Multiple Perspectives on the Self in SLA

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.

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. David Nunan, Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics, University of Hong Kong 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. Jane Arnold, University of Seville, Spain