New perspectives on the individual learner: Implications for research and teaching

Abstract

Since the late 1960s, the individual learner has been the focus of research on the learning and, above all, on the teaching of languages. Given the importance of this topic to the field of language learning and teaching, two American Association of University Supervisors, Coordinators, and Directors of Language Programs (AAUSC) volumes, one in 1994 and another in 2013, have addressed issues related to the individual learner. This chapter explores the main trends in research on individual differences since the 2013 AAUSC volume. Given the proliferation of learner variables, we have chosen to focus on several key issues, specifically, the age of onset of acquisition, language aptitudes, motivation, emotion, and the willingness to communicate. After examining recent studies in each of these areas, we will turn our attention to current challenges related to research on individual differences and discuss the implications of a person-centered approach for language research and teaching.