Learning a Second Language

A second language, why do we need to learn a second language? When we have already mastered a first language in which we are fluent. Let me tell you about a few amazing reasons why we should learn a second language. Firstly, learning a second language is an incredible confidence booster and it increases your brain power. When you are learning a new language you are getting soaked into an entirely new culture and you are more likely to develop a new view on the world. Lastly, you will be able to communicate with new people and maybe even develop great friendships.

 

Second language acquisition is learning a second language after a first language that is already set. Children often have an easier time learning a second language, than older students who want to learn a second language. But with the right motivation and a lot of practice, anyone can do it.

 

The brains of children are able to soak in a second language at an impressive rate and they are able to learn to speak the language without an accent. Children will learn the second language much easier and with better fluency than when they learn a second language later in live. If we compare those who started younger in primary school with those who started a bit later in secondary school, most studies show that the advantages of the early starters tend to disappear by the time children are sixteen, this is mentioned by Pinter, A. (2006). Younger learners are more sensitive to the sounds and rhythms of a new language than older students. Younger learners enjoy copying sounds and patterns of intonation. Another benefit of learning a second language at a young age is, feeling less anxious and inhibited and they have more time to learn the language compared to learners who start later. This longer period spend learning may have a positive effect on their development.

Although, older second language learners have more efficient strategies and have a more mature world to rely on. Second language learners from an older age, also have a clearer view on why they want to learn a new language. These advantages can ultimately compensate for their start later in live. Older learners give more attention to detail, which can play an important and significant role in learning a new language. On the other hand, older students might not want to sound perfectly British or sound like they are form a western state in the United States, because they want to keep their own identity. Nevertheless, with the right dedication, it is possible for second language learner from an older age to achieve near-native levels.

 

The most beneficial context for language learning is in an informal context, for example, on a playground in a foreign country. The children will pick up the new language more quickly, because they to play with other children in the playground, in order to do so, they have to communicate with the other children. This creates great opportunities for hearing the language over and over again and the children learn how to take part in a simple conversation.

However, this does not mean that informal language learning only happens outside the classroom. You can also use informal language learning by inferring what a word or a phrase means by their context. For example, your pupil does not understand the phrase: put your bag on the floor, but when he or she sees other students put their bags on the floor in response to the command, he might learn and understand the meaning of the phrase.

Examples of formal language learning are specific goals or objectives for learning rated by the language teacher. Although, here in The Netherlands students are not immersed in an English environment and they do not have to learn the language to make friends or to communicate outside of school. They mainly are learning English as a school subject in addition to other subject on their timetable. They have limited opportunities to practice English outside of school and they could have no clear motivation to learn English as a second language. So, your job as a language teacher is to awaken their enthusiasm and curiosity about languages.

 

Many people believe that individual differences that are inherent in the student can predict their success or failure in second language learning. For example, more extroverted students who seek opportunities to practice the language skills are more likely to be successful in learning a second language. To predict the students differences in acquiring a second language we have to look at the students’ personalities, intellectual abilities and their motivation to learn the language. So that we understand the relationships between individual differences and learning outcomes.

( Source for the questionnaire: Lightbrown, P., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned. Oxford: Oxford University Press.)

 

Questionnaires like this one above could be helpful to figure out individual differences in second language learning, by letting each student reflect on their own language learning experience. As a researcher you could use the outcome of the questionnaire to start a statistical procedure called correlation. Correlation can be positive or negative. Although, through this particular questionnaire it is not possible to measure motivation or extroversion. Then you have to dedicate another questionnaire to behaviors and characteristics 

It is a challenge to understand the relationship between individual characteristics, social situations and the success that a pupil will have in second language learning. Nevertheless, due to Lightbrown, P., & Spada, N. (2013) research in this area is of great importance to both researches and educators. As a teacher you hope to find an idea to help students with difficult characteristics to achieve success in second language learning. In effort to discover explanations for differences in the learning outcome of you students let’s have a look at the individual characteristics.

