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4 - Instructed Second Language Acquisition

Inclusivity and Equity for the Common Goal

from Part I - Situating the Discipline

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 May 2026

Julia Herschensohn
Affiliation:
University of Washington
Martha Young-Scholten
Affiliation:
Newcastle University
Ana Fernández Dobao
Affiliation:
University of Washington
Alex Ho-Cheong Leung
Affiliation:
Northumbria University, Newcastle
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Summary

This chapter gives an overview of theories and empirical studies in the field of instructed second language acquisition (ISLA). After a scoping review of current ISLA research, the chapter proposes two future directions, by broadly defining ISLA as a discipline that investigates theoretical and practical language-related issues with the ultimate goal of improving second language education. First, ISLA research can be more inclusive in terms of research topics and methodologies. Second, ISLA research can be more equitable by r-conceptualizing the research-practice relationship and incorporating practitioners’ experiences, knowledge and voices. Given the ultimate goal of much of ISLA research as well as the complexity of classroom teaching whereby a variety of cognitive, social and psychological issues dynamically influence student learning, the chapter argues for the necessity for widening the current ISLA scope and striving to create equitable relationships among various stakeholders related to ISLA research and classroom teaching.

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