This document discusses acculturation and the factors that influence language learning. It notes that acculturation involves social and psychological factors that determine interactions between groups. Language learning requires social and psychological contact with the target language group. Several social and psychological distance variables are presented that may help or hinder language acquisition, such as political and social dominance, attitudes toward assimilation, group size, motivation, and willingness to adapt identities. The document concludes by considering how these acculturation factors should inform second language teaching.