John Schumann developed an acculturation model for second language acquisition. The model proposes that L2 learning is dependent on how well learners acculturate to the target language culture. Schumann studied a man named Alberto who lived in Cambridge, England for six years but did not improve his English because he primarily socialized with other people from his native Costa Rica. Schumann argued that the degree of social and psychological distance between a learner and the target language culture influences acculturation. There are eight social factors and four psychological factors that determine this distance and impact second language acquisition according to the model.

1. IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST
BENIFICENT,
THE MOST MERCIFUL

2. 3. JOHN SCHUMANN’S ACCULTURATION
MODEL FOR SECOND LANGUAGE
ACQUISITION

4. Definitions of acculturation
1. cultural modification of an individual, group, or people
by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture
e.g. the acculturation of immigrants to American life.
2. a merging of cultures as a result of prolonged contact
3. the process by which a human being acquires the culture
of a particular society from infancy (Merriam-Webster)

5. Theoretical foundations of John Schumann’s
Acculturation Model
L2 learning is an aspect of acculturation and the
degree to which L2 learners acculturate to the
Target Language groups, (i.e. assimilate to the
target language culture), governs and controls L2
learning.

6. Schumann’s Famous Case Study Pertaining
to the Process of Acculturation
Schumann based much of his original work on the
language development of a 33 years old Costa Rican man
named Alberto. Alberto graduated from a Costa Rican
high school where he had studied English for six years. He
moved to Cambridge, at the age 33 where he lived with
another Costa Rican couple. Significantly, he socialized
with other Costa Ricans. According to the Acculturation
Model , it was Alberto’s lack of acculturation that resulted
in his lack of linguistic development (Gass & Selinker,
2008).

7. Schuman’s Approach with regard to the Role
of Social & Psychological Distances while
Learning L2
According to Schuman (1986), the process of acculturation
is influenced by social and psychological factors.
The aforementioned factors, according to him, determine
the level of Psychological Distance and Social Distance.
He further claimed that there are eight characteristics of
Social Distance and four characteristics of Psychological
Distance that effect the process of acculturation.

8. Characteristics of Social Distance
According to Schumann (1986), with regard to second
language learner’s acculturation, there are eight
characteristics of Social Distance mentioned as follows:
1. Social Dominance
2. Integration Patterns
3. Enclosure
4. Cohesiveness
5. Size
6. Cultural Congruence
7. Attitude
8. Intended Length of Residence

9. Characteristics of Psychological Distance
According to Schumann (1986), with regard to second
language learner’s acculturation, there are four
characteristics of Psychological Distance mentioned as
follows:
1. Language Shock
2. Cultural Shock
3. Motivation
4. Ego Permeability

10. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ausubel, D.P. (1968). Educational Psychology: A Cognitive View. New York, NY:
Holt.
Brown, H. D. (2002). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. NY: Longman.
Ellis, R. 1994: The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Ellis, R. (1997). SLA research and language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Ellis, R. (1999). Item versus system learning: explaining free variation. Applied
Linguistics . 20, 460-80.
Gass & Selinker (2008). Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge.
Schumann, J. (1986). Research on the Acculturation Model for Second Language
Acquisition. Journal of Multilingual & Multilingual development. 7 (5). pp.
379-392.
Schumann, John (1978). The pidginization process : a model for second language
acquisition. Rowley, Mass.: Newbury House Publishers. ISBN 978-
0883770962. OCLC 3203534
Troike, M. (2012). Introducing Second Language Acquisition. London: Cambridge
University Press.