Book announced at https://linguistlist.org/issues/36-848

Title: Understanding Interaction in the Second Language Classroom Context
Series Title: Second Language Acquisition
Publication Year: 2025

Publisher: Multilingual Matters
http://www.multilingual-matters.com/
Book URL: https://www.multilingual-matters.com/page/detail/?K=9781800410381

Author(s): Noriko Iwashita, Phung Dao and Mai Xuan Nhat Chi Nguyen

Reviewer: Alisha Reaves

SUMMARY

The book ‘Understanding Interaction in the Second Language Classroom Context’ co-authored by Noriko Iwashita, Phung Dao, and Mai Xuan Nhat Chi Nguyen is a hybrid textbook/primer on second language acquisition theory that takes the perspective of classroom interaction as its starting point. The work is based on the authors’ experiences as classroom teachers who came to view interaction in the second language classroom as essential to language teaching, regardless of the methodological approach that one most aligns with. Their stated motivation for writing the volume was to present a ‘big picture’ of interaction in Instructed Second Language Acquisition (ISLA) that would be useful for pre-service and in-service teachers alike, with or without prior training in applied linguistics. The three stated aims of the book are as follows:

Briefly introduce relevant theories to explain the role of classroom interaction in L2 learning

Synthesise research on how classroom interaction benefits L2 learning

Critically discuss the link between classroom interaction and teaching practices

(p. 3)

Each of the twelve chapters, with the exception of the introduction, is divided into sections that reflect these stated goals and opens with a guiding question meant to direct the focus of the chapter. Every chapter concludes with a list of key points, a series of reflection questions and suggested readings for further study. The work also includes several appendices that comprise a variety of exercises and activities that could be used in a language teaching methods course with pre- or in-service language teachers. The first chapter serves as an introduction primarily providing background regarding the authors motivations and the structure of the following chapters.

Chapter Two introduces the main theoretical approaches with which the authors engage throughout the work and includes a detailed summary of each for those who may be unfamiliar with them. These include the variety of theoretical approaches that fit under the umbrella of cognitive-interactionist theories such as Krashen’s Input Hypothesis (1985), Long’s Interaction Hypothesis (1981), Pica’s Negotiation of Meaning (1994) and Swain’s Output Hypothesis (1985). They also briefly describe Skill Acquisition Theory (DeKeyser, 2003), Transfer-appropriate processing (Lyster et al., 2013), the Frequency Hypothesis (Ellis & Shintani, 2013; Hulstijn, 1994) and the Incidental Learning Hypothesis (Ellis, 2002; Ellis & Shintani, 2013; Hulstijn, 1994). The other approaches that they dedicate significant time to describing are sociocultural theory and language socialization, the latter of which is an approach which they focus on in greater detail in Chapter 11.

In Chapter Three, the authors turn their attention to instructional methods from the last several decades. The chapter opens with a quote from an in-service teacher that highlights the difficulty of following one particular method and the necessity of combining teaching approaches to best serve the needs of their students. The authors frame the discussion as a distinction between ‘Focus on FormS’, ‘Focus on Form’, and ‘Focus on Meaning,’ linking each of these to dominant methodological approaches over the last century of language teaching from Behaviorism influenced methods through methods derived from the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis to contemporary communicative language teaching. This chapter also includes three excerpts from actual classroom interactions, each with a brief analysis, to illustrate the three methods. At the end of the theoretical presentation, they also introduce Kumaravadivelu’s (2001) post-method approach, though they do not address it in great detail.

Chapter Four presents an in-depth examination of the role of input and output as it relates to classroom interaction. At this point in the book, the authors begin to review empirical work in addition to the theoretical presentation. Chapter Five follows a similar format to the previous chapter, but with a focus on corrective feedback. This chapter includes transcripts of classroom interaction containing corrective feedback to illustrate the various aspects of the concepts that they have chosen to highlight. A significant amount of time is spent defining and illustrating corrective feedback, which is then re-examined through the lens of the various theoretical perspectives introduced in Chapter Two. This is followed by a review of empirical studies that have investigated different forms of corrective feedback.

Chapter Six considers the role of peer and group work as interaction in the classroom setting. It opens with a quote from an in-service teacher that describes the difficulty of having students work with a peer or in small groups. Here there seems to be an emphasis on the cultural norms that can affect the efficacy of peer or group work as interaction in the classroom. The authors allude to cultural differences that may make the second language classroom not conducive to peer or group work, such as a strong focus on the authority of the instructor or the belief that a good classroom is a quiet classroom. However, these cultural norms are not discussed in depth. There is less empirical research cited in this chapter, and the focus is on defining and describing different types of peer and group interaction that may occur in the classroom.

In Chapter Seven, the authors turn their attention to computer-mediated communication (CMC). After a section of definitions of the different types of CMC available in the contemporary classroom, there is a brief theoretical discussion that highlights how most CMC or computer-assisted language learning (CALL) research has not typically been assessed through the lens of dominant second language acquisition theories as described in Chapter Two. The authors highlight several of the benefits and disadvantages of CMC before reviewing several empirical studies that bring to light key factors to consider before incorporating CMC into the L2 classroom.

