Instructed Second Language Acquisition

Abstract

The primary concern in instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) is how best to facilitate the development of a second or additional language. However, theoretical perspectives and pedagogical suggestions are only as good as the research methods that are used to advance them. This chapter discusses important constructs, such as implicit and explicit L2 knowledge, noticing, and discourse, that are the focus of ISLA research. The chapter also addresses various methods that have been used to investigate these constructs. Challenges in ISLA research methods such as construct validity, generalizability, and study quality are discussed. The chapter ends with recommendations for future research in two areas: the increasing use of technology as both a pedagogical tool and a research method and the improvement of information about how ISLA researchers acquire and maintain quantitative and statistical knowledge.