The document discusses several factors that influence second language acquisition at different ages: 1. Neurobiologically, the lateralization of brain functions between the left and right hemispheres changes during development, with implications for pronunciation learning in childhood versus semantic learning later. 2. Cognitively, human intellectual development progresses rapidly in the first 16 years according to Piaget, meaning language learning connects to concrete and formal thought stages differently for children and adults. 3. Affectively, factors like self-esteem and anxiety play a role, as the "language ego" becomes more protective during puberty, potentially inhibiting learning more for older children and adults.

1. AGE AND ACQUISITION
Important Considerations
by
M. Fernanda Dávalos Avila

2. NEURO BIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
 The lateralization of the brain might influence in L2 acquisition
 Left hemisphere controls the intelectual, logical and analytical
functions (language functions mainly on the left )
 Right hemisphere controls the emotional and social needs.
 Lateralization starts at age 2 until puberty.
 Walsh and Diller: different aspects of L2 learning are learned at
different ages (pronunciation –childhood / semantic relations –
later)
 Some authors say that right hemisphere has an important
participation in L2 acquisition
 Authors discuss about whether or not adults can acquire an
authentic L2 accent.

3. COGNITIVE
CONSIDERATIONS
2.-Piaget outlined the human
intelectual development:
1.-Human cognition develops rapidly
through the first 16 years then slows down
3.-There is a connection between L
acquisition and the concrete/formal
stage transition.
4.-Adults can benefit from grammatical
explanations and critical thinking, children don’t
5.-Children are not aware they are learning,
adults are, (lead of left hemisphere of the brain)
6.-Piagetian notion of equilibrium: conceptual
development is a process of moving from states
of desequilibrium to equilibrium …
7.-Ausubel makes a distinction between rote and
meaningful learning.

4. AFFECTIVE
CONSIDERATIONS
 Affective factors relate to the age and acquisition of a
language
 The affective domain includes: empathy, self-steem,
extroversion, inhibition, anxiety, etc
 Any affective factor can be relevant to L2 learning.
 Alexander Guiora’s «Language ego» may account for the
difficulties adults find in L2 learning.
 In puberty language ego becomes more defensive and
protective, because of physical and emotional changes.
 There is a difference in learning between younger and older
children, older children start showing inhibitions.
 Attitudes towards language learning might affect its success.
 Peer pressure, adults can tolerate criticism easier than
children.

5. LINGUISTIC
CONSIDERATIONS
Interference: when the first
language is used as an aid to
communicate ideas in the second
language. In adults the se of L1
can be a facilitating factor not an
interfering factor.
Bilingualism: children learning two
languages simultaneously.
Order Acquisition: Dulay and Burt claimed that
children use a creative construction process to acquire
L2 the same way they do L1. They found a common
order of acquisition of 11 English morphemes.