37.2287, Reviews: Linguistic Foundations for Second Language Teaching and Learning: Kathy L. Sands; Marnie Jo Petray; Gaillynn D. Clements; Lynn Santelmann (eds.) (2026)

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Subject: 37.2287, Reviews: Linguistic Foundations for Second Language Teaching and Learning: Kathy L. Sands; Marnie Jo Petray; Gaillynn D. Clements; Lynn Santelmann (eds.) (2026)

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Date: 23-Jun-2026
From: Paloma Morcillo Ortega [p.morcillo-ortega at uea.ac.uk]
Subject: Kathy L. Sands; Marnie Jo Petray; Gaillynn D. Clements; Lynn Santelmann (eds.) (2026)


Book announced at https://linguistlist.org/issues/37-1102

Title: Linguistic Foundations for Second Language Teaching and
Learning
Subtitle: Bridging the Disciplinary Divide
Publication Year: 2026

Publisher: Cambridge University Press
           http://www.cambridge.org/linguistics

Editor(s): Kathy L. Sands; Marnie Jo Petray; Gaillynn D. Clements;
Lynn Santelmann

Reviewer: Paloma Morcillo Ortega

SUMMARY
The central argument of this book is that closer collaboration between
linguistics and second language (L2) teaching and learning can improve
both language teaching practices and linguistic research. The authors
make this case through concrete examples, including case studies,
classroom activities, research findings, and real-world experiences,
that demonstrate how linguistic methods enhance teaching
effectiveness. Importantly, the book frames this relationship as
mutually beneficial: while linguistics can inform pedagogical
practice, L2 theory and learner data can equally contribute to
linguistic research and education. The editors argue that bridging
these disciplines together benefits scholars, teachers, and learners
alike.
The contributors are an international group drawn from universities
across the world, and include both established researchers and
classroom practitioners, from different linguistic specializations,
theoretical perspectives, and educational settings. This allows the
volume to show a wide and valuable range of expert perspectives, which
reflects its cross-disciplinary ambitions. To facilitate this
interdisciplinary dialogue, the book is designed to be accessible to
readers from both linguistic and language education backgrounds, with
discussion questions and further readings at the end of each chapter
to encourage reflection and conversation across disciplines.
In terms of organization, the collection moves from broad, structural
questions to increasingly specific linguistic subfields and
pedagogical contexts. The volume opens with an introductory chapter in
which the authors highlight that language learning is a shared area of
interest that can help bridge the gap between linguistics and language
education while also providing insights into the nature of language
itself. To set the stage for readers from both fields, the
introduction also surveys key aspects of second language acquisition
(SLA) that linguists and language teachers alike should be familiar
with: its multidisciplinary nature, the range of theoretical
perspectives and research methods it draws on, the many factors that
influence the acquisition process, and the ways in which the needs of
teachers and researchers do not always align. This review of the
theoretical foundations is followed by a brief overview of each
chapter of the book.
The opening chapter, by Petray and Clements, explores the current
state of linguistics in the curricula of US master's-level L2 teacher
training programs. Drawing on an analysis of TESOL and other language
teacher education programs, the authors examine whether
recommendations from scholars such as Hudson (2004) and Correa (2014)
to increase and update linguistics training for educators have been
put into practice. They also investigate the specific linguistics
courses these programs require, the degree to which linguistics is
integrated into their curricula and finally provide recommendations
for curriculum re-design.
Among other notable findings, the authors argue that master’s-level
TESOL programmes provide more extensive linguistics-related curricular
content, more than other language teacher education degrees.
Furthermore, these results point to a disparity in training, with
private institutions providing teacher trainees with greater
foundational knowledge in language and linguistics than public
university programmes.
The next several chapters (Chapters 2–14) explain more in depth how
linguistic theory and research can inform second-language teaching and
learning. Together, these chapters offer a useful foundation for
educators and curriculum designers interested in revising courses to
incorporate linguistic perspectives more effectively.
The section begins by examining several key theoretical frameworks,
including functional-typological linguistics (Andvik, Chapter 2),
Systemic Functional Linguistics (Chappell and Reed, Chapter 3), and
formal language analysis (O'Neill and Martohardjono, Chapter 4), each
of which is presented as a valuable lens for understanding language
learning and pedagogy.
In Chapter 2, Andvik introduces the functional-typological approach to
language, which explains linguistic structures in terms of the
communicative functions they serve. It highlights how different
languages develop distinct ways of addressing the same communicative
needs and provides a framework for identifying recurring functions
across languages. A key implication of this approach for L2 teaching
is that typological awareness helps teachers distinguish between
