essay on second language acquisition

Linguistics: Second Language Acquisition Essay (Critical Writing)

Introduction.

Several factors determine second language acquisition in children. Among the factors are age, the role of parents, amount of exposure to a second language, and cross-linguistic factors. I chose to analyze this article because it puts these factors in the context of two Turkish boys trying to acquire Italian. I also settled on it because its theme is the central objective of my course, second language acquisition.

The title of the article A Longitudinal Study of two Boys’ Experiences of Acquiring Italian as a Second Language: The influence of Age. It reports on the experiences of two boys aged 8 and 5.

The researcher uses letters A to refer to the elder brother and E to refer to the younger brother. They move from Turkey to Italy, where they enroll in the second grade and pre-school respectively (Peçenek, 2010). The researcher asks their mother to help her in observing their behaviors in the process of acquiring Italian. She and the researcher study the boys for four years.

The researcher carried out a longitudinal study on the two boys and used the ecological method of data collection in gathering both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of their acquisition of Italian. She and EK, the boys’ mother, made their observations in the boys’ social contexts: school, home and when playing with their friends.

The study revealed that E mastered Italian faster than his elder brother (Peçenek 2010). His teachers were impressed with his progress as early as the first week in school. He participated in class discussions and spoke freely with his friends when playing with them. He was also fond of code-switching between Turkish and Italian.

By the end of the four years, his mastery of Turkish had significantly deteriorated while that of Italian had tremendously improved. On the other hand, his elder brother was very reserved for a whole year (Peçenek 2010). He could not answer questions in class or talk when playing with his friends. His parents hired a tutor to help him learn Italian faster. He showed improvement within a few months.

Precisely, he could translate Italian into Turkish, participate in class discussions and speak to his brother in Italian (Peçenek 2010). However, he feared to talk to the researcher and his mother in Italian. He always replied in Turkish whenever they spoke to him in Italian. By the end of the research, he was comfortable with both Italian and Turkish, unlike his younger brother who lost his fluency in Turkish and became more proficient in Italian the more he stayed in Italy.

I think this article handles too many details that readers are likely to lose track of the main theme. It gives too many conflicting theories in an attempt to explain the characteristics the two boys show as they struggled to learn Italian. Worse still, the writer appears to be speculating most of the things she discusses in the article. For example, she is not sure whether A’s silence is a result of the lack of vocabulary or the fear of interacting with a new culture.

She should have narrowed down on a few theories to help her solve such dilemmas. It is also not apparent whether she favors Vygotsky’s assertion that children acquire language in a social context or Chomsky’s theory that argues that children have a natural ability to learn any language (Peçenek 2010). She should at least have stated in the conclusion whether she follows any of the theories she mentions in her work.

I find the conclusion that cognition impacts the development of language in children useful. This finding helps understand why children improve their language proficiency as they grow from one stage to the other.

The research has also revealed that older children are more likely to know a language faster than younger ones because their cognition is fully developed. This information is new because very few people have explored this field. Many people always use Chomsky’s assertion that the LAD is more influential in young children compared to older ones.

The article presents several aspects that are critical for the acquisition of a second language. Precisely, it demonstrates the effect of parental support, the degree of exposure to a second language, age, and cross-linguistics aspects. It emerges that younger children acquire language faster due to their lack of fear of making mistakes.

The research also reveals that sufficient support from parents and lengthy exposures to the target language helps children acquire L2 faster. In the article, the two boys are in the same social environment: they go to the same school, play with the same friends and have enough support from their parents.

However, the elder brother takes long to know Italian while his younger brother takes only a few months. This finding reveals that older children are in a position to know second languages faster than younger ones. However, the opposite of these expected results happens due to the older children’s fear to make mistakes and mingle with friends from different backgrounds.

Peçenek, D. (2010). A longitudinal of two boys’ experiences of acquiring Italian as a second language: The influence of age. International Journal of Bilingualism, 15(4) , 268-290.

