By Bernard Spolsky, Oxford University Press, June 1989

Professor Spolsky explores the requirements for a general theory of second language learning, and considers the relevance of such a theory for language teaching.

Professor Spolsky sets out his theory in the form of a preference model, or series of typical and categorical rules or conditions. In this way he is able to account for both differences between individual language learners, and between different kinds of learning – for example formal and informal learning, and learning for general and special purposes. The model emphasises the need to be precise and clear on the nature of the goals and outcomes of learning, and to recognise the complexity of the concept 'knowing a second language'.

Asiaing Links:

The Book Official Web Page, Download PDFs

Book Contents (PDFs):

Chapter 01: A general theory for second language learning (plus contents) (PDF, 162 KB)
Chapter 02: Knowing a language (PDF, 67 KB)
Chapter 03: Knowing how to use a language (PDF, 57 KB)
Chapter 04: Structures and functions (PDF, 66 KB)
Chapter 05: Measuring knowledge of a second language (PDF, 55 KB)
Chapter 06: The psycholinguistic basis (PDF, 67 KB)
Chapter 07: Ability and personality (PDF, 70 KB)
Chapter 08: The linguistic basis (PDF, 62 KB)
Chapter 09: The social context (PDF, 67 KB)
Chapter 10: Attitudes and motivation (PDF, 70 KB)
Chapter 11: Opportunities for second language learning (PDF, 77 KB)
Chapter 12: Formal instruction (PDF, 63 KB)
Chapter 13: Testing the model (PDF, 95 KB)
Chapter 14: The form of a general theory (plus appendix, bibliography, and index) (PDF, 261 KB)

About the Author:

Bernard Spolsky was educated at Wellington College and Victoria University and received a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Montreal.

He has been the head of the English Department, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Director of the Language Policy Research Center at Bar-Ilan University, Israel, where he is currently Professor of English.

Bernard Spolsky has conducted and published research in language testing, second language learning, computers in the humanities, applied linguistics, sociolinguistics and language policy. He has been President of TESOL, held a Guggenheim fellowship and a Mellon fellowship, and has been Senior Research Fellow at the National Foreign Language Center in Washington.

He has written several books for Oxford University Press: Conditions for Second Language Learning, Measured Words and Sociolinguistics.

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