Second Language Acquisition
Second language acquisition (SLA) is the study of how second languages are learned and the factors that influence the process. Little research has been conducted on how English language learners in the adult education context learn English. Investigating issues of culture, language, and education and tracking learner progress over time are not easy when complicated by diverse and mobile learner populations and varied learning contexts. However, knowing about SLA research can be helpful to adult ESL teachers because the findings may be applicable to their students and their teaching context.
Please see the CAELA links and resources below on Second Language Acquisition.
CAELA Resources
The following publications offer information that might be helpful to individuals interested in how adults learn second languages.- How Should Adult ESL Reading Instruction Differ from ABE Reading Instruction? Miriam Burt, Joy Kreeft Peyton, and Carol Van Duzer (CAELA Brief, 2005)
- Reading and Adult English Language Learners: A Review of the Research. Miriam Burt, Joy Kreeft Peyton, & Rebecca Adams (2003)
- Second Language Acquisition in Adults: From Research to Practice. Donna Moss & Lauren Ross-Feldman (Q & A, 2003)
- Beginning to Work with Adult English Language Learners: Some Considerations. MaryAnn Cunningham Florez & Miriam Burt (Q & A, 2001)
- Second Language Acquisition in Adult English Language Learners. Dora Johnson (annotated bibliography, 2001)
- Research on Reading Development of Adult English Language Learners: An Annotated Bibliography. Rebecca Adams & Miriam Burt (annotated bibliography, 2002)
- Reading and Adult English Language Learners: The Role of the First Language Miriam Burt & Joy Kreeft Peyton (Q & A, 2003)
Many of our digests address instructional practices that have emerged from second language acquisition theory and research. You may want to review CAELA's digest index page at cal-org.wdi.net/caela/esl_resources/digests to see if any topics would be of interest to you. You could also search the CAELA ESL Resource Database for further resources.
