Chapter 1. IntroductionChapter 2. AgeChapter 3. Crosslinguistic influencesChapter 4. The linguistic environmentChapter 5. CognitionChapter 6. Development of learner languageChapter 7. Foreign language aptitudeChapter 8. MotivationChapter 9. Affect and other individual differencesChapter 10. Social dimensions of L2 learning

This volume is impressive in many ways, including its state-of-the art coverage of the field, the scope and depth of the material reviewed, and its engaging and accessible style of delivery...the strengths of this book cannot be overstated...This volume is sure to soon become a standard SLA text in the field of applied linguistics.Nina Spada - OISE University of TorontoLourdes Ortega has succeeded admirably in her goal of helping students construct personal understandings of the interdisciplinary field of SLA. She is thorough in presenting the most up-to-date research bearing on the important controversies in SLA and does so with an engaging, personable, reader-friendly style that invites students to stay focused on the broader meanings of the research findings.Professor Mark Sawyer, Kwansei Gakuin University, JapanMy students thoroughly enjoyed this text. It provides a thorough and yet accessible overview of major theories and trends in the field. I believe it is destined to become the standard text for survey courses on SLA.Linda Harklau, University of Georgia, USA Ortega has ... provided an invaluable source of information and reference for novice and seasoned researchers. This book will be of use to researchers from different corners of the world who share an interest in uncovering SLA. Ammar Ahlem, McGill University, The Canadian Modern Language Review, Volume 66, Number 3, March 2010, pp.467-469Understanding Second Language Acquisition is an eminently useful, thorough and elaborate overview of the most important debates in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). [It] is laid out in a well-organised and well structured manner. The language used is engaging and straight forward and the arguments are all cogent, coherent and at the appropriate level for the intended audience. ...all universities with a TESOL, Modern Foreign Languages and/or Applied Linguistics group would find this book extremely valuable. BAAL NewsParvaneh Tavakoli - London Metropolitan University