Tarone , Elaine ; Bigelow , Martha & Hansen , Kit ( 2009 ) . Literacy and Second Language

In this volume, Tarone, Bigelow, and Hansen identify two gaps in current second language acquisition (SLA) research. First of all, they note that illiterate and low-literate second language (L2) learners are rarely the targets of SLA inquiry and thus have been left out of the SLA database. The authors consider this omission as a problem that abates the power of current SLA theories to the context outside schools and academia. Such an omission, as the authors suggest, is “an outcome of a more general theoretical problem in SLA research—namely, a general neglect of the social dimension in the process of SLA” (p.2). They argue that, in order to bridge this gap, it is necessary that the field of SLA includes less-literate L2 learners because their inclusion “will contribute to SLA theory-building” (p.3) and allow SLA researchers to broaden their view of the nature of SLA and of the human potential for language learning. education review // reseñas educativas editors: gene v glass gustavo e. fischman melissa cast-brede