ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies some core characteristics of teenage learners as thinkers and language learners related to general theories of physical and cognitive development, as well as second language acquisition (SLA) research and specific studies in different L2 contexts. The chapter also considers the opportunities and challenges in the current global context due to English being the dominant lingua franca worldwide and due to the technological advances available to current generations of teenage learners worldwide. It seems that only learners above the age of 12 are able to offer multiple hypotheses, isolate factors one by one, test the impact of each factor systematically while keeping other factors constant and then proceed to test the effect of two factor combinations. A great deal of Internet use is devoted to keeping in touch with friends or just hanging out. Online sites such as Facebook offer opportunities for self-expression by constructing a self-image while exploring ones relationships with others.
