Language Teaching Research and Language Pedagogy

In recent years, great strides have been made in our understanding of what makes foreign language teaching most effective. Language Teaching Research and Language Pedagogy provides a critical overview of the most up–to–date research centered on the second language classroom, and examines the implications of this research for both the teaching and learning of foreign languages. The book offers illuminating insights into the important relationship between research and teaching, and the inherent complexities of the teaching and learning of foreign languages in classroom settings. It traces the development of language teaching research and examines current methodology used to investigate the L2 classroom, considering comparative method studies and various aspects of L2 classroom interaction, with a focus on contributions from both teachers and learners. Additional topics covered include current research on tasks, the relationship between interaction and L2 learning, form–focused instruction, and the mediating role played by individual learner factors such as language aptitude and motivation. A concluding chapter considers myriad ways that classroom research can inform language pedagogy.

List of Figures vi List of Tables vii Preface ix Acknowledgements xiii 1 Introduction: Developments in Language Teaching Research 1 2 Methods for Researching the Second Language Classroom 21 3 Comparative Method Studies 51 4 Second Language Classroom Discourse 75 5 Focus on the Teacher 115 6 Focus on the Learner 151 7 Investigating the Performance of Tasks 195 8 Interaction and L2 Learning in the Classroom 237 9 Form–Focused Instruction and Second Language Learning 271 10 Instruction, Individual Differences and L2 Learning 307 11 Conclusion: Research and Language Teaching 337 References 349 Index 385

Rod Ellis is currently Professor in the Department of Applied Language Studies and Linguistics, University of Auckland, where he teaches postgraduate courses on second language acquisition, individual differences in language learning and task–based teaching.  His books include Understanding Second Language Acquisition (winner of the BAAL Prize, 1986), The Study of Second Language Acquisition (winner of the Duke of Edinburgh prize, 1995), Task–Based Learning and Teaching (2003), and Analyzing Learner Language (with Gary Barkhuizen, 2005).

“This book provides a comprehensive, state–of–the–art review of L2 classroom research covering a wide range of issues in SLA and language education. There are a number of useful tables and figures that present concise syntheses of complex issues. Although the volume addresses little about the development of specific language skills, it should be an essential read for teachers and researchers who wish to browse the major findings of empirical studies that inform language classroom practice.”  ( Studies in Second Language Acquisition , 1 August 2013) “The discussion of each study is critical but fair, and in explaining the methodological limitations of each study, Ellis provides readers with numerous ideas for how they could contribute to language teaching research in the future.”  ( The Modern Language Journal , 22 August 2013)