How do students acquire a second language? How can teachers most effectively teach a second language? How do students and teachers develop communication in the language classroom?

This textbook is written specifically for a language teacher education programme. It provides teachers with the opportunity to move away from a belief-based teaching approach to a fact-based teaching approach in order to connect knowledge and evidence with innovation. Alessandro G. Benati structures this book around ten key questions that have driven the field of second language learning and language teaching. This provides readers with a clear understanding of:
· the relationship between theory and research in second language acquisition and language teaching
· the nature and role of language and communication
· the results and implications of classroom-based research
Pedagogical features in each of the ten units include: call-out boxes highlighting main ideas, further clarification sections to explain key terms, tasks and quizzes at the end of each unit to consolidate learning, and a teacher education evaluation form at the end for readers to reflect on the programme.

Alessandro G. Benati is Professor in the School of Education, University College Dublin, Ireland. He has held positions in several British and overseas institutions. He is known for his work in second language acquisition, and he published ground-breaking research on the pedagogical framework called processing instruction. His research on processing instruction has been recently driven by the use of new online measurements (e.g., eye tracking, and self-paced reading). Alessandro has coordinated national and international high-impact research projects which have been influential in determining educational policy and had an impact in providing effective language teacher training programs. He is the author and co-author of several research monographs, peer-reviewed articles in high-ranked journals, and editor and co-editor of book series and scientific journals such as Cambridge Elements in SLA and Instructed Second Language Acquisition. He was a member of the sub-panel for Modern Languages and Linguistics for the Research Excellence Framework for England (REF 2021), AHRC Panel, and he is an Honorary Professor at Your SJ University (UK), University of Hong Kong (China), Adjunct Professor at Macquarie University (Australia), and Visiting Professor at Anaheim University (USA)

List of Illustrations
Introduction
1. What are the Basic Ingredients in Language Learning?
2. How Does the Language System Develop?
3. What are the Effects of Instructional Efforts in Language Learning?
4. What is Language? And What is its Relevance for the Language Classroom?
5. Is There a More Dynamic Way to Organize the Language Classroom?
6. How Do We Make Language Classrooms Input-Rich?
7. How Do We Develop Communication in the Language Classroom?
8. How Do We Teach Grammar and Correct Errors in the Language Classroom?
9. How Do We Develop Effective Language Tasks for the Language Classroom?
10. How Do We Best Use Technology in the Language Classroom?
11. Frequently Asked Questions
Second Language Teacher Education Programme: Evaluation Form