scholarly journals The Critical Period Hypothesisin Second Language Acquisition

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (123) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abu-Shnein
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Good Deal ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
The World ◽  
Shed Light

This paper discusses one of the most appealing subjects that is of interest to learners, educators, scholars, and researchers around the world. Researchers in linguistics, cognitive science, psychology, and neurology paid a good deal of attention to the decline in the level of language proficiency that starts around a certain age and what may cause that decline after the end of that period. Many of them called it a critical period. In the following pages we are trying to shed light on this theory in an endeavor to look for factors influencing language acquisition bynew language learners. There is a clear uncertainty about factors that have an effect on second language acquisition. This paper aims to review the literature that approached this critical period hypothesis (CPH) and to draw conclusions related to the topic.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing Second Language Learning Among Urban European Language Learners: A Qualitative Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Poornima ◽  
Harini Jayaraman ◽  
Dr. Arun Kumar. A
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
European Language ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Factors Influencing

Second-language acquisition, second-language learning, or L2 acquisition, is the process by which people learn a second language. The field of second-language acquisition is a sub discipline of applied linguistics, but also receives research attention from a variety of other disciplines, such as psychology and education. We aimed to understand the various factors influencing the second language learning among urban foreign language learners. Between February 2015 and September 2015, we conducted 10 in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of students learning European languages and five key informant interviews with European language teachers in Chennai. Audio recorded interviews were analysed thematically using NVivo 10. The mean age of the participants is 24.7 years. Most of the participants reported professional reasons to learn the language, uninteresting classrooms as a major reason for attrition and previous language learning experience affects their current learning. The need to integrate life and language skills in classes and activities to promote creativity was emphasized by most of them. About half of them said that there is a need to customize courses and use technology like smart boards for making classes more interactive. This paper discusses the findings of the study and its implications in second-language acquisition.

scholarly journals Language Acquisition During and After Critical Period (A Comparative Review Between Children and Adults)

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Muteb Ali Alzahrani
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Early Age ◽  
Teaching Approaches ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
The Impact

This research paper is a review of the previous literature that focuses on whether or not there is an influence of second language acquisition during 'critical period'. Critical period refers to acquiring a second language before the age of adulthood. Although there is no consensus among linguists on the impact of the critical period, numerous scholars in the field of second language acquisition agree that language learners gain more benefits during the critical period including mastering the phonological system of the target language. In addition, this paper compares between the potential linguistic benefits between young learners who acquire language at an early age of their lives and their older counterparts who begin learning a language after the age of maturation. Interestingly, those who start studying a second language during the critical period usually outperform their older counterparts due to their exceptional memory traits and fresh speech organs ultimately, it displays the appropriate teaching approaches based on age benefiting from the idea of critical period hypothesis. 

The Effect of Teachers’ Use of Reinforcement on Learners’ Performance in English Language

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-129
Author(s):  
Ndegwa Grace Konyu; Dr. Lucy Wathika; Dr Josephine Khaemba
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Verbatim Transcript

The intention of the study was to establish the effect of teachers’ use of reinforcement on learners’ performance in English language. It was done in selected secondary schools in Nakuru town and used descriptive research design. The study was guided by Gardner and Lambert’s Socio-Educational model of second language acquisition. Stratified random sampling was employed in selecting four schools while simple random sampling was used to choose one stream in form two, three and four in each school for observation. It resulted in eight observational schedules. The study sample of 60 students in form 2-4 and 8 teachers of English was purposively selected for interviews. A total number of 353 learners were observed. The study used interviews, audio recording and Structured Observational Schedules for data collection. The data was presented in form of tables, figures and verbatim transcript excerpts used for exemplification and illustration in a qualitative explication. The findings of the study revealed that second language learners’ performance in English is greatly influenced by teachers’ use of reinforcement. Moreover, it proved that teachers of English give unguarded praises, negative statements and criticisms to English second language learners. This study is a vital contribution to the field of Second Language Acquisition theory and practice with regard to offering information and insight into reinforcement, motivation and attitude in practical language acquisition and learning in the classroom situation. These findings are useful in the improvement of second language learners’ performance in English. Teachers of English will also acquaint themselves with effective use of positive verbal reinforcement which works as a motivational force on learners’ acquisition and use of the English language.

Motivational and cultural correlates of second language acquisition

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 17.1-17.22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baohua Yu ◽  
David A. Watkins
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Student Group ◽  
Asian Student ◽  
Student Groups

The present study investigates the relationships among motivational factors, cultural correlates and second language proficiency. The participants, from both Western and Asian backgrounds, were learning Chinese at university level in the People’s Republic of China. 115 students (35 Western students and 80 Asian students) ranging from beginning to advanced levels of proficiency were surveyed. The results of the study indicated that the degree of integrativeness into Chinese culture and motivation was significantly and positively related to Chinese language proficiency, while language anxiety was significantly and negatively correlated to such proficiency. However instrumental orientation was found to have no statistically significant relationship with such proficiency. Multiple regression analysis indicated that integrativeness and gender were major variables predicting Chinese language proficiency. Significant differences between Western and Asian student groups were found in terms of motivational variables and Chinese language proficiency. Compared with the Asian student group, the Western student group tended to perform better in spoken Chinese proficiency as evaluated by their teachers and seemed to have higher levels of motivation and integrativeness but lower levels of instrumental orientation and language anxiety. Recommendations are made to enhance motivation and second language acquisition.

Řečové akty omluvy u českých studentů v angličtině (L2): vybrané výsledky pilotáže

2019 ◽  
pp. 157-188
Author(s):  
Marie Vališová
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
University Students ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Shed Light

During the second half of the 20th century, there was a shift in focus in second language acquisition research from linguistic competence to communicative and pragmatic competence (Hymes, 1972; Canale & Swain, 1980; Canale, 1983; Bachman, 1990; Bachman & Palmer, 1996; Usó-Juan & Martínez-Flor, 2006). This resulted in a growing number of studies on speech acts in general. Motivated by a lack of studies on the speech acts of apology in conversations of Czech learners of English as a foreign language, my dissertation project aims to shed light on apology strategies used by Czech university students.

English or Englishes?

2022 ◽  
pp. 1560-1574
Author(s):  
Aicha Rahal
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
The World ◽  
Considerable Debate

The discipline of World Englishes has been one of the most thriving branches of English linguistics. This branch has become the focal focus of considerable debate. The chapter mainly aims to show the multilingual reality of English. It is an attempt to answer the question “Do we have English or Englishes?” The chapter tries to study the recent situation of English as a lingua franca. It first gives an overview of the spread of English and the emergence of new Englishes. Then, it presents the principals of traditional applied linguistics and second language acquisition. It also discusses the concepts of World Englishes, multilingualism, and pluralism. After that, the chapter presents the World Englishes debate to show the gap between monocentrists and pluralists. Finally, the study sheds light on the fact that Englishes reflect the multilingual reality of English.

scholarly journals Age and Second Language Acquisition in Adulthood: The Learning Experiences and Perceptions of Women Immigrants

1999 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Wang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Language Curriculum ◽  
The Social

Although considerable evidence indicates that age of onset for second language acquisition is related to second-language proficiency outcomes among adult learners Jew studies have actually looked at how adult learners of different ages experience and perceive second language acquisition. This study presents 30 women immigrant learners' accounts of their experiences and perceptions of learning English as a second language in the Canadian context. Findings from this study reveal the complexity of adult L2 acquisition, which involves factors pertaining not only to the learners themselves, but also to the social context in which the second language is learned. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the second language curriculum development and classroom practice.

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