Differences Of The First Language Acquisition

Many popular theories of second language acquisition have been analyzed throughout history. The socialization of L2 learners, their present emotional state that is present at the time of acquisition, as well as the comprehensible input and output with the use of scaffolding play a major role in second language acquisition. Kirsten Hummel states, “The one most effective way to increase L2 competence was by exposure to ‘comprehensible input’.” (Hummel, 2014, p. 73) Let us also not forget the importance of written expression as well as reading comprehension with these L2 learners. Each plays a role in language development. However, I believe that to acquire language one must use a variety of techniques that work together to create a balance within the learning environment. Furthermore, all L2 learners acquire language differently and so using a variety of resources that are based on the ability of each student is neccesary. There are many theories that have been developed by highly qualified experts in the field of linguistics. However, I will address those areas that I agree with as I present my personal theories on second language acquisition.

Language carries the beauty and persona of our thought process and the study of Linguistics helps us develop insights, appreciate and analyze many aspects of this powerful medium of expression. My fascination with Second Language Acquisition (SLA) began with the course ‘Language Acquisition and Learning’ that I took while I was in the 4th year of my undergraduate program at the University of Dhaka. In that course, for the first time, I was introduced to various theories and hypotheses about how people acquire a second language, such as Stephen Krashen’s five main hypotheses on language acquisition (the acquisition-learning hypothesis, the monitor hypothesis, the natural order hypothesis, the input hypothesis, and the affective filter hypothesis), Larry Selinker’s Interlanguage theory, John Schumann’s Acculturation model, and Howard Giles’s Accommodation theory. These theories helped me realize the robustness and richness of SLA research and made a permanent impression on my mind about this field. Besides SLA, I was also acquainted with Psycholinguistics through this course. I have learned about several theories of first language acquisition, e.g. the Behaviorist theory, the Innatist theory, the Cognitive theory, and the Maturational theory. It is worth mentioning here that this course really helped me set my dream to become an academic as well as a researcher in the field of language acquisition and learning.

Over the past few decades, different theories emerged to explain how these children acquire their language such as behaviorism, nativism, and interactionism. The research on first language acquisition did not lead only to the previous theory, but it also led to the emergence of second language acquisition theories. One of these second language theories is the Monitor Model which was influenced by the nativist perspective on language acquisition. The Monitor Model also led to the emergence of different implications in second language teaching. Therefore, this research paper aims to answer the following two questions:

How do small children learn their first language? Discuss some environmental factors and internal factors involved in language acquisition. “Children are extremely perceptive and absorb what goes on around them long before they can talk or even comprehend the language”. -Theodore Isaac Rubin, psychiatrist and author. But, have you ever thought about how children learn their first language. Do they certainly learn by absorbing what they hear around them or is there more to that? Maybe we do not give enough credit to the brain and how it functions when it comes to learning a native language. Children learn by imitation, analogy, reinforcement, and structure input. However, are these factors enough to explain how kids learn their native language?

Second language acquisition is a process by which people learn a second language. It refers to any language learned in addition to the first language and the differences between both processes. Second language acquisition is a controversial issue; since, there is no a general agreement about how and when it takes place. Several theories and models have tried to explain the facts that may be involved

As defined by Gass and Selinker, Second Language Acquisition “refers to the learning of nonnative language after learning of the native language” (2008: 7). Two main problems are often discussed when defining SLA: the distinction between second and third, fourth, etc. language acquisition, and second versus foreign language acquisition. According to Ellis, in many communities it is quite common to speak more than one language, therefore some learners acquire “more than one ‘second’ language” (Ellis 2015: 6). For this reason, the term Second Language Acquisition is used as an all-inclusive term “for learning any language after the first” (Ellis 2015: 6). Kees de Bot, Lowie and Verspoor note that in some definitions it is indicated that second language acquisition “typically takes place in a setting in which the language to be learned is the language spoken in the local community” and usually in a natural, non-instructed environment. As a contrast, foreign language acquisition occurs when the learner is not a part of the local community of the target language and the setting is controlled (de Bot et al. 2005: 7). However, in the paper I will not be making a distinction between second and foreign language acquisition as the difference has not been indicated in any of the theories chosen for