Language Skills Acquiring Process
Gender Role in Language
Longitudinal Data Analysis
The Conflict Between Behaviourism and Rationalism in Linguistics
Cancer Longitudinal Exploration
Linguistics: Bilingualism, Multilingualism and Tolerance
English Language in Canada
Standard and Non-Standard Language
The Asiatic Society of Calcutta
Perspective on English as the Global Language
Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2020, March 22). Linguistics: Second Language Acquisition. https://ivypanda.com/essays/linguistics-second-language-acquisition/

"Linguistics: Second Language Acquisition." IvyPanda , 22 Mar. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/linguistics-second-language-acquisition/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Linguistics: Second Language Acquisition'. 22 March.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Linguistics: Second Language Acquisition." March 22, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/linguistics-second-language-acquisition/.

1. IvyPanda . "Linguistics: Second Language Acquisition." March 22, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/linguistics-second-language-acquisition/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Linguistics: Second Language Acquisition." March 22, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/linguistics-second-language-acquisition/.

To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
As a template for you assignment

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

Basic site functions
Ensuring secure, safe transactions
Secure account login
Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
Remembering privacy and security settings
Analyzing site traffic and usage
Personalized search, content, and recommendations
Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

Remembering general and regional preferences
Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .

Our systems are now restored following recent technical disruption, and we’re working hard to catch up on publishing. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Find out more: https://www.cambridge.org/universitypress/about-us/news-and-blogs/cambridge-university-press-publishing-update-following-technical-disruption

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings .

Login Alert

> Introducing Second Language Acquisition

Book contents

Frontmatter
About the book
Acknowledgments
1 Introducing Second Language Acquisition
2 Foundations of Second Language Acquisition
3 The linguistics of Second Language Acquisition
4 The psychology of Second Language Acquisition
5 Social contexts of Second Language Acquisition
6 Acquiring knowledge for L2 use
7 L2 learning and teaching
Answer guide to questions for self-study

1 - Introducing Second Language Acquisition

CHAPTER PREVIEW

When you were still a very young child, you began acquiring at least one language – what linguists call your L1 – probably without thinking much about it, and with very little conscious effort or awareness. Since that time, you may have acquired an additional language – your L2 – possibly also in the natural course of having the language used around you, but more likely with the same conscious effort needed to acquire other domains of knowledge in the process of becoming an “educated” individual. This book is about the phenomenon of adding languages. In this introductory chapter, I will define a few of the key terms that we will use and present the three basic questions that we will explore throughout the book.

Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

Second language (L2)

Informal L2 learning

Formal L2 learning

Linguistic competence

Linguistic performance

First language/native language/mother tongue (L1)

Simultaneous multilingualism

Sequential Multilingualism

What is SLA?

Second Language Acquisition (SLA) refers both to the study of individuals and groups who are learning a language subsequent to learning their first one as young children, and to the process of learning that language. The additional language is called a second language (L2), even though it may actually be the third, fourth, or tenth to be acquired. It is also commonly called a target language (TL), which refers to any language that is the aim or goal of learning.

Access options

Save book to kindle.

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle .

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service .

Introducing Second Language Acquisition
Muriel Saville-Troike , University of Arizona
Book: Introducing Second Language Acquisition
Online publication: 05 June 2012
Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511808838.002

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox .

