Book Review

Gass, S. M., Behney, J., & Plonsky, L. (2020). Second language acquisition: An introductory course. New York: Routledge, Pp. 774. ISBN 978-1-315-18175-2, £48.99 (paperback)

Abstract

Susan M. Gass, Jennifer Behney, and Luke Plonsky's Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course, fifth edition, is a foundational textbook for the applied linguistics and second language acquisition (SLA) disciplines. Since its initial publication, the book has become a world-wide adopted and highly cited textbook, utilized on SLA, TESOL, and linguistics programs globally. In fact, every one of the previous editions has been reviewed and responded to critically by scholars such as Bridson (1995), Jourdain, (2010), Kraft, J. (2010), Leverett (2001) and Lewis (2016) over a number of decades, bearing witness to the book's long-standing influence and academic prominence. The current, fifth edition composed primarily for advanced undergraduates and graduate students, offers a wide-ranging but serious description of SLA theories, methodology, and applications. Its structure is rational and pedagogically motivated, with reflective questions, glossaries, and empirical references being fine scaffolds for new and experienced scholars. Through its eight parts and seventeen chapters, the textbook achieves not just explaining the what and how of SLA but also positioning the why, connecting theory with classroom realities and sociocultural ramifications.