The SLA field has historically experienced division and disagreement to the point that some wonder if it might split up or dissolve (e.g., DeKeyser, 2010; Ellis, 2020; Hulstijn, 2013). The Synergies Project (Atkinson et al., 2025) was an exploratory attempt to discover and build common ground in SLA/T studies. It brought together 25 scholars (17 writers and 8 commentators) from across the field to explore together what they had in common, what bridges might be built, and how different SLA/T approaches could work together complementarily.
This talk describes the genesis of the project, what challenges were faced and overcome, and a selection of the project's findings and implications.