Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to bring together and examines a fuller range of topics and concerns related to instructed second language acquisition (ISLA). It considers the defining features and limits of ISLA. The book also considers the foremost assumption of ISLA that second language (L2) instruction matters and can be beneficial for L2 learning. It shows what has been termed focus on form in which learners’ attention is drawn to specific linguistic forms within a larger meaning-focused context. The book also explores vocabulary, another linguistic area that has received considerable attention in ISLA research. It describes the larger curricular and instructional contexts in which L2 learning occurs, such as L2 immersion classes and content-based instruction. The book explores the theoretical issues that pertain specifically to the instruction of grammar in the L2 classroom, such as Input Processing and explicit grammar instruction.