The purpose of this volume is to provide a contemporary portrait of second language learning and teaching, to identify major trends and issues, to show where these trends and issues have come from, and to illustrate ways teachers can incorporate these ideas in their own teaching practice. The book is a personal account, tracing the author's struggles with theoretical and conceptual issues and illustrating practical solutions. The book is intended for practicing teachers as well as future teachers. It is composed of ten chapters divided into three parts. Part one is a concept map for the rest of the book, covering the conceptual and empirical basis for second language learning and teaching. In part two, language is looked at in context, focusing on those aspects of language that can provide teachers with insights for developing materials and pedagogical procedures. The chapters focus on the learner and learning processes respectively. Part three focuses on thematic issues that arose in parts one and two. Chapters examining the "Cinderella skill," what it is that differentiates spoken from written language, key theoretical and empirical underpinnings of a reading program, and a discussion of a discourse-based approach to writing complete the book. A glossary, index, and extensive references, as well as many charts, tables, and diagrams are included. (KFT)