The document discusses several factors that influence how learners acquire knowledge of a second language (L2): 1) The social context, including the status of the first (L1) and second languages, impacts learners' attitudes and opportunities to learn L2. 2) Social experiences determine L2 quality and influence success. 3) Some L2s are harder to learn depending on the learner's L1, though the relationship between L1 and L2 is still undiscovered. 4) Both younger and older learners have advantages - younger have more brain plasticity while older have better analytical skills and pragmatics.

1. HOW LEARNERS ACQUIRE
L2 KNOWLEDGE
Student: Roberto Alvear
Teacher: Mgsc. Mónica Pinto
Subject: Language Acquisition
University: ESPE

2. 1. SOCIAL CONTEXT
- Success depends on the status of L1 and L2, boundary and identity factors.
- Importance of social context depends on the impact on attitude and
opportunity
- L2 might be used for second language, a foreign language, an auxiliary
language, or a language for specific purposes

3. 2. SOCIAL EXPERIENCE
- It determines the quality of L2.
- It is very important in the process of
learning L2.
- Influences in the sucess of L2 learning.

4. 3. RELATIONSHIP OF L1 AND L2
- Some L2s are harder to learn according to the L1 of the
learner.
- Knowing L2 is important in order to learn L2 at first.
- Facts like genetic, typological and historical relationships
remains an undiscovered area yet of L2 learning

5. 4. AGE
- There’s a misbelief that young children learn L2
better tan adults
- Younger learners have more brain plasticity for
learning.
- Older people have better learning
- Older students have more analitic ability and
pragmatic skills.

6. 5. APTITUDE
- Learners have different capacity for learning.
- Different abilities for audio processes, and for identifying
patterns.
- Aptitude is important for predicting sucess in L2 learning

7. 6. MOTIVATION
- Determines the effort for L2 learning.
- It is key for achieving a high level of
proficiency
- No motivation apparently seems to have an
inherent advantage over L2 learning
processes.

8. 7. INSTRUCTION
- Quality of instruction depends on the
sucess of L2 learning.
- There is no teaching method better
than others.
- There isn’t a method that will work for
everyone

9. SOURCE: Introducing Second Language Acquisition
(Muriel Saville-Troike, Cambridge University Press,2006)