brief historical developments and some of the terminology.

The majority of the book deals with various aspects of a learners interlanguage, taking in social, psycholinguistic and other facets. It also looks at variation between students, Universal Grammar and a few more topics. None are dealt with in to any great depth, but there is enough to give you some good insights into what you may have observed in the classroom. The discussion on developmental stages was particularly useful in this regard.

Like Pragmatics (Oxford Introductions to Language Study), this book is not a heavy read that bombards one with lashes of indecipherable terminology. Easy on the brain, it is a very good starting point for people interested in the field. Definitely recommended!

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Second Language Acquisition, October 18, 2008

By	Karen L. Burroughs - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am always looking for classics that I can share with my students who are going back to their countries to teach English. This is certainly one that I would recommend and certainly acquiring books via Amazon is great for them once they get home.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Received the product on time in great condition, September 30, 2009

By	F. Santos - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

The book was delivered according to the promised date and it was in a great condition, new and neat.