Learner engagement is the focus of Chapter Eight. As with some of the previous chapters, this one opens with two quotes, one from a student and one from a teacher. The student quote highlights their anxiety around speaking in class, stating that silence does not necessarily mean that they are disengaged. The quote from the teacher emphasizes the difficulty of keeping students engaged in the second language classroom. The authors underscore that one of the challenges of measuring learning engagement is that teachers (and researchers) have different standards and definitions for what an engaged learner looks like and how they behave in the classroom. The authors summarize a wide variety of theoretical approaches to engagement, which are mostly from the cognitive-interactionist and sociocultural perspectives. They then draw attention to lack of empirical research into learner engagement, largely due to the difficulty of defining, measuring and quantifying it. The chapter concludes with a brief overview of the empirical studies available that provide some general insights into how learner engagement may affect the language learning process in the classroom.

Chapter 9 attempts to summarize an area about which there has been substantial debate in applied linguistics and second language acquisition research: the role of the first language in the second language classroom. Key principles that they identify are the difference between bilingual and monolingual teaching, the concepts of codeswitching versus translanguaging, and acknowledging the possibility of multiple L1s among student populations (or within a single student) in linguistically diverse societies. In the theoretical summary, they emphasize that dominant cognitive-interactionist theories such as the interaction hypothesis presume that all interaction is taking place in the L2 only and do not critically engage with the role of the L1. In contrast, sociocultural theory presumes the use of the L1 in learning an L2. In highlighting other theoretical perspectives, they ultimately conclude this section with the reminder that multilingualism is the reality in many parts of the world, rather than the exception; thus an L2 exclusive environment may not accurately reflect the speech community in which the learners will find themselves. The remaining sections describe when and how teachers and students may engage in L1 use in the classrooms, the benefits of L1 use and external factors that may affect it.

In Chapter 10, the authors discuss learner and teacher beliefs about classroom interaction. This chapter also opens with quotes from a student and teacher, both expressing discomfort with classroom interaction, presenting it more as an obstacle than a beneficial tool. The overarching theme seems to be understanding the individual and cultural differences in language classrooms around the world that may not value classroom interaction as described in SLA literature. The authors emphasize the importance of taking individual cultural beliefs and practices into consideration when implementing interaction focused activities in the classroom.

The theme for Cchapter 11 is language socialization and ethnography. Specifically, the authors reflect on the ways in which the language classroom is a site for cultural and societal socialization. Through the examination of excerpts from real classroom dialogues, the authors highlight the ways in which the language classroom can be used as a space to socialize student learners into a particular cultural norm (though not necessarily the norm of the L2 culture(s)) such as power dynamics and the use of honorifics. The second half of the chapter is dedicated to describing ethnography as a methodology that could be used in language socialization research.

Chapter 12 serves as a conclusion to the book and provides a summary of the goals and main concepts described throughout. The authors also suggest future directions for research, including broadening the theoretical frameworks used to investigate classroom interaction beyond the dominant cognitive-interactionist and sociocultural approaches, and more extensive research into computer-mediated language learning as well as into participatory action. And finally, as introduced in Chapter 11, more longitudinal and ethnographic studies of intact classrooms. They also note the need for better communication between SLA researchers and language teachers. After Chapter 12, the authors provide a series of appendices containing activities and exercises that could be used with pre- or in-service language teachers in a teaching methods course.

EVALUATION

This text provides an excellent overview of (instructed) second language acquisition research of the last several decades. The authors thoroughly explain key theoretical concepts and results of some of the most significant empirical investigations in second language acquisition. Each chapter is very clearly organized and follows a standard structure that is easy to follow. While structured as a unified volume, most of the chapters could easily standalone as supplemental readings to introduce young researchers and teachers to new and important concepts in language acquisition and language teaching.

Perhaps the most important and valuable of the authors’ stated goals is the last : “Critically discuss the link between classroom interaction and teaching practices” (p. 3). Researchers in second language acquisition have for decades underlined the importance of including the knowledge gained in second language acquisition research (SLA) in teacher training programs, which has centered the importance of interaction for linguistic development. As of the late 1990s, this practice had begun to spread (Bardovi-Harlig, 1997); however, the existence of this volume highlights that the relationship between SLA research and language teacher training still requires some effort. Indeed, recent scholarship has underlined the ongoing problem of connecting (instructed) SLA research to current pedagogical practices (Bardovi-Harlig & Comojoan-Colomé, 2022; Byrnes, 2019; Gass, 2019). This text, in providing clear summaries of both theoretical and empirical research with an eye on interaction in the classroom, helps to bridge this gap.

