Second Language Acquisition & Learning

1. Second Language Acquisition
and
Second Language Learning

2. What is it?
Second language acquisition (SLA) is a
process where a second language is
learned or acquired, in addition to
having a first language

3. How long does it take?
The length of time it takes to acquire
English varies from learner to learner. It
can take from “…four to seven years or
more.”
(Klinger, Hoover, & Baca, 2008, 19)

4. What’s the difference?
 There is a difference between acquisition and
learning
 Second Language Acquisition is a subconscious
learning process
 Second Language Learning involves a conscious
process
 Although, many in education use the two terms
synonymously

5. Factors that influence SLA
 Motivation
 First language experiences
 Language distance and attitude
 Access to the language
 Age of acquisition
 Personality and learning styles
 Peers and role models
 Quality of instruction

6. Motivation
 Motivation comes in two forms; integrative and instrumental
 Integrative
 ELL’s positive attitude towards native-English speakers
 ELL’s aspirations to become a member of the English speaking community
 ELLs will find more success when want to integrate into the new target
society,
 Linked to long-term success in ELLs
 Instrumental
 Tied to a social or economic reward for learning English
 Often times with little social integration
 ELL is trying to gain something practical or concrete from learning English
 Both integrative and instrumental motivations contribute to successful
development of English language proficiency

7. First Language Experiences
 First language can impact the learning of English
 vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, as well as language
structure and use
 Positive transfer can increase the rate at which
English is learned
 Negative transfer can impede its growth
 Native language proficiency can affect acquisition of
English
 The more academic knowledge and the more
proficiency ELLs are in their first language, will aid
in learning a second language (Walqui, 2000)

8. Language distance and attitude
 Depending on their native language, ELLs may have an easier or
more difficult time learning English
 The more similar English is to the ELL’s native language, the easier
time they will have learning the language
 The ELL’s language attitudes toward school, peers, and the
community can effect learning English
 Attitudes can have both positive and negative effects on English
progress
 Learning English is additive and not subtractive
 It does not necessary mean losing the first language, but rather
learning an additional one

9. Access to the language
 ELLs will have access to the language at school, but
support from home will increase their success
 While some educators may advocate that parents of
ELLs speak English at home, it is more important
for ELLs and their parents to value and maintain
their native language in order to keep the lines of
communication open

10. Age of Acquisition
 In general, when it comes to pronunciation, experts
agree that the development of pronunciation is
highly depending on the age at which the learner
begins learning English
 It is believed that if an ELLs learns English before
puberty, the learner will attain a native-like accent,
whereas ELLs who learn English after the onset of
puberty, will most likely always speak English with a
marked accent

11. Personality and Learning Styles
 ELLs come from a variety of different and diverse background
 Learning a second language varies greatly from individual to
individual
 This is due in part in individual difference in analytic
orientation or global orientation
 Analytically oriented ELLs will breakdown learning English
into words and sentences
 Globally oriented ELLs will use patterns of the language to
gain meaning

12. Peers and Role Models
 ELLs in their teens will be strongly influenced by their
peers in order to establish a sense of belonging
 It is essential for ELLs to have role models who are both
positive and realistic that demonstrate successful
bilingualism
 This connection can also be made through literature and
personal experiences
 Role models will aid the ELL in developing an
understanding of their own successes and challenges

13. Quality of Instruction
 ELLs are not learning English from memorization or drills
 ELLs learn through meaningful interaction inside and outside
of the classroom
 Although teachers cannot control the interaction outside of
the classroom
 In the class, teachers can foster the growth and development
of their English language learning through their own
instruction in the classroom
 They can create a classroom environment that the rich in
language and collaborative in nature, rather than rely on
lecture and recitation during instructional activities

14. The End