features that are commonly shared across languages and those that are
rare and therefore more likely to be difficult for learners. This
cross-linguistic knowledge enables teachers to anticipate learner
challenges and identify areas where additional support may be needed
during the language acquisition process. In addition, the
functional-typological perspective explains language patterns in terms
of underlying functional forces such as iconicity, metaphorical
extension, and processes of language change, showing that linguistic
features are motivated rather than arbitrary.  Overall, this approach
offers a more explanatory understanding of language by showing how
linguistic facts fit together within a broader communicative and
cognitive system.
Chapter 3, by Chappell and Reed, explores Systemic Functional
Linguistics (SFL), emphasizing the importance of functional grammar in
helping learners access a new language and understand the choices
available to them when communicating. The authors focus on Halliday’s
(2014) systemic functional approach as a tool for describing texts and
supporting learners in producing their own written work. The chapter
demonstrates that using a systemic functional grammar (SFG) together
with genre-based teaching provides a comprehensive approach to second
language teaching, as it enables students to understand how language
functions to make meaning in context and how different text types are
structured and used in real communicative situations.
The chapter also outlines activities based on the teaching–learning
cycle (TLC), which is grounded in Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal
Development (ZPD) and uses scaffolded stages to guide learners from
supported to independent text construction. In their adaptation of the
TLC (Derewianka and Jones, 2016), the authors incorporate an intensive
reading stage after building context, allowing closer engagement with
model texts before writing. Furthermore, dynamic assessment (Poehner,
2007) is presented as an underlying feature of the TLC, where
assessment and instruction are integrated. Drawing on Vygotsky’s
distinction between actual and potential development, it views learner
performance with and without support as a means of identifying and
extending their ZPD. Overall, the chapter shows that SFL, genre-based
pedagogy, the Teaching–Learning Cycle, and dynamic assessment are
mutually reinforcing components of a comprehensive approach to second
language education. Together, they enable teachers to make language
choices explicit, scaffold learners' development, and support the
independent production of meaningful and contextually appropriate
texts.
In Chapter 4, O’Neill and Martohardjono present formal language
analysis as a framework for understanding the underlying structures of
language and for reuniting the fields of linguistics and language
education. A key argument of the chapter is that language teachers
should be equipped with the analytical tools of linguistics rather
than relying solely on prescriptive grammatical knowledge. The authors
emphasize the importance of linguistic analysis in teacher training,
arguing that engaging with authentic language data and developing the
ability to identify and test linguistic patterns enables teachers to
gain a deeper understanding of language structure than traditional
grammar instruction alone. This deeper understanding can, in turn,
inform more effective approaches to language acquisition and pedagogy.
Drawing on a case study of a first-year undergraduate course in
language analysis, the chapter also illustrates how such training
builds on learners’ existing linguistic knowledge and helps them
demystify unfamiliar phonological, morphological, and syntactic
patterns across languages. It also encourages students to recognise
linguistic similarities and differences across both familiar and
unfamiliar languages, including non-standard and undervalued
varieties, thereby challenging societal biases about language. The
authors conclude that formal linguistic analysis enables prospective
teachers and L2 students to view language not as a fixed body of rules
to be transmitted, but as a dynamic system, while also providing a
critical lens through which to examine the relationships between
language, power, and identity.
This section is then followed by a series of chapters devoted to
specific linguistic levels and domains: pronunciation (Sands, Chapter
5), morphosyntax (Andvik, Chapter 6), discourse and pragmatics (Zhu,
Chapter 7), and conversation analysis (Hellermann and Thorne, Chapter
8), each making the case for the importance of that area of
linguistics in L2 contexts.
Chapter 5, by Sands, argues for the importance of a core linguistic
foundation in understanding and teaching L2 pronunciation. It
demonstrates how pronunciation teachers can use linguistic knowledge
to identify the sources of learners' pronunciation difficulties,
develop appropriate instructional strategies, and provide effective
individualized support that leads to noticeable improvements in
learners' pronunciation. Drawing on the author's experience as a
fieldwork-trained linguist, the chapter suggests that pronunciation
teaching resembles linguistic fieldwork, as teachers must analyse
unfamiliar speech patterns and identify their linguistic sources. The
author emphasizes that learners' pronunciation difficulties result
from the interaction of complex sound systems across languages and
that teachers can use linguistic knowledge to diagnose these patterns.
