This document discusses several topics related to language acquisition and age:
- The critical period hypothesis suggests that full native language competence is only possible during childhood and adolescence. Older learners rarely achieve a near-native accent.
- The brain is composed of left and right hemispheres that specialize in different functions, though injury can allow compensation. There is variation between individuals and no single "type".
- Language acquisition is influenced by cognitive, emotional, and linguistic factors like intellectual development, identity, empathy, and interference between first and second languages.
2. CRITICAL PERIOD HYPOTHESIS
The critical period hypothesis
says that there is a period of
growth in which full native
competence is possible when
acquiring a language.
This period is from early
childhood to adolescence.
Example
Older learners rarely achieve a
near-native accent. Many
people suggest this is due to
them being beyond the critical
period.
3. HEMISPHERIC LATERALIZATION
The human brain is composed of
a right and a left hemisphere and
each hemisphere participates in
different aspects of brain
function.
The corpus collosum connects
the hemispheres of the brain.
Lateralization of function
between the two hemispheres
does occur but after injury other
regions of cortex can often
compensate.
There is no such thing as being
'left-brained' or 'right-brained'.
Functional lateralization often
varies between individuals.
4. Cognitive, Affective and Linguistic
Considerations
Cognitive considerations :
Piaget: Intellectual development of a child
Singleton and Ryan (2004)-Vague lack
of empirical data
Affective considerations:
Oneself-identity is inextricably bound up with
one’s language
Empathy
Self-esteem
Extroversion
Inhibition
Imitation
Anxiety
Attitudes
Linguistics considerations:
Bilingualism-Code-switching
Interference between L1 and L2- Solid
foundation of L1
Order of acquisition - Creative construction
process
5. Interference
between First and
Second Language
Interference
It will inevitably occur in any situation where
someone has an imperfect command of a second
language
Interference from the first language does not imply
that interference is the most important factor in
adult second language acquisition.
Adults learning a second language manifest some
of the same errors found in children learning their
first language.
There are a series of implications for second
language learning:
Competence and Performance
Adults can make choices between two
alternative forms and they are sometimes
aware of grammar in a second language
but they are not able to verbalize rules and
paradigms consciously in their native
language.
6. Language and Thought
Language
Whorf states that
language does not
only voice ideas but
also shapes them
Thought
It is the idea that
language and its
structures limit
and determine human
knowledge or thought.
J. B. Watson said : Thought is language; sub-vocal speech.
“think aloud” = speech;
“speak covertly”= thinking.