27.3403, Review: Applied Ling; Gen Ling; Language Acq: Angelovska, Benati (2016)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-27-3403. Fri Aug 26 2016. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 27.3403, Review: Applied Ling; Gen Ling; Language Acq: Angelovska, Benati (2016)

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Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2016 12:51:10
From: Boris Yelin [byelin at purdue.edu]
Subject: Second Language Acquisition

 
Discuss this message:
http://linguistlist.org/pubs/reviews/get-review.cfm?subid=36169177


Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/27/27-984.html

AUTHOR: Alessandro G. Benati
AUTHOR: Tanja  Angelovska
TITLE: Second Language Acquisition
SUBTITLE: A Theoretical Introduction to Real World Applications
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury Publishing (formerly The Continuum International Publishing Group)
YEAR: 2016

REVIEWER: Boris Yelin, Purdue University

Reviews Editor: Helen Aristar-Dry

SUMMARY

The proposed audience of “Second Language Acquisition: A Theoretical
Introduction to Real World Applications,” by Allesandro Benati and Tanja
Angelovska, is undergraduate students and trainee teachers. The goal of the
book is to bridge the gap between theoretical and experimental work that has
been done in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and its pedagogical
implications. Besides the preface, which briefly outlines the goals and
structure of the text. The book is divided into six chapters: Introduction to
second language acquisition, Similarities and differences between first and
second language acquisition, How learners process information in second
language acquisition, How the internal system develops in second language
acquisition, How learners learn to communicate in a second language, and What
we know about SLA. There is also a short, but useful glossary of important
terms used throughout the text. Each chapter begins with an overview of what
will be covered, which is a helpful roadmap for the reader. The first chapter
introduces and defines the concept of SLA, briefly describes the subfields of
linguistics, and provides succinct summaries of the most influential theories
in SLA, concluding with a model for SLA. The second chapter  highlights the
different factors affecting first language acquisition versus SLA,
highlighting the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis versus the Fundamental
Similarities Hypothesis; the chapter also discusses the well-known Critical
Period Hypothesis, which looks at age as an influential factor. The third
chapter focuses on what occurs in the learning process with a strong emphasis
on individual differences. The fourth chapter explains what the interlanguage
of learners looks like. The fifth chapter examines conversation and
socialization as a means to foster SLA toward the end goal of communicative
competence. The final chapter is essentially an overview of the past material
with a larger portion devoted to the pedagogical implications, i.e. what
theories and strategies we need to utilize in the classroom. Each chapter
concludes with real-world applications and a reference list. 

EVALUATION

As promised, this book provides an overview of SLA that is beginner-friendly.
This is in contrast to other introductory texts that focus more on analyzing
theories and their originating studies (e.g. VanPatten & Williams, 2015). What
this allows for is gaining a general understanding that can aid teachers in
thinking through both the rationale underpinning what they do in the classroom
and the progression of the field informing their work. Moreover, the text
gives clear suggestions for the classroom, such as meaningful, task-based
activities. The inclusion in this text of information regarding multilinguals
and heritage speakers is especially welcome, since these types of students are
increasingly common and have different needs than the traditional L2 learner
who only has speaks one L1.

Though the book is quite accessible to those new to SLA, one caveat is that
while SLA-based concepts and topic-essential terms, such as ‘markedness’, are
well-defined, terms like ‘copular verbs’ and ‘SVO’ are not explained. Thus, it
is occasionally necessary for the reader to have a firm knowledge of
linguistics or at least an instructor that can fill in those gaps. Otherwise,
the authors explain their concepts with examples, such as when they list
durative and stative verbs, ‘seem’, ‘know’, and ‘need’, as they mention these
terms. The glossary, especially, not only clearly defines terms but also
directs readers to the principal texts that cover the terminology.

In line with the book’s emphasis on clear definitions, Chapter 5
differentiates terms that are commonly confused or treated as synonyms. In
this case, their terms are the ‘Zone of Proximal Development’, ‘scaffolding’,
and ‘i+1’, which all refer to supporting a person’s learning by helping them
reach the next highest level of understanding. However, each term has
different implications and direction for SLA. Discussing theories and concepts
side-by-side makes it easier to see the differences than would grouping them
together erroneously. The text, in Chapter 2, also does well to include
discussions of L3 acquisition (TLA) and to discuss the terminological
differences between SLA and TLA but also within TLA. As the authors mention,
TLA is a growing field that will be even more important in a globalizing
world, so including it as a topic definitely shows foresight.

Another helpful feature of the text that may seem redundant at first is the
good deal of repetition present. In this case, repetition is helpful since the
information is used in a different way in each subsequent mention. For
instance, discussing Universal Grammar (US) with respect to L1 vs. L2
difference does not necessarily inform someone as to the specific learning
processes that one sees in learners when put to the task.  Also, by mentioning
topics in different ways, this book is an effective bridge between theoretical
concepts and analogous applied concepts (e.g. the strong interface position
and Skill Acquisition Theory). In addition, the text explores the SLA field
from its beginnings with the ideas of behaviorism (Skinner, 1957) and
universal grammar (Chomsky, 1965) to the more recent work; but it explores in
a holistic fashion, constantly incorporating and comparing theories and ideas.
At the end of the book, the reader has a firm grip on the concepts explored
through the text as well as how that translates to teaching.

A shortfall of the book is some of activities throughout the chapters. Some of
them are definitely useful and ask to review/synthesize prior information or
provide examples of ideas immediately following discussion of the topic, e.g.
“Can you think of some examples of structures affected by the First Noun
Principle?” (pg. 67). Nonetheless, many of the activities ask for information
that will subsequently be mentioned. For example, one finds the following
activity (pg. 48):

Think of possible arguments about why the CPH should/could be rejected.
Argument 1:
Argument 2:
Argument 3:

Just below, the reader can see three numbered arguments. After the reader
discovers this occasional practice, it tends to lower the motivation to
complete the activity. The activities would be better suited at the end of a
chapter as comprehension checks/syntheses, and examples of these types of
activities are also present (pg. 82):

What input manipulation techniques do you know?
1
2
3
How do these pedagogical interventions affect the learning of grammar?

This question occurs at the end of Chapter 3, which focuses on processing
information. Thus, the reader has a better sense of how to approach these
questions. 

In the end the authors succeed at weaving together different findings and
theories in SLA, as opposed to supporting a select few. This, in turn, gives a
truer and more complete picture so that educators can make an informed
decision. Furthermore, it allows educators to make conscious choices about
what they will highlight in their teaching, depending on the task at hand.
Besides the intended audience of undergraduates and teacher trainees, I would
recommend this book to graduate students and even professors as a useful
reference guide to which they can refer their students. 

REFERENCES

Chomsky, Noam. 1965. Aspects of the theory of syntax. Cambridge, MA: MIT
Press.

Skinner, Burrhus F. 1957. Verbal behavior. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

VanPatten, Bill, & Williams, Jessica. 2015. Theories in second language
acquisition: An introduction, 2nd edn. New York: Routledge.


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Boris Yelin is currently a PhD candidate in Applied Spanish Linguistics at
Purdue University. His main interests are SLA and Pedagogy with a focus on L3
acquisition. Past research has included looking at the intersection of
language variation and semantics with respect to mood.





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