The influence of cognitive processing on second language acquisition (SLA), and on the development of second language (SL) instruction, has always been a subject of major interest to both SLA researchers and those involved in SL pedagogy. Recent theoretical research into SLA and SL pedagogy has shown renewed interest in the role of cognitive variables such as attention, short, working, and long term memory, and automaticity of language processing. This volume first examines the theoretical foundations of research into the cognitive processes underlying SLA, and then describes various implications for pedagogically oriented research and for SL classroom practice. The blend of research from the cognitive sciences and applied linguistics make it an excellent introduction to applied linguists and language teachers interested in the psycholinguistic processes underlying SLA.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Attention. Richard Schmidt; Chapter 2. Memory for Language. Nick C. Ellis; Chapter 3. The Competition Model: The Input, the Context and the Brain. Brian MacWhinney; Chapter 4. Sentence Processing. Michael Harrington; Chapter 5. Automaticity and Automatization. Robert M. DeKeyser; Chapter 6. Learnability and Second Language Acquisition Theory. Kevin R. Gregg; Chapter 7. Cognition and Tasks. Peter Skehan and Pauline Foster; Chapter 8. Cognitive Underpinnings of Focus on Form. Catherine Doughty; Chapter 9. Intentional and Incidental Second Language Learning: A Reappraisal of Elaboration, Rehearsal and Automaticity. Jan H. Hulstijn; Chapter 10. Task Complexity, Cognitive Resources and Second Language Syllabus Design: A Triadic Framework for Examining Task Influences on SLA. Peter Robinson; Chapter 11. Aptitude, Individual Differences, and Instructional Design. Mark Sawyer and Leila Ranta; Chapter 12. Cognition, Instruction and Protocol Analysis