Abstract

Contending theories are typical of disciplines that endeavor to explain multifaceted phenomena. Similarly, research on second language (L2) acquisition reflects the complexity of learning a language other than one’s native tongue. Is there one unified theory of L2 acquisition? What are the theoretical bases of various approaches to L2 acquisition? What are the practical implications for L2 teaching and material development? This article examines several theoretical approaches  which have evolved in the field in the past three decades and their practical implications for L2 teaching.