Through the application of self-determination theory (SDT) to research and practice, this book deepens our understanding of how autonomous language learning can be supported and understood within environments outside of the classroom. Theoretical, empirical and practice-focused chapters examine autonomy support in a range of contexts and settings, dealing with learning environments and open spaces, communities and relationships, and advising and self-access language learning. They reveal what occurs beyond the classroom, how socializing agents support autonomous motivation and wellness, and how SDT can enhance our understanding of supporting language learner autonomy. It will be of interest to language teachers, university lecturers and learning advisors who are providing support outside the classroom, as well as to graduate students and researchers who are working in the fields of applied linguistics and TESOL.

This book explores the reasons why adult ESL learners drop out of their language classes and suggests explicit strategies for keeping students engaged. The most effective strategies may be personal rather than technical or curricular. Based on a study of a group of Mexican immigrants to the US, the author proposes that superación or 'self-actualization' is crucial to understanding the relative success of adult ESL learners. Learners' decisions to drop out were not hasty or superficial but were based on a commonsense assessment concerning how the class might improve the quality of their lives. Those involved in delivering ESL to adult learners should stress the tangible, practical advantages that accrue with learning English, and at the same time strive to make instruction relevant.

Español como Lengua Extranjera. Niveles de la lengua y actividades comunicativas es una herramienta indispensable para estudiar, reflexionar y profundizar en torno a la lengua española cuando esta ha de ser observada y comprendida desde la perspectiva de quien la enseña a estudiantes no nativos. A través de numerosas posibilidades metodológicas, propuestas de aula y temas para la reflexión, nos permite comprender los mecanismos que definen y regulan su funcionamiento.

¿Cómo se aprende una lengua extranjera? ¿Hay personas más dotadas para el aprendizaje de idiomas que otras? ¿Qué influencia tienen la lengua materna, el entorno o nuestras emociones en el aprendizaje de una segunda lengua? En este libro se exploran los principales fundamentos sobre el proceso en el que se centra la práctica profesional del docente de ELE: la adquisición de segundas lenguas. Los enfoques y las teorías se explican siempre atendiendo a las implicaciones didácticas que se derivan de ellos. De hecho, el manual cuenta con propuestas didácticas en las que se aplica a casos prácticos los conceptos tratados.