Traditionally, the term intelligence has been used to refer to certain performance on different kinds of tests. However IQ tests are more related to mentalinguistic knowledge than to communicative ability. The strengths and weaknesses of the students can be tested, in a test with different aptitude components. The outcome might show their ability to succeed in different types of instructional programs. A particular type of instruction cannot benefit all students.”Rosemary Erlam (2005) explored whether there was a relationship between aptitude and the effectiveness of three different types of instruction, which is called deductive, inductive and structured input.” (Lightbrown, P., & Spada, N.,2013)

You can also find individual differences in learning a second language in terms of learning styles. A learning style could be defined as the learners individual preferred way of processing new information. For example, some students are visual learners and other students learn better when physical actions are involved in the learning process, they refer to these students as kinesthetic learners.

Personal characteristics can also have an effect on second language learning. For example, more extroverted students who seek opportunities to practice the language skills are more likely to be successful in learning a second language. Although, the differences in personalities seem to be more related to the skills needed for communication, than to the acquisition of grammatical accuracy.

The motivation of second language learners is based on their attitude towards the new language and the need to learn the second language. For example, when a Dutch student starts learning a second language, they start with learning the basic words from their classroom environment, words for things and person they already have a functional name  in their mother tongue. So, they have to find the need to learn these new words, for example, by playing games or by using the words in a simple conversation.

 

First you have to think about what is realistically possible for your students and there are many different things that can influence the learning process. You have to think about the amount of opportunity your students have to practice the second language and how to motivate the learners. It is very important to explain the reason why the students have to learn the second language, this will help the students to get motivate. When you introduce a second language it is important to use a topic or setting, in which the students are interested.

 

In conclusion, during this research I have discussed different aspects that influence or can influence second language learning. I have discussed the different advantages or disadvantages of the effect of age, when you are learning a second language. Also the differences in learning a second language in formal or informal setting have been discussed during this research. I have learned throughout this research that it is not always easy to interpret individual differences. You learners all have their own personalities and learning preferences. As an end conclusion I will say that, as a teacher you have to create a learning environment with a variety of activities for different types of learners, in this way each learner can use their different abilities and learning preferences to become successful in learning a second language.

 

Sources

http://www.lingholic.com/ten-amazing-reasons-learn-foreign-language/

Lightbrown, P., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Pinter, A. (2006). Teaching young language learners. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

 

Learning a language

It can be hard to learn a new language, there is no magical way to learn a new language. A new language must be learned with hard work and practice. So the answer to the question: “Can you learn a language is?”, Is yes, you can. That means that there is a cognitive process involved, which starts with the basics. To start with you need to know what you own learning style is, because everyone learns differently. You first have to figure out which learning styles suits you, do you learn the best through repetition or through writing the word down. Also think back to the language that you have learned in the past and which learning style you used with that particular language. 

To be able to learn a language you have to be able to pronounce the language, even if it has the same alphabet as your own language, the pronunciation of the foreign language might be pronounced differently and even sounds differently. It also important to pay attention to grammar, when you are learning a new language. This is one of the most important parts of the language learning process besides the vocabulary.

When you are learning a new language it is beneficial for you own learning to memorize words and phrases every day. This exercise would be even more useful if you put the words and phrases into different contexts. Another important thing to practice to develop you language learning process is, the alphabet. In order to be able to pronouns the new words and phrases you have learned you have to make the association with the correct sounds that corresponds with each letter of the alphabet.

As you are practicing the language, it is beneficial to listen to the language, for example, through movies or television shows. This can help you to retain the words you are trying to learn. Also reading is a effective way to learn and develop your new language. It is also very beneficial for learning to speak to a native speaker, if you are able to. Through this experience you are able to learn idioms or even slang in your new language. Lastly, speaking the language and actively using the language is very important to develop your skills and knowledge throughout your language learning process.

When you acquire language, you talk about the subconscious process, were you are not yet aware of grammatical rules. It is similar to way that we acquire language in our first language. You need a source of natural communication in order to acquire language. During this process the emphasis is on the text of communication not on the form. On the other hand, learning a language is not communicative. Learning a language is the result of direct instruction in the rules of the language and as a student you have conscious knowledge of the new language. Nevertheless, research has shown, that a student who has memorized the rules of the language may be able to score a great mark on a test of English language, but may not be able to write or speak it correctly.

 

Source

http://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Any-Language

Karshen, S., D. (1981). Second Language Acquisition and Second language Learning. California: University of Southern California.