Investigating the Effects and Effectiveness of L2 Instruction

The role and effectiveness of instruction in second language acquisition (SLA) have been controversial since antiquity (see Richards & Rodgers, 2001, for an overview). Does instruction really enable the learning of a second or foreign language, or at least facilitate it? Most language teachers have, for obvious reasons perhaps, assumed that it does, but SLA researchers have been more divided.This chapter presents a framework for investigating the role of instruction in SLA and identifies major research issues in terms
of this framework. Next we will consider these issues in the light of the research methods that have been employed in the investigation of L2 instruction. We will conclude by formulating recommendations for future research on the role of instruction for second and foreign language learning and teaching, focusing on usefulness and applicability for teaching practice.