The Acquisition of Spanish: A Research Overview in Multilingual Learning Contexts

As the first text to present, in one place, a comprehensive and systematic overview of Spanish Language Acquisition research, The Acquisition of Spanish discusses a range of theoretical perspectives that outline issues surrounding language learning and the gaps in its research and teaching.

Eve Zyzik is Professor in the Department of Languages and Applied Linguistics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has published on a variety of topics related to second language acquisition, heritage language development, as well as issues related to language pedagogy in content-based courses. Her previous books include El español y la lingüística aplicada with Robert Blake and Authentic materials myths: Applying second language research to classroom teaching with Charlene Polio. Her textbook, Vivencias: Lengua, cultura y sociedad a través de relatos sonorous, is designed for advanced-level Spanish courses that enroll both heritage speakers and second language learners:

Melissa A. Bowles is Co-Director of the National Heritage Language Resource Center (UCLA) and Professor of Spanish, Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education (SLATE), and Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on instructed second and heritage language acquisition, particularly the ways that instruction differentially affects the two populations. Her previous books include The think-aloud controversy in second language acquisition research and an edited volume titled Outcomes of University Spanish Heritage Language Instruction in the United States.