Multiple Perspectives on the Self in SLA

This collection of papers brings together a diverse range of conceptualisations of the self in the domain of second language acquisition and foreign language learning. The volume attempts to unite a fragmented field and provides a thorough overview of the ways in which the self can be conceptualised in SLA contexts.

Sarah Mercer is the Head of the ELT Research and Methodology section at the University of Graz, Austria. She is interested in all aspects of language learning psychology, in particular self-related constructs, motivation, affect, agency, mindsets and belief systems. She is co-editor of Positive Psychology in SLA (with Peter MacIntyre and Tammy Gregersen) and Multiple Perspectives of the Self in SLA (with Marion Williams).

Marion Williams was previously Reader at the University of Exeter and is currently Chair of the Academic Board for INSTILL Education. She has 40 years' experience of working at all levels of ELT internationally, is a long-standing member of the ELT Journal editorial board and is a former president of IATEFL.

Sarah Mercer is Lecturer at the University of Graz, Austria. She has been working in ELT in Europe for over 15 years and currently researches in the area of language learning psychology, with particular interest in aspects of the self. Her recent publications include Towards an Understanding of Language Learner Self-Concept (2011, Springer).

Marion Williams was previously Reader at the University of Exeter and is currently Chair of the Academic Board for INSTILL Education. She has 40 years' experience of working at all levels of ELT internationally, is a long-standing member of the ELT Journal editorial board and is a former president of IATEFL.

Given the centrality of the self to language learning and teaching, anyone and everyone involved in language education should read this book – at least twice.

The history of 'self' in studies of second language identities is a somewhat uneven one and what has always been missing is the big view – not a single monolithic account of this area of research, but a collection of the variety of ways there are to go about it. In this timely book, the editors bring together prominent scholars who provide the reader with a wide range of angles on the construct (from self-efficacy to self-esteem) and offer a stimulating snapshot of the state of play as regards self in second language identities research.

The self has become an increasingly important focus for many areas; it is being highlighted in psychology, philosophy, neurobiology and very prominently, in research on language acquisition. This volume presents a rich variety of studies related to the self, bringing in many ways in which language and the self are intertwined and showing how a greater awareness of the self can lead to more effective language learning.

Along with identity studies, research focusing on the construct of the self has grown rapidly in recent years. These studies have been carried out from a range of theoretical and methodological standpoints. This volume shows that, far from being a weakness, theoretical and methodological diversity is a strength. As such, it is a welcome addition to the growing number of publications that challenge narrow conceptualisations of research in SLA.

Gianna Hessel, University of Oxford, UK:

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this insightful volume and I highly recommend it to researchers and students who are interested in the application of self-constructs to the study of SLA. Researchers will appreciate the valuable contribution that the book makes towards more conceptual clarity among the myriad of self-constructs that SLA research has come to entertain, the cogent discussions of past research and original research, as well as the implications for future work in the area. Students with an interest in research on the self in SLA will value the chapters in this book for their accessible and succinct style, their clear structure, the concise literature reviews and the annotated miniature bibliographies, which recommend three key titles that are pertinent to the chapter content.

Mirosław Pawlak, Adam Mickiewicz University, in SSLLT 5 (1) 2015.:

The main strength of the volume lies without doubt in its diversity as the editors have successfully managed to bring together a multiplicity of perspectives on the self in SLA, show the ways in which these perspectives can be reconciled and illustrate how they can provide a point of reference for future empirical investigations in this area. The book constitutes an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the study of the language learner’s self, be they graduate or doctoral students, or researchers seeking to gain further insights into this fascinating domain.

Xuesong Gao, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong:

Overall this is a highly informative volume written in an accessible manner. It has great potential to educate a wide range of readers such as postgraduate students, researchers and language teachers. For these reasons, I echo the enthusiastic praise on the back cover in my evaluation of this edited volume. It is definitely one of the most informative and useful handbooks for readers looking for ideas associated with the 'self' in research and teaching. It is a must-read for those interested in knowing more about the constructs associated with the self in language learning and teaching.