La adquisición del español como lengua extranjera

This book is appreciated for its effort to disseminate the state of psycholinguistics, at least as it stood in 1999, making complex ideas accessible. It effectively defines and discusses core concepts within the field of language acquisition, such as mother tongue, foreign language, second language, object language, and interlanguage. The book also dedicates some passages to research conducted and published by Spanish psycholinguists, which adds a specific regional dimension to the broader discussion.

However, a significant criticism leveled against the book is its title, which explicitly refers to the teaching of Spanish but is considered misleading. Reviewers found that the content primarily focuses on general language acquisition research, largely drawing from Anglo-Saxon studies, rather than specifically delving into Spanish language instruction. It is described as a very short and general overview, covering well-known theories from prominent figures in linguistics. Despite its apparent aim to be a popular science work, it is deemed unsuitable for a general audience, with its theoretical depth making it challenging for those not already familiar with language didactics.

In conclusion, while the book introduces fundamental psycholinguistic concepts and touches upon some Spanish research, its general scope and brief treatment of subjects mean it does not fully deliver on the specific focus implied by its title. The ideal readers for this book are likely to be students pursuing master's degrees in Applied Linguistics, who would find its theoretical discussions and overview of psycholinguistic concepts relevant to their studies. It is not recommended for a general audience or for teachers seeking practical guidance specifically on teaching Spanish.