This textbook offers an introductory overview of eight hotly-debated topics in second language acquisition research. It offers a glimpse of how SLA researchers have tried to answer common questions about second language acquisition rather than being a comprehensive introduction to SLA research. Contents : Introduction / 1. How do different languages connect in our minds? / 2. Is there a best age for learning a second language? / 3. How do people acquire the words of a second language? / 4. How important is grammar in acquiring and using a second langugae? / 5. How do people learn to write in a second language? / 6. How do attitude and motivation help in learning a second language? / 7. How useful is second language acquisition research for language teching? / 8. What are the goals of language teaching?