“HOW LANGUAGES ARE LEARNED”

Abstract

The translation of the book “How Languages Are Learned” written by Patsy M Lightbown and Nina Spada, this book is about findings and theoretical views in second language acquisition research can help teachers evaluate claims made by textbook writers and proponents of various language teaching methods.

This book has seven chapters which we can see how children learn their first language, this background is important because both second language research and second language teaching have been influenced by changes in our understanding of how children acquire their first language and similarities between first and second language acquisition. So that, several theories which have been proposed to account for second language learning are presented and assessed. Besides, we turn our attention to how individual learner characteristics and different contexts for second language learning may reflect success; on the other hand, some of research findings about second language learners’ changing knowledge of the language and their ability to use that knowledge.

So, we examine five proposals for the most effective way to teach a second language, for each of the proposals, research findings are presented and discussed and some popular views about language learning and teaching are critically examined in light of current research. My main objective for the translation of the present book is to provide English teacher methods, techniques and approaches which have been tested so that teachers can apply them and in this book we can find theoretical approaches, activities, games, group and individual work during teaching-learning process.