Chinese SLA: Introduction and future directions

Abstract

This is the introductory chapter for The Routledge Handbook of Chinese Second Language Acquisition, a reference work covering key topics in research on the learning of Chinese as a second language (L2). The first part of the chapter describes the scope of the book, which covers a variety of research perspectives related to Chinese SLA: social contexts, linguistic perspectives, skill learning, individual differences, learning settings, testing, and technology. In the second part of the chapter, the author provides suggestions to advance the field and upgrade the quality of L2 Chinese research, focusing on theoretical frameworks and methodological issues across Chinese SLA research as a whole.