本书涵盖第二语言习得的重要概念、主要理论和研究方法，从语言学、社会因素和认知角度介绍该领域的主要研究发现，力求厘清“来龙”（起源、经典理论），呈现“去脉”（最新成果、发展趋势）；在介绍目前研究现状的同时，不回避其中的“悬而未决”。本书将复杂动态理论在第二语言习得研究方面的应用作为重点内容，梳理了不同理论对第二语言发展的解释。英语作为世界通用语给我国英语教学带来的启示也是本书的重要内容。
本书可供高等院校外国语言文学方向的研究生、教师和其他第二语言习得研究者阅读和参考。

1 Introduction
1.1 What Is Second Language Acquisition
1.1.1 Defining Second Language Acquisition
1.1.2 Second Language Aequisition/SLA/L2 Acquisition vs Second/Foreign Language Learning
1.1.3 L1 vs. L2/Target Language/Foreign Language/Additional Language
1.1.4 Naturalistic vs. Instructed Learning/Learners
1.1.5 Acquisition vs. Learning
1.2 The Goals and Scopes of Second Language Acquisition
1.3 The Development of Second Language Acquisition
1.4 The Interdisciplinary Feature of Second Language Acquisition
2 An Overview of the Theories in Second Language Acquisition
2.1 What Is a Theory
2.2 What Makes a Good Theory
2.3 The Classifications of Theories in Second Language Acquisition
2.4 The Ten Observations in Second Language Acquisition
3 Some Key Issues in Second Language Acquisition
3.1 Contrastive Analysis (CA)
3.2 Error Analysis (EA)
3.2.1 The Significance of Laarner's Errors
3.2.2 The Procedures in Conducting EA
3.2.3 The Limitations of Error Analysis
3.2.4 A New Direction in Error Analysis
3.3 Interlanguage (IL)
3.3.1 Defining Interlanguage
3.3.2 The Central Processes in Second Language Acquisition
3.3.3 The Characteristics of Interlanguage
3.3.4 The Evaluation of Interlanguage Research
3.4 Transfer
3.4.1 The Definition of Transfer
3.4.2 Different Explanations on Transfer
3.4.3 The Identification of Transfer
3.4.4 The Extent of Transfer
3.4.5 The Constraints on Transfer
3.5 Fossilization
3.5.1 Defining Fossilization
3.5.2 Explanations for Fossilization
3.5.3 The Five Key Issues in Fossilization
3.5.4 Data and Elicitation Measures in Fossilization Research
3.6 The "Comparative Fallacy" in Second Language Acquisition
4 Linguistic Perspective of Second Language Acquisition
4.1 Universal Grammar and Second Language Acquisition
4.1.1 The Poverty of the Stimulus
4.1.2 What Does UG Consist of
4.1.3 Universal Grammar and Second Language Acquisition
4.1.4 The Evaluation of Universal Grammar-based Approaches to Second Language Acquisition
4.2 The Monitor Theory (MT)
4.2.1 The Five Hypotheses in the Monitor Theory
4.2.2 The Evaluation of the Monitor Theory
5 Social Perspective of Second Language Acquisition
5.1 The Socio-educational Model
5.1.1 A Description of the Socio-educational Model
5.1.2 Distinguishing Integrative and Instrumental Motivations
5.1.3 The Attitude Motivation Test Battery (AMTB)
5.1.4 The Evaluation of the Soeio-educational Model
5.2 The Acculturation Model
5.2.1 A Description of Acculturation Model
5.2.2 Stimulus Appraisal Dimensions
5.2.3 The Evaluation of Acculturation Model
5.3 Sociocuhural Theory (SCT)
5.3.1 A General Introduction of Sociocultural Theory
5.3.2 The Applications of Sociocultural Theory in SLA
5.3.3 Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
5.3.4 ZPD-related L2 Research
5.3.5 Data Elicitation Methods in SCT
5.3.6 The Evaluation of SCT-related Research
6 Cognitive Perspectives in Second Language Acquisition
6.1 An Overview of Cognitive Theories of Second Language Acquisition
6.2 Implicit and Explicit L2 Knowledge in Second Language Acquisition
6.2.1 Distinguishing Implicit and Explicit Knowledge
6.2.2 Three Interface Hypotheses
6.2.3 The Measurement of Implicit and Explicit Knowledge
6.3 Information Processing Model
6.3.1 A General Introduction to Information Processing Model
6.3.2 The Evaluation of Information Processing Model
6.4 Connectionism and SLA
6.4.1 The Working Mechanisms in Connectionism
6.4.2 Connectionism in Second Language Acquisition
6.4.3 The Evaluation of Connectionism in SLA
6.5 The Competition Model
6.5.1 A General Introduction to the Competition Model
6.5.2 Competition Model in