Individuele Verschillen in Het Leren Van Talen

This contribution gives a global introduction into recent developments in theory and research on individual differences in language learning. It attempts to outline a more general framework for the contributions in this volume on learner differences. The following five questions are focused upon: (A) What kind of theoretical developments can be noticed and which mutual relationships exist between different theoretical models? (B) Which links with other fields of research into differences in human (learning) behaviour can be established? (C) What is the contribution of the factors aptitude and social class in relation to the contribution of factors which can be influenced or manipulated in the school context? (D) How important is the recent interest in cognitive and metacognitive factors and learner and learning strategies? (E) Which important methodological developments can be observed?