Save book to Google Drive

Undergraduate
High School
Architecture
American History
Asian History
Antique Literature
American Literature
Asian Literature
Classic English Literature
World Literature
Creative Writing
Linguistics
Criminal Justice
Legal Issues
Anthropology
Archaeology
Political Science
World Affairs
African-American Studies
East European Studies
Latin-American Studies
Native-American Studies
West European Studies
Family and Consumer Science
Social Issues
Women and Gender Studies
Social Work
Natural Sciences
Pharmacology
Earth science
Agriculture
Agricultural Studies
Computer Science
IT Management
Mathematics
Investments
Engineering and Technology
Engineering
Aeronautics
Medicine and Health
Alternative Medicine
Communications and Media
Advertising
Communication Strategies
Public Relations
Educational Theories
Teacher's Career
Chicago/Turabian
Company Analysis
Education Theories
Shakespeare
Canadian Studies
Food Safety
Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
Movie Review
Admission Essay
Annotated Bibliography
Application Essay
Article Critique
Article Review
Article Writing
Book Review
Business Plan
Business Proposal
Capstone Project
Cover Letter
Creative Essay
Dissertation
Dissertation - Abstract
Dissertation - Conclusion
Dissertation - Discussion
Dissertation - Hypothesis
Dissertation - Introduction
Dissertation - Literature
Dissertation - Methodology
Dissertation - Results
GCSE Coursework
Grant Proposal
Marketing Plan
Multiple Choice Quiz
Personal Statement
Power Point Presentation
Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
Questionnaire
Reaction Paper

Research Paper

Research Proposal
SWOT analysis
Thesis Paper
Online Quiz
Literature Review
Movie Analysis
Statistics problem
Math Problem
All papers examples
How It Works
Money Back Policy
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
We Are Hiring

Second Language Acquisition, Essay Example

Pages: 6

Words: 1703

Hire a Writer for Custom Essay

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

Definitions: CLT Versus TBLT

Teaching foreign languages to students proposes a series of challenges that requires the instructor to determine how people learn to speak the most effectively. Whether acquiring a second language or learning English as a foreign language, it is important to consider that similar techniques are used. Communicative language teaching (CLT) is an approach that has been conventionally used to provide language instruction to students, regardless of context. Through this methodology, the teacher would help students learn to translate words from their own language to their new one, and engage in exercises that would help them understand the application of the language in practice, in terms of verb, adjective, and noun use that are characteristic of the language being learned. However, many professionals argue that the CLT approach was largely ineffective because it does not promote interaction between the students. Thus, these individuals do not have the opportunity to practice speaking their new language, which many believe is a more effective way of providing language instruction (Littlewood, 2014).

Educators have been developing a broader support for task-based language teaching (TBLT), in which students are provided with specific language learning tasks that involve more hands on practice with the language that they are learning. Because many individuals learn their native language from hearing it repeatedly during the initial stages of their development, language educators believe that similar methodology will allow students to learn foreign languages more readily, whether this language is English or a language other than English (Thorne, 2000). Thus, TBLT mimics the natural learning process, which will not only make it easier for the language to be learned, but also retained and used properly.

The Importance of Learning a Secondary Language

Currently, many people are debating the importance of learning a secondary language altogether. Accorded to a 2007 publication, “A recent survey by the European Union found that over half its citizens reported that they speak a second language. In Britain, the percentage drops

to 30% and, in the United States to 9%, according to a recent U.S. Senate Resolution designating

2005 as the Year of Languages” (Blake et al., 2007). In an increasingly globalized world, it will become essential for children living in the United States and elsewhere to have at least a basic understanding of important foreign languages. A majority of people in the world are from Spanish speaking cultures and China is one of the world’s leaders in commerce. Thus, a large percentage of available jobs will require individuals to be knowledgeable about these and other languages. Most academic institutions agree that it is necessary to provide English as a second language programs to learners in the United States so they will be able to take full advantage of the education available to them. However, it is important for these individuals to consider that learning second languages is also beneficial to native English speakers for a similar reason. Being bilingual will provide them with a greater degree of opportunities to support themselves in the future and to communicate with people from diverse cultures.

