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Developments in SLA Research SLA has developed rapidly over the last forty years. SLA enquiry began with the desire to improve language pedagogy, but increasingly has become an autonomous area of study, albeit with close links to linguistics, psychology and sociology. It is, however, still a young field, characterized by controversy concerning both substantive and methodological issues. Substantive issues concern how knowledge of a second language is represented (i.e. as ‘rules’ or as ‘formulaic sequences’), the extent to which acquisition is driven by innate, language specific mechanisms or general cognitive mechanisms, the roles of input and interaction, the contribution of social context, and the relationship between universal aspects of acquisition and individual differences. Controversies relating to the methodology of SLA concern the relative merits of idiographic and nomothetic methods of enquiry and, crucially, how acquisition of a second language can best be measured. Throughout, however, there has been an abiding interest in how instruction influences the processes and outcomes of acquisition. SLA has proven to be very porous, sucking in an increasing number of theoretical and methodological constructs; while some see this as a sign of its immaturity, others (myself included) see it as a sign of its strength. Bio-statement 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 published work includes articles and books on second language acquisition, language teaching and teacher education. His books include Understanding Second Language Acquisition (BAAL Prize 1986) and The Study of Second Language Acquisition (Duke of Edinburgh prize 1995). More recently, Task-Based Learning and Teaching (2003) and (with Gary Barkhuizen) Analyzing Learner Language in (2005) ), were published by Oxford University Press. He has also published several English language textbooks, including Impact Grammar (Pearson: Longman). He is also currently editor of the journal Language Teaching Research. In addition to his current position in New Zealand, he has worked in schools in Spain and Zambia and in universities in the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States. He has also conducted numerous consultancies and seminars throughout the world.
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Please direct questions to aaal2007@indiana.edu * Costa Mesa, California * April 21-24, 2007 |
