6.1 INTRODUCTION

Susan Gass thus commented just prior to speculating about future developments in SLA. In this chapter, I take on board Gass's statement of caution as I move towards the end of this book, where I speculate about the future of the IIO model. First, however, I examine how other authors have approached the task of concluding SLA texts, survey articles and edited collections, in particular the extent to which they have risked making predictions about where SLA is going. My conclusion is that there has certainly not been much in the way of prediction, although there has been a tendency to cite unanswered questions and to suggest what future research might explore. In the latter category, perhaps the most enlightening piece I have read has been Michael Breen's (2001a) conclusion to his edited collection, Learner Contributions to Language Learning. To my mind, Breen is right to argue for an expanded agenda for SLA that takes into account not only cognitive and linguistic aspects of SLA, but also what learners, their social environment and interactions between the two bring to the process of SLA. Having discussed Breen's framework in some detail, I move on to argue that SLA researchers should heed his call for greater attention to culture and identity. I cite two areas of research – pragmatics and constructed accounts of language-learning experiences – as areas of SLA where this call has already been taken on. Finally, I conclude with some speculative comments about the future of the IIO model.

6.2 PREDICTION IN SLA TEXTS

For the reader interested in predictions about the future of SLA, reading SLA textbooks can be frustrating.