This edited collection provides a comprehensive overview of the area of sucessful language learning strategies and reviews the literature and research on this subject to date. The book provides a reference base, addresses theoretical issues and considers pedagogical implications. It identifies gaps in our current understanding and suggests useful research initiatives and it considers how all of this relates to successful language learning by unique individuals in a variety of situations. The book is divided into 2 sections: the first deals with learner variables and has chapters on such topics as age, culture, motivation, personality and aptitude. The second covers learning variables such as vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, reading and listening. The writers include many well-established names such as Anna Chamot, Paul Nation and Andrew Cohen as well as some of the best representatives of the new generation of applied linguists.
Interesting read, and a great collection of references for further research. However, the language task it is paired to engenders redundancy; by the end, you really understand a person has to be motivated, and their success in a language is based on their own subjective, individual experience.
Many of the essays in this collection will confirm your worst stereotypes about academic writing. I give it some credit for debunking some of my own suspicions about language learning: for adults at least, a foreign language cannot be learned through osmosis -- improving your ability is a rigorous mental activity. Any learning program that encourages you to go on autopilot (cough, cough, Rosetta Stone) is unlikely to be very helpful. Likewise, any program that claims to offer a silver bullet to language learning is likely snake oil.