This allows teachers to make pedagogical decisions that are more
effective for students. The chapter further highlights the
contributions of phonetics, phonology, and linguistic typology to
pronunciation teaching through examples of real-time linguistic
analysis and pedagogical responses from various languages. It
concludes by proposing a sample MA-level course designed to prepare
future pronunciation teachers for these linguistic challenges and by
providing resources to support their ongoing professional development.
In Chapter 6, Andvik argues that awareness of morphosyntactic concepts
can enhance both L2 learning and teaching. The author explains that
understanding morphological and syntactic structures helps learners
interpret new forms, understand how these forms convey meaning, and
compare them with equivalent structures in their first language. Such
comparisons can support adult L2 learners in building on existing
linguistic knowledge when acquiring new grammatical forms. Because
much of a speaker's knowledge of their first language is implicit,
such comparisons require a conscious awareness of linguistic
structures and a metalanguage for discussing them, morphosyntactic
concepts provide this analytical framework. At the same time,
morphosyntactic awareness enables teachers to explain grammatical
forms more effectively, contributing to improved pedagogical practice.
Drawing on the author’s extensive experience as both a learner and
teacher of Norwegian and English, the chapter then explores examples
of L1–L2 transfer, particularly between English and Norwegian, to
illustrate common challenges and demonstrate how linguistic analysis
can support language instruction. The discussion is further informed
by insights from functional typology and cross-linguistic comparison.
Chapter 7, by Zhu, begins by highlighting the fact that effective SLA
requires language teachers to help learners understand L2 discourse,
develop awareness of pragmatic norms, and use the L2 appropriately in
context. Moreover, the author highlights the widely held view that a
lack of L2 pragmatic knowledge can lead to intercultural communication
breakdowns and misunderstandings. (e.g., Boxer 2002; House 2003; Kaur
2011). To avoid such issues, learners need to develop an understanding
of L2 discourse and pragmatic norms, including how L2 use is shaped by
sociocultural, interactional, and personal contextual factors across
different situations. This pragmatic competence can be supported
through discourse analysis and explicit instruction in pragmatics,
particularly in relation to functions such as speech acts,
implicature, politeness, and face management. The remainder of the
chapter focuses on discourse analysis in L2 teaching and pragmatic
norms in L2 learning, as well as key considerations for analysing
discourse and teaching pragmatics, taking into account learner
motivation, attitudes, agency, and identity.
To conclude this section on specific linguistic levels and domains,
Chapter 8 by Hellerman and Thorne examines why conversation analysis
matters to L2 teaching and learning. The chapter focuses on the
interactive nature of human communication and introduces Conversation
Analysis (CA) as an approach to studying language as it is used in
real-time social interaction. The chapter begins by placing CA within
the broader history of linguistics and discussing how developments in
linguistic research have influenced language teaching and materials
development. It then explains the principles of CA as a research
method and demonstrates its relevance to language education by
discussing applications in materials design, teaching methodologies,
and assessment practices. The authors emphasize in their conclusion
that language teaching should be grounded in authentic, naturally
occurring communication and should prioritize the development of
learners' interactional competence. They further argue that second
language development emerges through participation in social and
communicative contexts, making interaction a central component of
effective L2 instruction.
The collection then broadens its scope to include sociolinguistics
(Guy, Chapter 9) and corpus linguistics (Lin, Chapter 10), before
turning to questions of pedagogy and teacher preparation.
In Chapter 9, Guy introduces the topic of sociolinguistics and L2
teaching and learning through personal experiences, highlighting the
significance of sociolinguistic content in achieving communicative
competence and effective language use. The author argues that
communicative competence requires more than grammatical and lexical
knowledge; it also depends on sociolinguistic understanding. Because
second-language learners often lack the life experiences through which
native speakers acquire this knowledge, language instruction should
explicitly address language variation, dialects, registers, and the
social contexts of language use. The author further emphasizes the
importance of incorporating sociolinguistic training into teacher
education and developing instructional materials that reflect
authentic language practices. Finally, he advocates experiential
learning activities, such as interacting with native speakers and
analysing authentic language data, as effective ways to foster
learners' sociolinguistic competence.
Chapter 10, by Lin, provides a practical introduction to corpus
linguistics for L2 teaching and learning, demonstrating how teachers
and researchers can use technological tools and corpus data to inform
language instruction and learning. The chapter outlines the historical