To begin with, a child’s development in correspondence to language acquisition is a commonly explored topic amongst researchers and linguists. Language acquisition is defined as the process by which humans acquire the capacity to identify and comprehend language, as well as to construct and use words and sentences to communicate. Language acquisition is

The Behaviorist Theory, as explained by Peregoy and Boyle (2008), emphasizes that children learn language due to stimulus, response and reinforcement (p. 46). For example, when my children were young, I would point to an object, say the name of the object and wait for each of them to repeat what I had said. This worked well for objects that are found readily in our home, such as ball, towel, chair, etc. Teachers have used these same strategies in the classroom by using taped conversations and videos that students are able to memorize which is called the audiolingual method. After memorizing the dialogue students verb forms and sentence structures. Errors are always corrected immediately, so students do not form bad habits. Although some merit can be found within the Behaviorist Theory, it does little to help one understand how children are able to create original

Second language acquisition has become an increasingly active field of study in the past couple of decades. As the world became more dynamic and people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds more connected, language played a crucial role in keeping those relations successful. Subsequently, knowledge of only one language has become rarely sufficient, resulting in growing bilingualism. As bilingualism has slowly become the new norm, the researchers have become engrossed in the field of second language acquisition. One of numerous important questions within that field is that of the role of the first language in second language acquisition. In this essay, I will pinpoint some of the theoretical approaches and studies that dealt with the question of the role of the first

This essay looks at what ultimate attainment is possible in a second language or if it is possible at all. Exploring how language acquisition takes place in a child’s life to how similar it is to second language acquisition in an adult’s life. By looking at the critical period in ones life, pieces will start to form together making it quite possible to believe that the theory of ultimate attainment actually does exist and that it may or may not be possible in a second language depending on the circumstances and the human capacity. It is unlikely that researchers and experts will never come up with a definite answer as to whether L2A is possible or not but one thing is for sure there is more evidence and studies to be found.

The acquisition is an automatic process which is developed in the subconscious level, driven by the need of communication, very similar to the process of assimilation that happens with the acquisition of the first or mother language. Acquisition is basically the result of a natural communication where the learner is focused mainly on the meaning. It is also considered a implicit way of learning or ‘picking up’ language, where the formal teaching does not help, but it is more relevant and crucial in the development of second language execution.

Second language acquisition (SLA) has long been a topic of interest for many researchers such as linguists, psychologists, and educators. Through the study of SLA, researchers may better understand the basic properties of languages, how languages are processed in the brain, and how to facilitate the acquisition of a second language. A common topic of inquiry among SLA researchers is why some people seem to learn new languages with ease while others do not. This question is especially important to foreign language educators who want all of their students to succeed at becoming proficient in a second language. In order to provide the proper support their students need, educators must be aware of the many factors that influence SLA.

The language acquisition process is disparate between first language and foreign language. In this essay, we are going to investigate how they are different from each other on several aspects: phonology, semantics, syntax and pragmatics.

When it comes to the debate about the advantages and disadvantages of learning languages in a classroom, SLA researchers also put emphasis on the distinction between the terms ‘learning’ and ‘acquiring’. Stephen Krashen (1982), a prominent linguist in the field of SLA, considers these two terms to be connected to two different ways an individual can reach proficiency in a foreign language. He sees learning as a process which includes rules and conscious attention to form, and acquisition as a process similar to the way children learn their first language, which means that they do not consciously pay attention to language form (p. 17).

The study of acquiring a second language has been a topic of debate since it began being studied due to ambiguous results in research. A major debatable topic is if age is, in fact, a factor when attempting to acquire a second language. The Critical Period Hypothesis works to conclude that age is a factor when attempting to acquire a first language, but has often been refuted in connection with the acquisition of a second language. Within a student’s educational journey, it is often required that he or she must learn and study a foreign language. It is thought that if these students begin learning an L2 within a certain period of time then they will be able to reach a standard to that of a native speaker. But, there have researchers who have stated that age is not a major factor when attempting to acquire a second language, rather there are numerous factors that affect second language acquisition.