First and Second Language Acquisition

First Language Acquisition

Language development and acquisition begins at a very young age in children. A person begins learning language by mimicry, as it is spoken, then later moves from simple to complex. All of us start life without language, but by the time we are four months old most babies discriminate speech sounds. Baby talk, or babbling, might not sound like language to us, but it is the way we learn to speak.

Language usually begins by simple words associated with things or faces, but as babies grow into toddlers the words gain meaning and they are connected with the words formed. As we grow we create new associations to words and vocabulary increases as we learn new words.

It is said that babies can distinguish speech patterns of their mothers voice even before they are born. Pre-verbal vocalizations are used after birth, and that leads to learning their first language from parents or caretakers without conscious instruction. 

Not all linguists agree on the exact way language is learned but most agree that biological, environmental, and social influences affect language acquisition and it is unique to humans. To speak requires a vocal apparatus as well as a nervous system with specific capabilities. Some say that the slow development of the prefrontal cortex in humans allows us to learn language. Social interaction with people who vocalize is crucial for developing language.

Second Language Acquisition

This is a process where people learn a second language not their native language.  The term bilingual usually refers to someone speaking more than one language, but some experts say it is only achieved by growing up naturally speaking both languages even if one is dominant. Not many who learn to speak a second language speak as a true native speaker. Heritage speakers learn two languages as they grow and even if not completely fluent in one language, they still have an advantage over monolinguals or second language speakers as far as language acquisition goes. This is a big argument in teaching a child a second language at the earliest age possible.

The order in which a second language is acquired is roughly similar to that of a first language although not as stable, due in part to the mental process or language transfer. This is the process of using what you know of your first language and applying the rules to a second or third language. At all levels, transfer is an important factor in learning another language. Receiving input, interacting, and meaningful output allows the learner to begin the process of acquiring a new language.  How a person analyses or connects sentences for meaning plays a roll in how they learn another language. A gradual process of learning is similar to learning other cognitive skills. 

Storage of a second language influences how it is learned.  In other words if a person has a good short-term memory they are better at learning and organizing a new language quickly. This helps to show why some people have more aptitude for learning second languages than others, but does not mean the others con not learn.

There are also learning and communicating strategies in learning a second language. Communicative strategies may not affect the learning strategies, but the learning strategies do seem to affect the way we communicate in a second language.  If the process of learning a second language is a positive one, it motivates a learner to use it more often and in turn they acquire a second language quicker and with more proficiency.

The Advantages of Learning another Language in Elementary School

Studies have shown that children who learn a language before adolescence are much more likely to have a native-like pronunciation. Much of the reason for this proficiency is attributed by experts to the physiological changes that occur in the maturing brain as a child enters puberty. This is of course with the knowledge that the more years a child can devote to learning a new language, the more competent he or she will become. Exposing them to new language at a young age is the best time. Young children are uniquely suited to learning a second language. The developing brain is hard-wired to acquire language. Never again will it be this natural or this easy!

What Are The Benefits of Knowing a Second Language?

What Are the Benefits of Knowing a Second Language?

Students of foreign languages score statistically higher on standardized tests conducted in English. In its 1992 report, College Bound Seniors: The 1992 Profile of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, the College Entrance Examination Board reported that students who averaged 4 or more years of foreign language study scored higher on the verbal section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) than those who had studied 4 or more years in any other subject area. In addition, the average mathematics score for individuals who had taken 4 or more years of foreign language study was identical to the score of those who had studied the same number of years of mathematics. These findings are consistent with College Board profiles for previous years.

Students of foreign languages have access to a greater number of career possibilities and develop a deeper understanding of their own and other cultures. Some evidence also suggests that children who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems. The benefits to society are many. Americans fluent in other languages enhance our economic competitiveness abroad, improve global communication, and maintain our political and security interests.

Stages Of Learning a New Language: Stage V

Stages of Learning a New Language 
Stage V: Advanced Fluency

It takes from 4 to 10 years to achieve cognitive academic language proficiency in a second language. At this stage a students ability to perform in content area learning will be near-native. Continued reading and studying will only insure greater fluency at this stage, just as it does with their own native language. Students will speak and write smoothly and easily, and are quite capable of using the language however they need at this stage. Their command and usage of the language is now eloquent and done with ease. Pronunciation and vocabulary are used correctly with very few mistakes.

Conclusion

So, now you see the different stages a student must to go through to learn a new language. These stages are presented in a simple to understand outline, but how long each student spends in each stages will be totally up to the learner and these are only approximate time frames. You get an idea of how your child will grow and learn in the process of learning a second or even third language and see how important it is for them to have a head start on learning a language instead of waiting till they are older.

Learning a New Language - Stage IV: Intermediate Fluency

Stage IV: Intermediate Fluency

At this stage of learning a language, a student will have an average vocabulary consisting of about 6000 active words. They are beginning to use complex sentences when they write and speak. They express opinions and share thoughts. At this stage they will ask questions to clarify what they are learning in class. They can also begin to use literature as a tool for better comprehension. The student will use strategies from their native language to help learn content in the new language.

Students may still have errors when writing during this stage in the process of mastering the grammar and sentence structure of another language. They should be able to form or combine parts and elements of what they have learned to arrive at conclusions while writing and speaking. Students in this stage will also be able to understand more complex concepts.