Language Play, Language Learning

Review

‘This far-ranging study demonstrates immense erudition in its sweep of scientific, cultural, and pedagogical theory, and points the way to linking opposing notions of language acquisition. Cook’s work moves the profession away from a language learning centred on myopically practical, quotidian tasks and provides us with the much needed bridge between the disciplines of the traditional liberal arts and those of the behavioral sciences – a bridge that in turn facilitates a greater understanding of the second language acquisition process.’

— Kenneth W Mildenberger Award Committee

About the Author

Guy Cook is Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Reading. He has worked as an EFL teacher in Egypt, Italy, the UK, and Russia, as a lecturer at the University of Leeds, and as head of TESOL at the London University Institute of Education. He has been an invited speaker at universities and major conferences in many countries, and has published widely on discourse analysis, the theory and practice of language teaching, literature teaching, translation, and language play.