Reviewed by Colette van Kerckvoorde, Bard College at Simon’s Rock

This textbook attempts to provide an understanding of the main themes in the field of second language acquisition (SLA). The volume is divided into three sections, each of which contains seven units: Section A introduces key areas, terms, and concepts; Section B prepares the student to work effectively with scholarly articles; and Section C builds on the knowledge gained in the preceding sections, encouraging readers to undertake small research projects.

The book presents SLA from the perspective of dynamic systems theory (DST), a model that was originally developed for biology but that has been applied more recently in other disciplines. The central idea of DST is that all of the variables within a system interact and, as a result of this interaction, the system is constantly changing. Therefore, it is virtually impossible to reduce the study of a system to the isolated study of its individual parts.

Section A defines the field of SLA and discusses its dynamic aspects. The section begins with an overview of influential theories of SLA, describing their compatibility with DST. The units then turn to the multilingual mind, to the ways in which the brain processes information, and to how learning takes place. The final two units concentrate on individual learners’ characteristics and the role of instruction in SLA.

In Section B, each unit elaborates on a topic introduced in the previous section. The goal is to develop the skills necessary to approach scholarly articles. The authors provide excerpts from influential articles and repeatedly suspend the readings with questions designed to foster a critical thinking approach. This is a departure from the more traditional end of chapter review questions, and it works well for this book.

Section C first describes the types of research typically undertaken in SLA studies and then suggests concrete, small-scale research projects, building on the information in Sections A and B. These projects are designed to motivate the student and to encourage further exploration.

This is an excellent textbook for a course in SLA. Although an introductory tool, the word advanced in the title is appropriate: the target audience for the series includes upper-level undergraduate students, although it is likely that some may find this text quite challenging and will need accompanying instruction or further explanations, especially in Section A. Those with good critical reading skills, such as graduate students and teachers, should not experience any difficulties with Section A but may want to read the articles presented in Section B in their entirety, as they will most likely not need any assistance with approaching the scholarly literature. Section B, however, is especially attractive for those working with less experienced students, since the reader is continuously encouraged to reflect on specific topics. Each unit also contains an annotated bibliography for those who wish to further explore current trends in SLA.