This book argues controversially that second-language acquisition has much in common with other forms of skill learning, and that there is much to be learned about the business of language teaching by considering the views and practices of teachers in other domains.

For many Applied Linguists, language is unique among human skills, incomparable in its acquisition and use to other forms of behaviour. Their study of second-language learning and teaching may thus draw on knowledge about first-language acquisition, but not on what is known about the learning of non-linguistic skills....

This volume provides an up-to-date and comprehensive reference guide to the key concepts, ideas, movements, and trends of applied linguistics for language teaching.