Book excerpt: The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Listening offers a state-of-the-art, systematic discussion of the role of listening in second language acquisition (SLA) and use. This handbook positions listening not just as a receptive comprehension skill, but also as an integral part of interaction, a vital component in the process of language acquisition, and a skill which needs attention in its own right. World-leading international scholars synthesize and contextualize the salient theoretical approaches, methodological issues, empirical findings, practical applications, and emerging themes in L2 listening development and processing. They illustrate the role that L2 listening ability plays in understanding SLA and interactional competence, and set the future research agenda to move the field forward. This volume is an indispensable resource to students, scholars, and practitioners from the fields of SLA, cognitive psychology, language teaching, and assessment, as well as those interested in pronunciation, speaking, and oral communication.