This document discusses several topics related to language acquisition and age: - The critical period hypothesis suggests that full native language competence is only possible during childhood and adolescence. Older learners rarely achieve a near-native accent. - The brain is composed of left and right hemispheres that specialize in different functions, though injury can allow compensation. There is variation between individuals and no single "type". - Language acquisition is influenced by cognitive, emotional, and linguistic factors like intellectual development, identity, empathy, and interference between first and second languages.

1. Age and
acquisition

2. CRITICAL PERIOD HYPOTHESIS
 The critical period hypothesis
says that there is a period of
growth in which full native
competence is possible when
acquiring a language.
 This period is from early
childhood to adolescence.
 Example
Older learners rarely achieve a
near-native accent. Many
people suggest this is due to
them being beyond the critical
period.

3. HEMISPHERIC LATERALIZATION
 The human brain is composed of
a right and a left hemisphere and
each hemisphere participates in
different aspects of brain
function.
 The corpus collosum connects
the hemispheres of the brain.
 Lateralization of function
between the two hemispheres
does occur but after injury other
regions of cortex can often
compensate.
 There is no such thing as being
'left-brained' or 'right-brained'.
 Functional lateralization often
varies between individuals.

4. Cognitive, Affective and Linguistic
Considerations
 Cognitive considerations :
Piaget: Intellectual development of a child
Singleton and Ryan (2004)-Vague lack
of empirical data
 Affective considerations:
Oneself-identity is inextricably bound up with
one’s language
 Empathy
 Self-esteem
 Extroversion
 Inhibition
 Imitation
 Anxiety
 Attitudes
 Linguistics considerations:
Bilingualism-Code-switching
Interference between L1 and L2- Solid
foundation of L1
Order of acquisition - Creative construction
process

5. Interference
between First and
Second Language
Interference
It will inevitably occur in any situation where
someone has an imperfect command of a second
language
Interference from the first language does not imply
that interference is the most important factor in
adult second language acquisition.
Adults learning a second language manifest some
of the same errors found in children learning their
first language.
There are a series of implications for second
language learning:
Competence and Performance
Adults can make choices between two
alternative forms and they are sometimes
aware of grammar in a second language
but they are not able to verbalize rules and
paradigms consciously in their native
language.

6. Language and Thought
Language
 Whorf states that
language does not
only voice ideas but
also shapes them
Thought
 It is the idea that
language and its
structures limit
and determine human
knowledge or thought.
J. B. Watson said : Thought is language; sub-vocal speech.
“think aloud” = speech;
“speak covertly”= thinking.