Theories and Methods: Chomsky, Behaviorism, and Beyond

Understanding the way how most languages, including English, should be taught is largely dependent on the context of the society in which the language is spoken. By understanding the context of a language, its words have greater meaning. Chomsky argues that as a consequence of this idea, languages are not static. New words need to be created to generate new meanings, so the languages themselves are constantly changing. In the context of modern English, this can be exemplified by slang. Many individuals reject the validity of slang words because they were not included in the language when they were growing up. However, the widespread use of new words is what causes a language to evolve and become more effective. Thus, Chomsky would argue that slang words are a valid part of the English language if they are consistently used. Behaviorism is also an important application of the study of language for this reason. Because young children learn to mimic their parents when they are developing, it is easy for them to learn language because they are simply copying without understanding. When new words are developed, it shows that meaning has been formed, indicating that the individual fully understands what is being said and why. Thus, this practice contributes to the overall value of language. An example of a new technique frequently used as a part of the behaviorist school is the audio-lingual method, which helps train language learners through use of repetition. Some proponents of this method believe that repeated use of words and phrases helps understanding and pronunciation of language. Thus, both behaviorism and Chomsky’s beliefs can be incorporated in language education.

To help linguists gain a greater appreciation of word development in language, Chomsky has distinguished between the concepts of linguistic and pedagogic grammar. Linguistic grammar is necessary for speakers to understand the structure and meaning of a sentence (Rivers, 1983). Meanwhile, pedagogic grammar provides the student with an ability to understand these sentences. Native speakers can more easily alter sentence structure and words to produce phrases with a meaning. However, to truly understand a language, it is valuable to achieve the point of comprehension when the use of new words appears to be natural and makes sense within the context of a phrase. Thus, the addition of new words serves to clarify meaning rather than to confuse it.

Linguistic theory can be utilized to ultimately understand how individuals in diverse countries learn language and how these principles can be applied to help them understand other languages. The principles of universal grammar can be used, for example, to help draw connections between the native language and the native language being learned (VanPatten & Williams, 2008). This becomes problematic when the native languages have very different structures, but is reasonable when the languages have similar in structure (Seeley & Carter, 2004). It may therefore be more reasonable for an individual who already knows Italian to learn Spanish, but it may be more challenging for an individual who knows Italian to learn Chinese.

The Challenges Pertaining to Secondary Language Education in the United States

Teaching language in the United States has had some disappointing outcomes because students living in the country have had a decreased opportunity to practice the language they are learning. Studies that have demonstrated that at least half of all people living in Europe know a second language is supported by the fact that European residents live in closer proximity to one another. Thus, even though residents of these countries belong to diverse cultures, they are able to visit the nations of their neighbors more readily. As a consequence, it could be said that there is a greater ability for these individuals to learn and retain these foreign languages because they are provided with a greater ability to practice them (Skehan, 1998). Furthermore, they are able to learn these languages in a more natural manner; practicing the language by speaking with natives is more natural than memorizing phrases in an isolated classroom (Tarone, 1988).

The present evidence demonstrates that it is necessary to alter the way that educators in the United States teach language. A majority of Americans have been exposed to language in a manner that requires them to work through textbook exercises and memorize vocabulary (Schumann, 1978). Furthermore, many of these learners have not visited a country that speaks the language that they are trying to learn. Thus, it would be more beneficial to immerse these students into the language on the first day of their learning experience by speaking to them primarily in the language that is being taught. Supplementing this experience by introducing them to native speakers of the language and media that is available in the language will add to the learning experience. This evidence demonstrates that it is necessary to rethink the way that both English as a second language and foreign languages are taught in the United States. The use of communicative language teaching is outdated and should therefore be replaced by the use of more immersive techniques (Young et al., 2004). It will become more important for language teachers to determine how to improve the efficacy of their education practices in the near future because language is a necessary tool in the modern century. People in distinct countries are becoming more connected and it is plausible to draw upon these connections to make language learning more effective. It is therefore expected that using online tools to help students communicate with English learners in other countries is a plausible way to facilitate a language exchange, which will make language learning more effective for students across the world. It is therefore necessary to take immediate action and begin using these modern applications in the classroom. Not only will the results be more effective, but the students will appreciate having the ability to use their time in the classroom more efficiently, actually learning the language that they have selected to study.

Blake, R., Kramsch, C., Byrnes, H. (2007). Introduction to Perspectives. The Modern Language Journal , 91(2): 247-249.

