Mirosław Pawlak

Ewa Waniek-Klimczak

Jan Majer

This book investigates various aspects of speaking in a foreign language. It is unique in considering this key skill from both psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives, and in focusing entirely on instructed foreign language contexts. The book demonstrates how theory and research can be translated into classroom practice.

Speaking and Instructed Foreign Language Acquisition

Larissa Aronin

This book brings together papers dealing with essential issues in applied linguistics and multilingualism that have been contributed by leading figures in these two fields and present state-of-the-art developments in theory and research. The first part includes articles touching on various aspects of multiple-language acquisition, with a particular emphasis on the role of affordances, the interfaces between language and thought, and factors influencing the process of language learning. Part Two deals with individual variations in the acquisition of additional languages, focusing in particular on the impact of such variables as age, aptitude, motivation and learning deficits. Finally, Part Three presents contributions illuminating key issues in the acquisition of different subsystems and skills, such as grammar, phonology, lexis and writing systems. Thanks to the diversity of perspectives on applied linguistics and multilingualism, as well as the cutting-edge nature of some of the proposals, this edited collection will be an important reference work and a source of inspiration for theorists and researchers.

Studies in Honor of David Singleton

Essential Topics in Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism

This collection gathers contributions from scholars from Poland and abroad addressing different facets of research into the processes of foreign-language and second-language learning and teaching as they transpire in a typical language classroom. The book is divided into three parts, which address in turn: research directions and methodology, the findings of empirical research, and links between theoretical considerations and classroom practice. Accordingly, the first part includes papers that examine the role of different research paradigms, put forward concrete research proposals, present innovative data gathering tools or assess the role of such instruments in language teaching. The second part includes reports on original research studies focusing e.g. on teachers’ beliefs, the role of lexis and pragmatics, the application of modern technologies, the teaching and assessment of primary school children, and the development of social skills from a cross-cultural perspective. Finally, the third part of the book demonstrates how theory-driven approaches can enhance the effectiveness of instructed second language acquisition.

Reconciling Theory and Practice

Classroom-Oriented Research

Developing the ability to speak in a foreign language is an arduous task. This is because it involves the mastery of different language subsystems, simultaneous focus on comprehension and production, and the impact of a range of social factors. This challenge is further compounded in situations in which learners have limited access to the target language. Thus, there is a need to explore issues related to teaching, learning and testing speaking with a view to translating the guidelines based on theoretical positions and research findings into feasible and context-specific pedagogical recommendations. This is the rationale behind this book, which considers speaking from leading theoretical perspectives, investigates individual variables which affect its development, and reports the results of studies focusing on different aspects of its instructed acquisition.

Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak

The book addresses one of the key controversies in teaching foreign language grammar, which is the utility of production-oriented instruction, as exemplified in the PPP sequence, and comprehension-based teaching, as implemented in interpretation tasks and processing instruction. It provides a thorough overview of issues related to learning and teaching grammar, with a particular focus on input-oriented approaches, and reports the findings of four studies which sought to compare their effects with instruction based on different forms of output practice. The findings serve as a basis for guidelines on how the two options can be successfully combined in the classroom

Production-oriented and Comprehension-based Grammar Teaching in the Foreign Language Classroom

Jakub Bielak

The monograph constitutes an attempt to demonstrate how Cognitive Grammar (CG) can be employed in the foreign language classroom with a view to aiding learners in better understanding the complexities of English grammar. Its theoretical part provides a brief overview of the main tenets of Cognitive Grammar as well as illustrating how the description of English tense and aspect can be approached from a traditional and a CG perspective. The empirical part reports the findings of an empirical study which aimed to compare the effects of instruction utilizing traditional pedagogic descriptions with those grounded in CG on the explicit an implicit knowledge of the Present Simple and Present Continuous Tenses. The book closes with the discussion of directions for further research when it comes to the application of CG to language pedagogy as well as some pedagogic implications

Teaching English Tense and Aspect

Applying Cognitive Grammar in the Foreign Language Classroom

The book aims to dispel some of the myths surrounding the place of oral and written error correction in language education by providing an exhaustive and up-to-date account of issues involved in this area, taking the stance that the provision of corrective feedback constitutes an integral part of form-focused instruction. This account places an equal emphasis on the relevant theoretical claims, the most recent research findings and everyday pedagogical concerns, particularly as they apply to the teaching of additional languages in the foreign language setting. The book will be of relevance and significance not only to specialists in the field of second language acquisition, but also to graduate and doctoral students carrying out research in the area of form-focused instruction and error correction. Many parts of the volume will also be of considerable interest and utility to teachers of foreign languages at different educational levels.

Reconsidering the Issues

Error Correction in the Foreign Language Classroom

The present volume brings together papers devoted to the role of learner and teacher autonomy in the process of second and foreign language learning, which have been contributed by scholars from Poland and abroad. The book has been divided into three parts in accordance with the topics that the individual contributions touch upon. The first part includes papers dealing with different ways in which learner autonomy can be fostered and evaluated. The papers contained in Part Two are connected with the role of language learning strategies in the development of learner independence. Finally, Chapter Three focuses on developing teacher autonomy, which, in the opinion of many specialists, is indispensable if learner autonomy is to be promoted. Thanks to its wide-ranging focus, this edited collection will be of interest not only to second language learning specialists interested in the role of learner autonomy, but also to undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students working on their BA, MA and PhD theses, as well as practitioners wishing to promote learner independence in their classrooms.

Autonomy in Second Language Learning: Managing the Resources

Dagmara Gałajda

Paweł Zakrajewski

This edited collection explores the processes of second language learning and teaching from a psycholinguistic perspective. Authored by leading experts in the field, the book includes studies focusing on theoretical, empirical and practical aspects of second and foreign language education. Part One offers contributions devoted to a range of learner-related factors, dealing with affective and cognitive variables, the process of reading and the acquisition of lexis. Part Two brings together papers related to teacher awareness of second language instruction that focus on conversational styles, fostering intercultural pragmatics, teacher job satisfaction, the development of instructional materials and challenges of teacher training in different contexts. It is of interest to researchers as well as graduate and postgraduate students seeking fresh inspirations for their own empirical investigations of the ways in which second and foreign languages are taught and learned.

Mirosław Pawlak

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