Chapters Two through Six are the strongest in their discussion and presentation of (instructed) SLA theory for a teacher audience. They align well and relate directly to each other. Chapters Seven through Nine are less cohesive with the rest of the volume and appear more as a series of important, yet not explicitly related topics very loosely linked by the concept of “interaction”. Addressing computer-mediated communication in Chapter Seven is clearly essential in today’s world where most learners engage with some form of online communication. However, as the author’s note, CMC has not been investigated from the perspective of the theories presented in the first half of the book, and the current authors do not add to that domain.

Chapters Ten and Eleven are the thinnest in terms of content and depart from the format of the earlier chapters, which provide overviews of existing research, with the authors proposing ethnography as a methodology that they believe should be adopted in SLA research. The focus on language socialization as a theoretical perspective is unclear as the authors do not specify whether the focus is on socialization in the target culture using the L2, or socialization in the home culture using the L2. From the excerpts and examples provided in the chapter, it seems to be the latter, which does not clearly connect to how home culture socialization might aid in the learning of L2 linguistic features or cultural norms associated with them. Additionally, an argument in favor of ethnographic research might have been better suited as a standalone article rather than included as the penultimate chapter of this text.

Each chapter ends with a series of questions that are labeled as “reflection questions”. However, upon close examination, many of the questions are in fact simple comprehension questions. This is not a problem. As the text is meant to be a pedagogical resource in a methodology class, verifying student comprehension is essential. However, it would have been useful to formally separate the comprehension questions from the true reflection questions at the end of each chapter so that discussion of the material could be better scaffolded. Teacher trainers who adopt this course for a methods class would do well to carefully select the questions that best suit their classroom needs and their students.

At the end of every chapter there are also two (and only two) suggested items for further reading. It is unclear why the authors limited themselves to only two suggested further readings, but the chapters would have benefited from a longer list that provided easier access to the many theoretical and empirical studies that they cite within the chapter rather than requiring the reader to search the bibliography at the very end of the book.

One final structural/symmetrical weakness is the lack of a clear and succinct response to the guiding question presented at the beginning of each chapter. Often, these questions are too broad for a simple answer. However, the authors do conclude each chapter with a sort of summary of the summary they provided. Sometimes these are long and cumbersome and do not provide a straightforward takeaway that a pre- or in-service teacher could take advantage of. A simpler bulleted list of three to five main points that explicitly address the guiding question would have been useful.

Overall, this text would be a helpful supplemental resource in a language teaching methodology course for pre- or in-service teachers. The chapters are clearly structured and accessible. And the final appendix of potential classroom activities and homework is a useful addition, highlighting the authors’ training as active classroom language teachers. Both current and aspiring language teachers will find this to be a critical resource in their pedagogical development. Ultimately, Iwashita, Dao, and Nguyen achieve their stated goals and provide a valuable addition to language teacher training.

REFERENCES

Bardovi-Harlig, K. (1997). The Place of Second Language Acquisition Theory in Language Teacher Preparation. In K. Bardovi-Harlig & B.S. Hartford (eds.), Beyond Methods: Components of Second Language Teacher Preparation (pp. 18-41). McGraw Hill.

Bardovi-Harlig, K. & Comojoan-Colomé, L. (2022). The relation of second language acquisition, instructed second language acquisition, and language teaching from the lens of second language tense-aspect. Language Teaching, 55 (3), 289-345. doi:10.1017/S026144482200009X

Byrnes, H. (2019). Affirming the context of instructed SLA: The potential of curricular thinking.

Language Teaching Research, 23 (4), 514-532.

DeKeyser, R. (2003). Implicit and explicit learning. In C. Doughty and M. Long (eds.) The

Handbook of Second Language Acquisition (pp. 312-348). Blackwell.

Ellis, N. (2002). Frequency effects in language processing: A review with implications for

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Benati (eds.), The Cambridge handbook of language learning (pp. 777-798).

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Hulstijn, J.H. (1994). Consciousness in second language learning. AILA Review 11.

Krashen, S. (1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Implications. Longman,

Kumaravadievelu, B. (2001). Toward a postemethod pedagogy. TESOL Quarterly, 35, 537-560.

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Long, M.H. (1981). Input, interaction and second language acquisition. Annals of the New York

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Lyster, R, Saito, K., & Sato, M. (2013). Oral corrective feedback in second language classrooms.

Language Teaching, 46 (1), 1-40. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444812000365.

Pica, T. (1994). Research on negotiation: What does it reveal about second language learning

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Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and

comprehensible output in its development. In S. Gass and C. Madden (eds.), Input

in Second Language Acquisition, (pp. 235-253). Newbury House.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Dr. Reaves is an Assistant Professor of French & Linguistics at Towson University in Towson, MD, where she teaches courses in linguistics, French language and culture, and French linguistics. Her research concentrates primarily on the second language acquisition of French with further interests in French sociolinguistics and French language pedagogy. She has published in The French Review and her book ‘Discourse Markers in Second Language French’ was published with Routledge in March 2023.