This book is part of the Cambridge University Press series in Applied Linguistics, edited by Michael H. Long and Jack C. Richards. The edited collection presents cognitive perspectives on second language (L2) learning, a topic that is currently receiving a great deal of attention in SLA research. The series editors, both of whom have produced notable research in L2 learning, point out: “cognition and cognitive factors, therefore, are central to any account of how and why SLA works, or so often fails, and equally central to the theory and practice of second language instruction” (p. vii). Robinson is one of the driving forces behind the current interest in cognitive approaches to SLA. He has proposed a view of the field that involves exploring the connections between SLA and aspects of human cognition, such as attention, awareness, and memory, as well as the role of individual differences in SLA and L2 learning conditions (e.g., Robinson, 1997, 2001, 2002). Robinson has assembled an impressive lineup of contributors.

The book comprises two sections. Six articles in the first section, “Theoretical Issues,” introduce central concepts and constructs in cognition and SLA. The second section, “Cognition and Instruction,” draws on the theoretical issues introduced in the first section and relates theory to instructional issues. In chapter 1, Schmidt describes the construct of attention and argues for its centrality in all aspects of L2 learning. In chapter 2, Ellis describes another construct relevant to language learning—memory. In chapter 3, MacWhinney examines three components of language learning: input, learner, and context, in the framework of the Competition Model. A review of approaches to sentence processing is provided by Harrington in chapter 4. DeKeyser in chapter 5 describes the concepts of automaticity and automatization and explores classroom practices that may be conducive to the automatization of language skills. In the final chapter of the first section, Gregg critically assesses SLA theories from a learnability perspective.

In the second section, the goal of the chapters is to relate the key cognitive resources described in the first section to issues within instructed SLA. In chapter 7, Skehan and Foster explore task characteristics and activities that may allow learners to direct attention to form. Doughty describes focus on form in cognitive processing terms in chapter 8, presenting some pedagogical recommendations. Theories about incidental and intentional vocabulary learning are reviewed in chapter 9 by Hulstijn, who also discusses their pedagogical implications. Robinson discusses a triad of task complexity, condition, and difficulty factors to investigate task influences on SLA in chapter 10. In a chapter that seems to destined to touch a nerve in much current SLA research, Sawyer and Ranta examine language aptitude as a potentially important factor in accounting for individual differences in L2 learning (chapter 11). In the final chapter of the second section, Jourdenais addresses methodological issues in investigating learners' cognitive processes and helpfully examines the limitations and benefits of protocol analysis.

One of the main strengths of the book is the breadth, scope, and range of perspectives offered by the contributors, some of whom are leading experts in their subfields. Although space precludes a comprehensive review of all the positions, many of the chapters address topics of fundamental importance for current SLA research and are clearly destined to become essential reading. For example, Schmidt's claims about the roles of attention and awareness in SLA (Schmidt, 1995) are critically important in understanding the SLA process, and this update is most welcome. Ellis's influential contributions on a range of crucial topics have also driven the field forward in recent years, and his claims about the roles of memory and frequency in SLA are already attracting considerable attention (e.g., Ellis, 2002).

The book covers a wide range of topics in cognition and SLA. There are differences in readability as well as scope of the chapters. In particular, although the second section aims to relate theoretical constructs to pedagogical and practical issues in instructed SLA, some of the chapters are more accessible than others. The only other limitation is that, for a 2001 text, there seems to have been a long interval between the time at which chapters were written and the date of publication. This is reflected in the referencing for some of the chapters, where relevant recent work is occasionally missing.

In summary, this book presents a broad range of important issues in cognition and SLA. It will be read with great interest and much profit. It provides an excellent overview of theoretical as well as instructional issues in cognition and L2 instruction.