Debates in Second Language Education

Ernesto Macaro is Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Oxford. Before becoming a teacher trainer and researcher, he was a language teacher for 16 years. His current research focuses on second language learning strategies and on the interaction in second language classrooms or in classrooms where English is the Medium of Instruction. Robert Woore is an Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford. He teaches and supervises on Master’s courses (including the MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition), PGCE (initial teacher education) and doctoral programmes. Formerly a secondary school teacher of French and German, his research interests include the learning and teaching of second languages in instructed classroom settings, with a particular emphasis on phonology and reading. He is interested in the interface between research and classroom practice, and has undertaken various research and professional development projects in this area.

Contents

INTRODUCTION: Ernesto Macaro and Robert Woore

PART 1: Framing the Debates

Chapter 1: Identifying key debates in second language teaching and learning. Robert Woore and Ernesto Macaro

Chapter 2: Learning English and learning languages other than English in Asia and Europe: Current scenarios and debates. Bruna Di Sabato and Andy Kirkpatrick

Chapter 3: Is there a best age for second language learning? Evidence from across the lifespan. Simone Pfenninger and David Singleton

Chapter 4: Multilingual Learners, linguistic pluralism and implications for education and research. Hamish Chalmers and Victoria Murphy

Chapter 5: Learning Language by Studying Content. David Lasagabaster

Chapter 6: Aptitude or motivation: Which is the better predictor of successful language learning? Suzanne Graham

Chapter 7: Key Issues in Pre-Service Language Teacher Education. Laura Molway

Chapter 8: Systemic In-Service Language Teacher Education. Simon Borg

PART 2: Applying the debates to second language learning contexts

Chapter 9: Implicit versus explicit grammar learning and teaching. Mirosław Pawlak

Chapter 10: Vocabulary Learning in Theory and Practice: Implicit and explicit mechanisms. Ron Martinez

Chapter 11: The L2-Only Versus the Multilingual Debate. Ernesto Macaro

Chapter 12: Teaching Phonics in a Second Language. Robert Woore.

Chapter 13: What Kind of Pronunciation Learning Should Teachers Expect of Their Learners? Sara Kennedy and Pavel Trofimovich

Chapter 14: Teaching the Language or Teaching the Process. Peter Yongqi Gu

Reflections: Ernesto Macaro and Robert Woore

Index