Children learning second languages

"Children Learning Second Languages" is a four-part comprehensive guide to current research and debate related to second language learning in childhood, the age factor and the relationship between research and classroom practice. Part 1 covers child development, L1 and L2 language learning processes in childhood and offers a guide to contexts from foreign language learning at school to immersion education and bilingual/trilingual acquisition at home. Part 2 gives a bird's eye view of current research in the area of child SLA and pedagogy highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of different traditions and types of research. This is followed by a close examination of eight case studies. Part 3 is devoted to issues of future research priorities by discussing methodological and ethical difficulties in child focused research and outlining 15 feasible studies for the future. Part 4 offers some resources including hands-on teaching materials, handbooks, theoretical books, details of organizations and projects in the broad area of child second language learning.