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/