A book critique on principles of language learning and teaching

In his book, Brown (2000) explores principles to language teaching and learning experiences introducing key concepts as well as simplifying them for readers to get easily immersed. Brown (2000) develops topics such as constructivist approaches to Second Language Acquisition (SLA), emotional intelligence, models of SLA among others. In this useful study, Brown (2000) provides journal-writing guidelines which aim at helping students or readers put into practice principles to personal experiences in teaching and learning environments.

The reader of this book will identify in this significant work end-of-chapters exercises which aim at rich classroom discussion. Moreover, in the passage called “In the classroom” vignettes, preliminary interesting material is provided considering a wide variety of pedagogical applications from the perspective of second language research. According to Brown (2000), “in this edition the suggestions for further reading now more effectively target audience of students just beginning in the field of SLA” (p.xi).

All in all, the author seems to satisfactorily expand the significant aspects language learning and teaching. Especially interesting is the inclusion of examples accompanied with the theory to help readers clarify concepts related to the field. Nevertheless, Brown ´s (2000) book would have been more complete if he had included a glossary to clarify certain terms which may reinforce doubts due to their similar meanings. Had the glossary section been annexed, the book would have been remarkably complete.  

References

Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. (4th ed.) San Francisco State University. Longman.