development of corpus use in language teaching, introduces a range of
user-friendly concordancing tools and their pedagogical applications,
and reviews key findings from data-driven language learning (DDL,
Johns, 1991) research. It also offers practical recommendations for
integrating corpora into classroom instruction and discusses the
evolving role of teachers in data-driven learning environments.
Three chapters address specific educational settings: linguistics in
L2 teacher preparation programs generally (Park-Johnson and Shin,
Chapter 11), in K–12 classrooms (Connally et al., Chapter 12), and
directly with L2 learners in a university Spanish program (Sandoval
and Drickey, Chapter 13).
In Chapter 11, Park-Johnson and Shin examine the role of linguistics
in teacher education, particularly in the preparation of language
teachers working in increasingly linguistically and culturally diverse
classrooms. The authors argue that, as migration continues to reshape
educational contexts, it is essential for teachers to develop a strong
understanding of the nature of language, as well as how it is learned
and used. The chapter then begins with the authors’ professional
experiences in language teacher education, followed by a discussion of
the importance of teacher preparation in primary and secondary
contexts, particularly in the United States. It further examines the
role of linguistic analysis and promotes an equity-based approach to
language teaching, ending with reflective questions for educators.
Chapter 12, by Connally et al., focuses on linguistics in the K-12
classroom. The chapter opens by arguing that language is fundamental
to all teaching, and that linguistics can be used strategically by
educators to improve learning outcomes. It then presents the
experiences of five L2 teachers who show how linguistics can be
brought into classroom practice in meaningful ways, ranging from
supporting diverse learners to developing students’ writing skills and
fostering sociolinguistic understanding. The authors further emphasize
that linguistics helps teachers make complex grammatical concepts more
accessible, equips them with tools to meet the needs of diverse
student populations, and encourages curiosity and appreciation for
language diversity.
In Chapter 13, Sandoval and Drickey draw on evidence from the Western
Washington University Spanish Language Programme to argue for the
importance of teaching linguistics to L2 learners. The chapter
explores the concept of linguistically informed pedagogy, defined as
the integration of fundamental linguistic principles into everyday
language learning, such as treating language variation as a system of
patterns and encouraging awareness of native-speaker intuition. It
further highlights key pedagogical shifts in intermediate Spanish
instruction, including the recognition of linguistic diversity as
valuable, the role of unconscious native-speaker knowledge, and the
idea that language can be studied analytically like a set of patterns.
The authors report positive outcomes for both students and
instructors, including increased learner confidence and engagement as
well as a shared conceptual framework that supports teaching and
discussion.
The final chapter (Santelmann, Chapter 14) argues for the reverse
direction; that SLA research should be integrated into linguistics
education itself. The author highlights the historical exclusion of
SLA from linguistics curricula and argues that incorporating L2 data
would strengthen both linguistic theory and pedagogy. The chapter also
provides practical examples of language analysis tasks using L2 data
to show how it can effectively illustrate fundamental linguistic
concepts. Ultimately, Santelmann argues that given the global
prevalence of multilingualism, linguistics education must evolve to
include L2 learners and speakers more centrally in its teaching,
research, and theoretical frameworks.
A concluding chapter by Petray, Clements, and Santelmann reflects on
next steps for the field by revisiting the relationship between
linguistics and second language teaching and learning. The authors
summarize the book’s central argument that linguistic theory and L2
education should be more closely integrated, highlighting the
relevance of multiple subfields of linguistics across diverse
educational contexts and calling for continued research and
collaboration.
EVALUATION
At first glance, the idea that linguistics and language teaching
should inform one another seems like common sense. Yet as this edited
volume convincingly shows, the two fields have historically remained
relatively separate, and there is still much work to be done in
bringing them closer together. The editors and their contributors set
out to do exactly that, and the result is a rich, wide-ranging
collection that will be of genuine use to language educators, teacher
trainers, and applied linguists alike.
What makes the collection particularly valuable is the range of voices
it brings together. Contributors include both established researchers
and working classroom practitioners from institutions around the
world, covering a wide variety of linguistic specialisations and
educational settings. This gives the book an unusually broad scope,
and readers will find something relevant to their context whether they
work in primary schools, university language programmes, or teacher
education. Moreover, it never feels purely theoretical, because there
is always someone speaking from direct classroom experience.
In terms of content, the book covers an impressive range of ideas.
