Abstract

This edited volume seeks to highlight the effects of self-concept on L2 learning and teaching by considering a wide range of theories as well as their practical application. The book is divided into four sections and includes: chapters discussing various approaches related to self-concept; empirical studies related to the selves of the learners; research from teachers’ perspectives on students' self-concept; and L2 motivational intervention studies associated with the development of self-concept of language learners. The volume contains a collection of studies from around the world (Central Europe, Canada, Asia and Australia) which were carried out using a variety of research methods and have a range of foci including adult and young learners, public and private education, foreign and second language settings, and teacher and learner motivation.

Kata Csizér is a Lecturer in the Department of English Applied Linguistics, Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary where she teaches various L2 motivation courses. Her main research focuses on the socio-psychological aspects of L2 learning and teaching as well as second and foreign language motivation.

Michael Magid is an English Language Pedagogy Specialist at the English Language Institute of Singapore. As a pedagogy specialist, Michael is involved in the professional development of English teachers and conducts action research on language learning motivation and using drama as a pedagogical tool to teach English. In his work, Michael draws on his experience of teaching English at all levels in Canada, England, China and Japan as well as his background in Applied Linguistics.

The editors have done a magnificent job in pulling together an excellent resource book that includes all major theories and directions in the field of SLA motivation...

The book turns out to be an essential resource for various reader profiles who are invested in SLA research and, more specifically, in language learning motivation. Researchers doing inquiry in this field will find it an extremely useful resource that undoubtly covers all aspects and perspectives around language learning motivation.

I recommend this book highly to anyone who is interested in the field of motivation research and selfrelated
constructs, and especially to (post-graduate) researchers. The variety of research methods used along with such a diverse sample of participants should ensure that self-concept remains an intriguing construct for further exploration.

This volume adds a rich tapestry of theoretical, empirical and pedagogical insights to the growing field of self-concept research in language learning. While current research in this field revolves in particular around issues of motivation, a real strength of this collection is its integration of a diverse range of self-related perspectives (including teacher as well as learner perspectives), and a variety of conceptual frameworks and research methodologies.

Csizér and Magid have drawn together the leading thinkers in one of the most important lines of inquiry in the psychology of language learning. Readers will be treated to a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and implications of the self and its role in L2 motivation. No collection of motivation texts in SLA would be complete without this volume.

This exciting volume provides new insights into recent trends in SLA research: why it matters who the language learners are, how they regulate their own learning, and how their emotions, motivation and identity are shaped by their experiences. The chapters explore language learners in different contexts and show how new theoretical paradigms have shaped the way language learning is modelled. These studies document how new ideas can contribute to innovation in classroom practice.

Overall, this volume deepens the reader’s understanding of the impact of self-concept on language learning in multiple contexts. It would be of great value and interest to L2 acquisition researchers and applied linguists. Learners and teachers of an L2 can benefit equally in accomplishing the task of “motivating the unmotivated”. This book is enlightening, applicable to diverse settings, and flows well. The unique and solid research methods represented throughout the different chapters, the diverse cultural backgrounds of the language learners represented, and the application of multiple theories related to self all make this a worth-reading title for L2 researchers and practitioners.