The Age Factor in Second
Language Acquisition
Team 7
Juan Carlos Perez González
Introduction
• Second language acquisition (SLA) is known to be a very important issue in
the field of linguistics. It can take place in a natural setting or through formal
instruction, and, although the degree of proficiency that can be attained is
related to several factors, it may begin at childhood or at the adult age, ending
with different results if starting in the former or the latter. (Noemí, 2020)
L2 Difference Between Learning and
Acquisition
L2 Difference Between Learning and
Acquisition
• The acquisition method of acquiring a language is one by which
every child learns his mother tongue. Here, he is not taught
grammar the manner he is given lessons when he ultimately goes
to school. However, it is easy to see that, without any instructions,
children learn the native language and do not make grammatical
mistakes during conversations. (Olivia, 2020)
L2 Difference Between Learning and
Acquisition
• Learning of a language is the formal teaching methodology that
can be seen in the form of instructions explaining the rules of the
language. Here, the emphasis is on the form of language rather
than text and the teachers are seen busy explaining grammar rules
to students. (Olivia, 2020)
The age factor; how does it affect the
acquisition of a language?
• The matter of age is one of the enduring
topics in the studies of second language
acquisition. It has been crucial for the
drawing up of educational decisions
concerning language instruction and for the
description of differences between children
and adults’ abilities in language acquisition.
(Noemí, 2020)
Do children learn languages better than adults?
• Most linguists believe this is the
case. Childhood is the golden age
for creating simultaneous bilingual
children due to the plasticity and
virginity of the child’s brain to
make for superior ability
specifically in acquiring the early
sets or units of language. (Noemí,
2020)
Do children learn languages better than adults?
• Young children can sound similar to natives very quickly, and they
can become native speakers of their new language if starting the
exposition young enough. (Noemí, 2020)
• Adults, on the other hand, can very seldom acquire the deep linguistic
background a real native speaker requires, even though there have been
exceptions mostly when the target language was linguistically proximate to
the L1 (Noemí, 2020)
Opinion
• The acquisition of L2 is
different that depends on the
age at which a person acquires
it, personally I think it is easier
as a child since at that age we
are not the ones who decided
to acquire that language but
they impose us to learn it.
References
• Noemí, G. (1 de Marzo de 2020). academia.edu. Obtenido de
https://www.academia.edu/19854824/The_Age_Factor_in_the_Acquisition
_of_a_Second_Language
• Olivia. (1 de Marzo de 2020). Difference Between Learning and Acquisition.
Obtenido de https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-betweenlearning-and-vs-acquisition/