Second Language Adquisition

1. DIFFERENCES OF LEARNERS IN
SECOND LANGUAGE
ACQUISITION
Student: Aura Villa
Teacher: Maricela Madrid

2. INTRODUCTION:
 Some second language learners make rapid and
apparently progress while others progress very
slowly and with difficulties.
 Each individual is different from the other, they
have different personalities and styles.
 Human differ from each other due to biological or
conditioned factors or unconscious forces:

3. 1. AGE: advantages
Younger advantage
 Brain plasticity
 Not analytical
 Fewer inhibitions
 Weaker group identity
 Simplified input
Older advantages
 Learning capacity
 Analytic ability
 Pragmatic skills
 Greater knowledge of
L1
 Real-world knowledge

4. 2. SEX:
 Studies have shown that females tend to
acquire L2 faster in the way they show greater
integrative motivation and more positive
attitudes to L2 and are more sociable.

5. 3. Aptitude
 Four types of abilities that constitute aptitude:
1. Phonemic coding ability
2. Grammatical sensitivity
3. Inductive language learning ability
4. Memory and learning.
Aptitude alone does not determine the language
learning ability of an individual.

6. 4. Motivation:
 According to Garner (1985) motivations
requires effort and desire to achieve a goal
along with good attitudes.
Types of motivation
 Integrative: integrate with a target community
or culture.
 Instrumental: to get benefits from L2.

7. 5. Cognitive styles:
 It has to do with the individuals’ preferred way
of processing.
1. Field dependent/ field independent (FD/FI)
2. Global/ Particular
3. Holistic/ Analytic
4. Deductive/ Inductive
5. Focus on meaning/ Focus on form

8. 6. Learning Strategies:
 According to O’Malley and Chamot (1990)
strategies are tools for active, self-directed
involvement needed for developing L2
communicative ability.
1. Cognitive strategies: repetition, translation
2. Metacognitive strategies: advance organizer
3. Social and affective: questioning for clarification,
Cooperation, etc.

9. 7. Personality:
 A second language learner will make choices of
strategies and skills according to bent of his or her
personality.
 There are personality characteristics that may
affect L2 learning:
1. Extroversion vs. Extroversion
2. Self esteem
3. Inhibition
4. Risk-taking
5. Anxiety

10. Conclusion:
 In general differences in learners play a
crucial role in the acquisition of a second
language. However the teacher should always
be skilled and willing to help the students use
these differences to their advantages in the
process of SLA. All this is possible when the
student shows good motivation and is willing
to learn.