The Art of Teaching Spanish

This volume explores the extent to which the "art" of teaching of Spanish as a second language is informed by Spanish second language acquisition research in particular, and research on SLA and language-related fields, such as psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics, in general. It also investigates the types of challenges faced by initiatives in applied linguistics to transfer findings from research to teaching and the practical problems associated with the implementation of new approaches to teaching.
The contributors address the findings from Spanish SLA (and language-related) research that would be applicable to Spanish second language teaching, the theoretical frameworks that inform the research done and the extent to which the premises of those theories affect the application of the research findings to the teaching of Spanish, logistical factors that affect the way research findings can be applied to teach Spanish, and the extent to which findings from SLA research are explicitly represented in the Spanish curricula through objectives and goals (as evidenced in pedagogical materials such as textbooks and computer-assisted language learning software).
Some common themes shaping the volume include the rejection of the concept of a monolithic language competence, the importance of language as social practice and cultural competence, the psycholinguistic component of second lanuguage acquisition, and the need for more cross fertilization from related fields. Throughout, the authors focus on bold pedagogical initiatives which can be substantiated by previous research but have not yet been incorporated into the majority of Spanish language curricula.

A comprehensive, up-to-date, and authoritative overview of the field of Spanish second language acquisition, including Spanish as a heritage language. This one-stop resource tool on key theoretical and practical questions is sure to become a staple of teacher-training and graduate programs in Spanish linguistics.

--Maria M. Carreira, associate professor of Spanish, California State University, Long Beach

An invaluable resource for SLA researchers and practitioners. The volume should be a necessary source of information or the center of discussion in any class on Spanish SLA and pedagogy.

--Dale Koike, professor of Spanish and Portuguese, University of Texas at Austin

Sparked by an increasing demand for a wider array of Spanish courses, this representative and timely collection of studies offers practical guidance in elucidating research on SLA to enhance teaching.

--Nuria Sagarra, assistant professor of Spanish and linguistics and applied language studies and director, Spanish as a basic language, The Pennsylvania State University