Li Wei is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Birkbeck, University of London. He is editor of the International Journal of Bilingualism, and author and editor of numerous books and articles, including the award-winning The Blackwell Guide to Research Methods in Bilingualism and Multilingualism (with Melissa Moyer, Wiley-Blackwell, 2008), Contemporary Applied Linguistics (2 volumes, with Vivian Cook, 2009) and The Routledge Applied Linguistics Reader (2011).

Notes on Contributors vii
Acknowledgements ix
1 Introducing Applied Linguistics 1
Li Wei
Part I Language in Development 27
2 First Language Acquisition 29
Zhu Hua
3 Second and Additional Language Acquisition 46
Jean-Marc Dewaele
4 Language and the Brain 69
Marjorie Lorch
Part II Language in Use 89
5 Language in Interaction 91
María Elena Placencia
6 Intercultural Communication 112
Zhu Hua
7 Literacy and Multimodality 130
Li Wei, Lisa J. McEntee-Atalianis and Marjorie Lorch
Part III Language in Society 149
8 Language Diversity and Contact 151
Penelope Gardner-Chloros
9 Language, Identity and Power 172
Lisa J. McEntee-Atalianis
10 Language Planning and Language Policy 191
Li Wei
Part IV Language in Public Life 211
11 Language Assessment 213
Li Wei
12 Language in Media, Health and Law 228
Malcolm Edwards
13 Translation and Interpreting 245
Malcolm Edwards
Glossary 262
Resources List 270
Li Wei and Zhu Hua
References 285
Index 303

In this complete survey of the theories, methods, and key findings within applied linguistics, students are introduced to core research questions and the various approaches to tackling these.
* Provides a comprehensive introduction to this interdisciplinary field of research and practice, dealing with practical issues of language and communication
* Takes a problem-solving approach, introducing students to key research questions and guiding them through the various ways of tackling these
* Features additional study aids throughout, including chapter outlines, learning objectives, key terms, research questions and answers, study questions, and recommended further readings
* Enables students to identify every-day language and communication issues, and to draw on their own personal experiences
* Edited by a leading figure in the field, heading up an experienced and interdisciplinary team of contributors from the renowned department of applied linguistics at Birkbeck College, University of London - resulting in unique combination of knowledge, skills, and strength from scholars who teach and research together