This document compares and contrasts first and second language acquisition. It discusses key differences between learning a first language and learning additional languages. Some of the main differences covered include: children generally achieve mastery of their first language, while complete success in a second language is rare for adults; variation in success and learning routes is greater for second languages; and affective factors like anxiety play a larger role in second language learning compared to first language acquisition. The critical period hypothesis is also mentioned, which proposes there is an optimal biological period for acquiring a first language that is not present for second language learning.

1. COMPARING ANDCOMPARING AND
CONTRASTING FIRST ANDCONTRASTING FIRST AND
SECOND LANGUAGESECOND LANGUAGE
ACQUISITIONACQUISITION
Dolly Ramos G

2. First and Second LgFirst and Second Lg

3. In foreign lg education most standard text andIn foreign lg education most standard text and
curricula include material in L1 acquisitioncurricula include material in L1 acquisition

4. Types of Comparison and ContrastTypes of Comparison and Contrast
L1 Children vs L2 Adults Wrong
L1 and 2L on children
L2 Children and adults.
Child Adult
L1
L2

5. Feature of L1 and L2Feature of L1 and L2
1. Overall
Children L1 mastery
 adult L2 learners are unlikely
2. General failure
 success guaranteed
 complete success rare
3. Variation
 little variation in degree of
success or route
 L2 learners vary in overall
success and route
4. Goals
 target language competence
 L2 learners more concerned with
fluency than accuracy
5. Fossilization
 unknown
 common, plus backsliding (i.e.
return to earlier stages of
development
6.Intuitions
 children develop clear intuitions
about correctness
 L2 learners are often unable to
form clear grammaticality
judgments
 But bilingual children are better at
this than monolinguals

6. Feature of L1 and L2Feature of L1 and L2
7. Instruction
 not needed
 helpful or necessary
8. Negative
evidence
 correction not found
and not necessary
 correction generally
helpful or necessary
9. Affective
factors
not involved
play a major role
determining
proficiency

7. The Critical Period HypothesisThe Critical Period Hypothesis
Biological period of time
First language acquisition
Second language learning time
Eric Lenneberg

8. LATERALIZATIONLATERALIZATION
Logic
Reasoning
Objetive
Verbal
Self orientes
Detailed focused
Language
functions
Intuition
Emotion
Subjective
Whole pic focused
Playfulness
Creativity
Emotions
Social

9. Other aspect to considerOther aspect to consider
Linguistic Considerations
Affective Considerations
cognition Considerations
Psychomotor Considerations
Neurological Considerations

10. NeurologicalNeurological
Human brain matures certain functions
or lateralization: Intellectual, logical, and
analytical functions appear to be located
in the left hemisphere while the right
controls emotional and social needs.
 Language function appear to be
controlled mainly in the left hemisphere,
though there is a good deal of conflicting
evidence.

11. closely related to neurological
considerations is the role of the
psychomotor coordination of the
"speech muscles" in sla, or, more
commonly, accent.
several hundred muscles used in
the articulation (throat, mouth,
lips, tongue, and other muscles)
a tremendous degree of muscular
control is required to achieve the
fluency of a native speaker of a lg
Psychomotor

12.  Some of these changes are critical,
others are more gradual and difficult to
detect. Jean Piaget outlines the course of
intellectual development in a child
through various stages:
The sensorimotor stage from ages 0 to 2
The preoperational stage from ages 2 to
7
The operational stage from ages 7 to 16
cognitioncognition

13. affectiveaffective The affective domain includes many
factors: empathy, self-esteem,
extroversion, inhibition, imitation, anxiety,
attitudes.
when you consider the noticeable nature
of language, any affective factor are
relevant to second language learning.

14. ReferencesReferences
 http://www.literature.freeservers.com/image_polat/ccfsla.htm
 Differences between L1 and L2 acquisition
Ellis 94 (based on Bley-Vroman 1988); updated in Cook
(2009, click above SLL&LT link)
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SLA/L1%20and
%20L2.htm