The Handbook of Second Language Listening provides a comprehensive, research-based examination of how learners perceive, process, and understand spoken language in a second or additional language. As global communication increasingly relies on multilingual interaction, effective listening is essential, not only for comprehension, but also for language development, academic success, and professional integration.

This volume brings together leading voices in applied linguistics, phonetics, and language pedagogy to address the core cognitive and perceptual mechanisms that support L2 listening. Topics include the role of speech perception, the influence of prosody and phonetic detail, the challenges of comprehension in noisy environments, and the impact of listening strategy use. This valuable work also explores how listening is taught and assessed, offering practical approaches grounded in current theory. Emerging areas of focus, such as decolonial theory, technology-mediated instruction, and multimodality, provide valuable new insights for both researchers and practitioners.

The Handbook of Second Language Listening is designed for a wide audience of applied linguists, TESOL professionals, and teacher educators, as well as graduate students in MA and PhD programs in Applied Linguistics, TESOL, and Language Education. It is also an essential reference for curriculum developers, testing specialists, and language instructors seeking to deepen their understanding of second language listening and its implications for teaching and research.