Theoretical frameworks, such as those present in Chapters 2 and 3, sit
alongside chapters on pronunciation, morphosyntax, pragmatics,
sociolinguistics, and corpus linguistics, each making a case for why
their particular area matters in L2 contexts. Several chapters stand
out for the clarity with which they connect research to practice. For
instance, Chapter 8, on conversation analysis, does an excellent job
of connecting research findings to materials design and classroom
activity. Chapter 10, on corpus linguistics, also introduces tools
that teachers can realistically use in their classrooms without
specialist training. Additionally, Chapter 9 effectively translates
sociolinguistic theory into practical implications for language
teaching, as it highlights that learners need explicit guidance on
language variation and social context, something that textbooks, and
therefore teachers too, often overlook. The book's emphasis on the
practical value of linguistic knowledge extends beyond L2 teaching in
higher education. Chapter 12, focused on K–12 contexts, demonstrates
how linguistic awareness can support teaching and learning throughout
the school years, making a compelling case that educators at all
levels would benefit from a stronger grounding in the field.
One of the more thought-provoking moments in the collection comes in
the final chapter, which flips the book's central argument around: SLA
research should be integrated into linguistics education itself, not
just the other way around. This reinforces the book's broader message
that the relationship between these disciplines should be a two-way
street.
Discussion questions and further readings at the end of each chapter
make the volume well suited for use in teacher education programmes or
professional reading groups, and the editors have clearly worked to
keep the book accessible for those coming from a pedagogical
background as much as a linguistic one.
If there are areas for improvement, it is worth noting that some
chapters connect theory to classroom practice more effectively than
others, and readers without a strong linguistics background may
occasionally find the jump from concept to application intimidating
and a little abrupt. A more consistent bridging of that gap across all
chapters would have strengthened the collection. Additionally, the
volume leans heavily on US institutions and educational contexts,
which is a notable limitation. Language teaching traditions,
curriculum structures, and policy frameworks vary considerably around
the world, and approaches that are standard practice in the US do not
always translate straightforwardly to other settings. Given the book's
international roster of contributors and its cross-disciplinary
ambitions, a more globally balanced perspective on pedagogical
practice would have made the collection stronger and more universally
applicable.
That said, this is a genuinely valuable contribution to an important
conversation. It makes a strong and well-evidenced case for treating
linguistics and L2 education not as separate endeavours but as
mutually reinforcing ones, and it does so in a way that is engaging,
practical, and hard to argue with.
REFERENCES
Boxer, Diana. (2002). Discourse issues in cross-cultural pragmatics.
Annual Review of
Applied Linguistics, 22, 150–167.
Correa, Maite. (2014). Teaching (theoretical) linguistics in the
second language classroom: Beyond language improvement. Porta
Linguarum Revista Interuniversitaria de Didáctica de las Lenguas
Extranjeras, 22, 161–171. https://doi.org/10.30827/Digibug.53738
Derewianka, Beverly, and Pauline Jones. (2016). Teaching Language in
Context. 2nd ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Halliday, Michael. (2014). Halliday’s Introduction to Functional
Grammar. 4th ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
House, Juliane. (2003). Misunderstanding in intercultural university
encounters. In Juliane House, Gabriele Kasper, and Steven Ross (eds.),
Misunderstanding in Social Life: Discourse Approaches to Problematic
Talk. New York: Longman, pp. 22–56.
Hudson, Richard. (2004). Why education needs linguistics (and vice
versa). Journal of Linguistics, 40(1), 105–130.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022226703002342
Johns, Tim. (1991). From printout to handout: Grammar and vocabulary
teaching in the context of data-driven learning. In T. Odlin (ed.),
Perspectives on Pedagogical Grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, pp. 293–313.
Kaur, Jagdish. (2011). Intercultural communication in English as a
lingua franca: Some sources of misunderstanding. Intercultural
Pragmatics, 8(1), 93–116.
Poehner, Matthew E. (2007). Beyond the test: L2 dynamic assessment and
the transcendence of mediated learning. The Modern Language Journal,
91(3), 323–340.
Vygotsky, Lev. S. (1978). Mind in Society: Development of Higher
Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Paloma Morcillo-Ortega is a Tutor in Spanish at the University of East
Anglia (UK). She is currently completing a PhD in Hispanic Linguistics
at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), with a dissertation situated at
the intersection of cognitive linguistics and SLA, exploring metaphor
transfer across languages and its implications for L2 teaching. Her
broader research interests include applied linguistics, L1 and L2
acquisition, bilingualism, and language pedagogy. She has taught
Spanish in a range of educational contexts in Spain, the United
Kingdom, and the United States.



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