Maggie A. Broner

Papers

Total Citations

208

H-Index

About

Maggie A. Broner is a leading voice in second language acquisition (SLA), best known for her groundbreaking work on the role of ludic language play in classroom learning. Her most influential study, "Is It Fun? Language Play in a Fifth‐Grade Spanish Immersion Classroom" (2001), with over 200 citations, fundamentally challenged traditional SLA models that prioritized only meaning negotiation. By documenting how fifth-graders creatively manipulated Spanish for humor and social bonding, Broner demonstrated that playful, non-instrumental language use actively shapes interlanguage development. This research opened new avenues for understanding how affective and social factors drive linguistic growth, moving beyond purely cognitive frameworks. Broner’s work has had a lasting impact on immersion pedagogy and classroom practice, inspiring educators to value spontaneous, joyful language experimentation as a legitimate learning tool. Her contributions continue to influence scholars studying the intersection of identity, affect, and SLA, cementing her reputation as a pioneer who made the case that fun is not frivolous—it is fundamental to how learners build language.