Littlewood, W. (2014). Communication-oriented language teaching: Where are we now? Where do we go from here? Language Teaching , 47(3): 349 – 362.

Rivers, W.M. (1983) Communicating Naturally in a Second Language: Theory and practice in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Schumann, J. (1978) The pidginization process: a model for second language acquisition. Rowley, Mass.: Newbury House.

Seeley, A, & B. Carter (2004) Applied linguistics as social science. London: Continuum.

Skehan, P. (1998) A cognitive approach to language learning. Oxford University Press.

Tarone, E. (1988) Variation in interlanguage. London: Edward Arnold.

Thorne, S.L. (2000) Second language acquisition theory and the truth(s) about relativity.

In J. Lantolf (ed.), Sociocultural theory and second language learning. Oxford University Press. 219–43.

VanPatten, B., & Williams, J. (2008). Theories in second language acquisition: an introduction. New York: Routledge.

Young, Richard F. and Elizabeth R Miller (2004). Learning as changing participation: Discourse roles in ESL writing conferences. The Modern Language Journal, 88: 519–535.

Stuck with your Essay?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

A Guide to Buying, Cooking, and Eating Italian Food, Case Study Example

The Medical Supply Company’s Software Acquisition, Research Paper Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

Related Essay Samples & Examples

Relatives, essay example.

Pages: 1

Words: 364

Voting as a Civic Responsibility, Essay Example

Words: 287

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Words: 356

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Pages: 2

Words: 448

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Pages: 4

Words: 999

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Personal Growth and Development — My Experience of Learning a New Language

My Experience of Learning a New Language

Categories: Personal Experience Personal Growth and Development

About this sample

Words: 678 |

Updated: 5 December, 2023

See expert comments

Words: 678 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Works Cited

Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1972). Attitudes and Motivation in Second-Language Learning. Newbury House Publishers.
Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2011). Teaching and Researching Motivation (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
Cook, V. (2008). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (4th ed.). Routledge.
Ellis, R. (2008). The Study of Second Language Acquisition (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2013). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How Languages are Learned (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Nunan, D. (2004). Task-Based Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Nation, P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge University Press.
Schmitt, N., & McCarthy, M. (Eds.). (1997). Vocabulary: Description, Acquisition, and Pedagogy. Cambridge University Press.

Video Version

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

Expert in: Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 514 words

1 pages / 533 words

2 pages / 1069 words

2 pages / 728 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

My Experience of Learning a New Language Essay

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Personal Growth and Development

Traveling is an activity that involves moving from one place to another for various reasons such as leisure, business, education, or personal growth. It is an experience that encompasses different aspects of life, including [...]

Throughout life, individuals encounter a myriad of unique opportunities and challenges that can profoundly shape their journeys. These experiences, whether they involve overcoming adversity, pursuing a passion, or taking on a [...]

Autobiographies are a means of self-exploration and self-expression, providing an opportunity to narrate one's life journey. Through this essay, I intend to share my life experiences, highlighting significant events and people [...]

Community service, the act of volunteering one's time and skills to support and improve the well-being of a community, is a powerful force for personal and social development. This essay explores the significance of community [...]

An ideal person is one who is ideal in respect of physical and emotional balance, behavior and attitude, moral values, personality. In practical life, the combination of all these fine characteristics is very rarely found in any [...]

In the grand tapestry of life, the decision to go off to college is a pivotal moment that can shape the trajectory of one's future. It is a rite of passage, a journey that beckons us to step out of our comfort zones and delve [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

We're Hiring!
Help Center

Download Free PDF

A Brief Description of Second Language Acquisition

This essay serves as a summary of several of the seminal theories of second language acquisition. It is meant to be used as a supplemental resource for those users who are looking for a more detailed description of the theories mentioned throughout the module. While the perspectives discussed here are theoretical in nature, they are grounded in the needs of

Related papers

Giulia Borelli, 2018

The aim of this paper is to give an overview of Second Language Acquisition from its beginning in the 1960s to the early 2000s. First, a historical excursus is provided. Next, a distinction is made between cognitive and linguistic fields of research and some relevant studies on language learning are analysed in detail.

