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Cognitive Individual Differences in Second Language Processing and Acquisition
Edited by Gisela Granena, Daniel O. Jackson and Yucel Yilmaz
[Bilingual Processing and Acquisition 3] 2016
► pp. 1–14

Introduction
Cognitive individual differences in second language learning and processing

 | Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
 | Kanda University of International Studies
 | Indiana University
In this introductory chapter, we first describe the rationale for this volume, linking cognitive individual differences (IDs) to previous research in second language acquisition (SLA), and other, related fields. Next, we present a definition of cognitive abilities and illustrate how differences in these abilities may have important implications for several strands of research, including those dealing with second language aptitude, instructed SLA, comprehension and production, novel SLA, bilingualism, cognitive training, and measurement. This collective volume contains 14 additional chapters offering multiple, interdisciplinary perspectives on how individuals process and acquire languages, which incorporate theoretical, methodological, and empirical advances in the study of cognitive IDs. In the last section of this chapter, we summarize these contributions and draw explicit connections between them. The chapter concludes with some thoughts on the practical significance of this volume, in terms of researching cognitive IDs and understanding their implications.
Article outline
  • 1.Rationale: Individual variation in SLA
  • 2.Defining and situating cognitive IDs
  • 3.Structure and overview
  • 4.Key issues for future research
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments
  • References
Published online: 23 December 2016
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/bpa.3.01int
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