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Unlike most introductory Second Language Acquisition (SLA) books which generally cover core SLA theories and summarize research findings, this book by Elaine Tarone and Bonnie Swierzbin provides its readers with much hands-on practice in analyzing learner language. Guided by Dick Allwright’s (2005) Exploratory Practice framework, the book adopts a case study approach to SLA by focusing on how six ESL adult learners from China, Mexico, and Central Africa use English as they engage in a range of elicitation tasks. The book is organized into an introduction and eight chapters. While Chapters 1 and 2 examine individual differences in L2 learning and survey key SLA theories respectively, the next five chapters (Chapters 3-7) explore how learner language can be analyzed from five different theoretical perspectives: error and target-like use (TLU) analysis, developmental sequence, interactional analysis, referential effectiveness, and complexity of language needed for academic purposes. The last chapter (Chapter 8) provides teachers with advice on how to analyze the language of learners in their own classrooms. Particularly striking is how the authors successfully manage to merge theory and practice throughout the book. Each chapter begins with the introduction of key SLA concepts whic