Language and Education, 2012

Journal of Communication and International …, 1998

International Forum, 2016

Second language acquisition (SLA) is known as both the process of learning an additional language and the field where issues pertaining to the teaching and learning of a second language (L2) are discussed (Ellis, 2010; Nunan, 2001). The field of SLA has experienced exponential growth over the past 3 decades. As Ellis (2010) states it rightly, SLA is "now an established discipline" (p. 182). This is evident in the growth of SLA research, SLA textbooks, and increase in number of theories, principles, and strategies that are found in the field of SLA. While this tremendous advance has been heavily demonstrated particularly in the United States, growth seems sparing in other countries. In fact, few are higher education institutions that offer Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programs where SLA courses should normally be offered. Without proper knowledge and understanding of how L2s are taught and learned, it is quite likely that teaching English to non-native speakers in these non-English speaking countries is negatively affected. This paper synthesizes important topics pertaining to SLA to help TESOL experts with some fundamental understanding.

SUMMARY The proposed audience of " Second Language Acquisition: A Theoretical Introduction to Real World Applications, " by Allesandro Benati and Tanja Angelovska, is undergraduate students and trainee teachers. The goal of the book is to bridge the gap between theoretical and experimental work that has been done in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and its pedagogical implications. Besides the preface, which briefly outlines the goals and structure of the text. The book is divided into six chapters: Introduction to second language acquisition, Similarities and differences between first and second language acquisition, How learners process information in second language acquisition, How the internal system develops in second language acquisition, How learners learn to communicate in a second language, and What we know about SLA. There is also a short, but useful glossary of important terms used throughout the text. Each chapter begins with an overview of what will be covered, which is a helpful roadmap for the reader. The first chapter introduces and defines the concept of SLA, briefly describes the subfields of linguistics, and provides succinct summaries of the most influential theories in SLA, concluding with a model for SLA. The second chapter highlights the different factors affecting first language acquisition versus SLA, highlighting the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis versus the Fundamental Similarities Hypothesis; the chapter also discusses the well-known Critical Period Hypothesis, which looks at age as an influential factor. The third chapter focuses on what occurs in the learning process with a strong emphasis on individual differences. The fourth chapter explains what the interlanguage of learners looks like. The fifth chapter examines conversation and socialization as a means to foster SLA toward the end goal of communicative competence. The final chapter is essentially an overview of the past material with a larger portion devoted to the pedagogical implications, i.e. what theories and strategies we need to utilize in the classroom. Each chapter concludes with real-world applications and a reference list. EVALUATION As promised, this book provides an overview of SLA that is beginner-friendly. This is in contrast to other introductory texts that focus more on analyzing theories and their originating studies (e.g. VanPatten & Williams, 2015). What this allows for is gaining a general understanding that can aid teachers in thinking through both the rationale underpinning what they do in the classroom and the progression of the field

The Study of Second Language Acquisition

Language Teaching, 2010

Second language acquisition (SLA) is a relatively new field of enquiry. Before the late 1960s, educators did write about L2 learning, but very much as an adjunct of language teaching pedagogy, underpinned by behaviourism, the then-dominant learning theory in psychology. In this view, the task facing learners of foreign languages was to rote-learn and practise the grammatical patterns and vocabulary of the language to be learnt, in order to form new ‘habits’, that is to create new stimulus–response pairings which would become stronger with reinforcement. In order for the ‘old habits’ of the L1 not to interfere with this process by being ‘copied’, or transferred, into the L2, researchers embarked on thorough descriptions of pairs of languages to be learnt, in order to identify areas that are different and would thus be difficult.

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

Applied Psycholinguistics, 1981

System, 2010

Journal of Applied Linguistics

The Modern Language Journal, 2010

UNDERSTANDING THE FACTORS INFLUENCING SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, 2020

Handbook of research in second language teaching …, 2005

Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning, 2005