Theories of Language Acquisition Lecture VI

Individual Differences in Second Language Learning Individual differences and classroom instruction Age and Second language learning The critical period Intuitions of grammaticality Rate of learning Age and second language instruction

Individual differences and classroom instruction There are many teaching approaches Approaches do not hinder students from learning Difficult for the teacher to customize his approach to all learners Use of various activities to suit learners Teachers to help learners learn from a number of learning approaches in order to be flexible to learning ways

Age and second language learning Age – another learner characteristic Easy to define and to measure compared to other learner characteristics Immigrant children succeed in L2 learning Adult L2 speakers achieve excellent language skills Joseph Conrad an example of success CPH confirms the time when the brain is ready for success in language learning CHP is valid for L1 and L2

Age and second language learning Language acquisition is affected by developmental changes in the brain Language learning occurring after the CPH is not based on the innate biological structures that contribute L1 acquisition Older learners depend on general learning abilities similar to acquiring other skills The general learning abilities are not effective as innate abilities available for L1 acquisition CPH ends around the puberty or even earlier

Age and second language learning Conditions for language learning are often different Informal learning environments offer a better opportunity for language learning because of no pressure to speak Older learning find it more difficult as they are under pressure to produce correct language Lack of mastery of the language embarrass and frustrate adults Such negative feelings affect their motivation and willingness L2 learning will succeed if it begins when learners are young Older learners are more efficient than younger ones, using their metalinguistic knowledge, memory strategies, and problem-solving skills.

The critical period: more than just pronunciation Older learners have a noticeable foreign accent Mark Patkowski studied the language (syntax and morphology) of those who had started to learn English before and after puberty Pre-puberty learners were rated 4+ or 5 Post-puberty were rated between 3 to 4 Patkowski concluded that learners who learn a L2 before the age of 15 could achieve full mastery He also found out that age of acquisition is an important factor to achieve native-like mastery for learners who acquire L2 in natural environment

Intuitions of grammaticality 46 Chinese and Korean speakers who had begun to learn English at different ages were part of study by Johnson and Newport Part of the study were also 23 native speakers of English Grammatical judgements in syntax and morphology where half sentences were correct and half not were tested Johnson and Newport found that the age of arrival in the US was a significant predictor of success The earlier learners had begun to learn the highest they scored on the judgement test In general, adult learners learn a L2 in a different way from young learners

Rate of personality Older learners may have an advantage in the rate of learning as they learn faster in the first few months By the end of the year children catch them up or some even surpass the adults Hohle and Snow studied a group of English speakers learning Dutch as a L2 Cook argues that L2 speakers should not be compared to native speakers as the goal is knowledge of multiple languages

Age and second language instruction Teaching children is no guarantee for success It should be the goals the target not the age of learners Assessment of goals and resources for successful L2 learning Depending on the language goals, the L2 learning to begin Intensive exposure of L2 may affect the L1 to children Several hours of classes per week for L2 learners Increasing the number of classes does not mean better success Although age is an important factor in L2L, it does not hinder successful language learning

Questions What is the role of age when learning takes place in schools?

Task Conduct an interview with an ELT teaching at a private language institution and ask him/her about the characteristic of age in their teaching groups where there are learners of different ages.