This document discusses several factors that influence differences in how individuals acquire a second language: 1. Age - Younger learners more easily acquire native-like grammar intuitions through informal learning, while older learners learn faster due to better memory and analytical abilities and are more successful in formal learning settings. 2. Sex - Women generally excel at verbal fluency, memorization, and interpretation, while men's brains are better organized for speech and they perform better with automatized and rule-based skills. 3. Aptitude - Language learning aptitude encompasses abilities like sound processing, pattern recognition, memory capacity, and rule application that contribute to an individual's talent for acquiring a new language.

1. Differences in Learners
Language Acquisition
by
Fernanda Dávalos

2. 1. AGE
Younger learners:
 Achieve higher levels in learning
L2
 Develop more native-like
grammatical intuition
 Are more successful in informal
L2 learning
 Are less inhibited
 Receive more simplified
language input
Older learners:
 Learn faster because of their
learning capacity and better
memory
 Have a greater analytic ability
 Are more successful in formal
learning
 Older have more L1 knowledge
and world knowledge
 Understand and apply grammar
rules in a better way.

3. 2. SEX
WOMEN
 Are better than men in verbal
fluency
 Are better at memorizing
complex forms
 Have better semantic
intrepretive skills
 Have higher levels of articulatory
and motor ability.
MEN:
 Men’s brains are more
asymmetrically organized for
speech
 Are better at computing
compositional rules
 Have higher androgen levels
which relates with better
automatized skills.

4. 3. APTITUDE
Assumption to have a talent for language
learning, it has 4 components:
Phonemic
coding ability
Inductive L learning
activity &
grammatical
sensitivity
Associative
memory
capacity
Capacity to
process
auditory input
into segments
which can be
stored and
retrieved
Concerned with
central processing:
identify patterns,
make
generalizations,
recognize
grammatical
functions, etc.
How linguistic
items are
stored and
how it is used
in output.

5. 4. MOTIVATION
Level of effort learners
expend to achieve a goal
INTEGRATIVE INSTRUMENTAL ALTRUISTIC
Communicative
needs, desire to
travel, curiosity in
learning an L2
Purely practical
value in learning
L2, for example
for business.
Interest in learning
L2 for emotional
or affective
reasons

6. 5. COGNITIVE STYLE
Preferred way of
processing:
perceiving,
conceptualizing,
organizing and
recalling information
Are identified as pairs
of traits. Individualas
are not in the extremes
but somewhere in
between
It is closely related to
personality factors
and learning
strategies
Field dependent Field independent
Global Particular
Holistic Analitical
Deductive Inductive
Focus on meaning Focus on form

7. 6. PERSONALITY
Has two poles and learners are
somewhere in between
Anxious self- confident
Risk avoiden risk taking
Shy adventuresome
Introverted extroverted
Inner directed other directed
Reflective impulsive
Imaginative inquisitive
Creative uncreative
Empathetic insensitive
Tolerant of ambiguity closure oriented
Less anxiety
= more self
confidence
Low
anxiety+high
self confidence
increases
motivation
Higher
anxiety=
lower levels
of success
Poles
depends on
the group of
learners

8. 7. LEARNING STRATEGIES
Are influenced by
motivation, cognitive
styles and
personalities
Not all the Strategies
are not equal, some
are more effective
depending on the
context and learner
Are culturally
based: experiences,
circumstances,
education,etc.
Metacognitive Cognitive
Social
Affective
Regulates language
by planning and
monitoring,
previews a concept
in anticipation,
rehearse linguistic
components,etc.
Involves interaction.
Seeks opportunities
to speak with native
speakers, works
with peers, request
explanation, etc
Use direct analysis
or synthesis.
Repeats after a
language model,
uses translation,
relates words L1-L2,
creates images, etc