Bøker av Bill VanPatten

From award-winning author, Bill VanPatten . . . Jesse Pérez's fifteen-year-old pregnant niece from Texas shows up on his doorstep in Central California seeking help. Still grieving from the death of his husband while raising their ten-year-old son alone, Jesse is plunged into the politics and legal issues of post-Roe America. Violent forces threaten the peaceful life he has built with his son-putting him on the path to a showdown with his estranged evangelical family in Lubbock, Texas.

WINNER OF THE BRONZE MEDAL FOR THE 2022 SELF-PUBLISHING REVIEWS BOOK AWARDS. GRAND PRIZE FINALIST FOR THE ERIC HOFFER BOOK AWARD 2023. ". . . hard to put down. . ." -Reedsy Discovery ★★★★ ". . . a stellar family drama with a compelling mix of contemporary issues, powerfully emotive writing, and twist-driven mystery." -Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★★ "A LITTLE RAIN is a textbook slow-burn storyline where author Bill VanPatten peels back the details in a deliberately methodical . . . narrative." -Readers' Favorite ★★★★★ Sixteen-year-old Alexander Chance's love of another boy has turned into an obsession-and the consequences have pushed his family to the brink. Sitting in a courtroom, he reflects on the past four months and what led him to the present situation. His father watches a quiet and dissociated son during the proceedings, forcing him to confront his own secretive past and the repressed sexuality that destroyed a happy home. Alexander's mother keeps a diary and confesses how her sublimated rage at her ex-husband drove a wedge between her and Alexander, and to a pill-popping, wine-drinking existence. In the end, the judge listens to expert testimony and must determine Alexander's fate. But Alexander is hiding a secret-a secret that would have profound consequences on the judge's decision.

This Element explores the roles of explicit and implicit learning in second language acquisition. The authors lay out some key issues that they take to underlie the debate on the extent to which second language acquisition involves explicit learning, implicit learning, or both. They also discuss what they take to be an oversight in the field: namely, the lack of clear definitions of key constructs. Taking a generative perspective on the nature of language, while addressing alternative approaches at key points, they refocus the discussion of explicit and implicit learning by first asking what must be learned (i.e., what is this mental representation we call "e;language"e; that all functioning humans possess?) The discussion and research reviewed leads to the conclusion that second language acquisition is largely if not exclusively implicit in nature and that explicit learning plays a secondary role in how learners grapple with meaning.

This textbook uses a 'key questions' structure to introduce and break down the main issues in second language acquisition, using clearly defined terms and avoiding jargon. It is perfectly suited to students with no background in linguistics or psycholinguistics, as well as teachers of English and other second languages.

Suitable for beginning Spanish language learners, this title tells the story of a Chilean family and their winery, and of a young US Latino businessman who finds himself intricately involved with the family as his company tries to buy their land.

This module explores the nature and consequences of a particular definition of communication: the expression and interpretation of meaning in a given context. Special attention is given to context (i.e., physical setting, participants, purpose of communication) and how these impact how we think about communication in language classrooms.

This module provides the novice and experienced teacher alike with a broad and accessible picture of language as a formal system. It covers topics such as the nature of words, sounds and syntax, particularly emphasizing the abstract, complex nature of language and how it does not resemble typical pedagogical rules often used with language learners.

Presents a video-based text for "Beginning Spanish" that offers language materials. Based on 26 hours of a video drama, this program is meant for use in Spanish classes, as a college course for distant learners, and by individuals studying on their own.