ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses elements of the broader picture of which second-language learning and teaching are a part. Considering the longstanding and ubiquitous efforts by which people have expanded their language repertoires in response to real-life pressures and requirements, one might object that extra-educational linguistic settings suggest learning much more than teaching. As Gass S. M. and Larry Selinker point out, 'motivation appears to be the second strongest predictor of [language-learning] success, trailing only aptitude'. This implies continuing difficulties for formal teaching and learning contexts. Quiocho Alice and Francisco Rios, for instance, suggest that teachers who are from minority groups will be more likely to demonstrate linguistic and cultural sensitivity in the classroom. The chapter emphasizes the importance of attitudes and motivation, and the ways in which they interact with perceived necessity. While the learning of all subjects at school may provide specific tools for further progress, language is the general one that underpins all others.
