This document discusses factors that influence language learning, with a focus on age as a factor in second language acquisition. It outlines the critical period hypothesis which suggests there is an optimal time period for acquiring language. While research has found both supporting and contradictory evidence, most agree learners who begin acquiring a second language before puberty can develop near-native competence, while those starting post-puberty are less likely to reach that level. The document also discusses theories around brain plasticity, benefits of early learning, and debates around whether there are ceilings on second language attainment.

1. EDUC 821
Dr. Dulcinia Nuñez
Jeanette Carrasquillo
S00231169
Turabo University
School of Education
Doctoral Program

2. Objectives

 Factors that Influence Language Learning
 Point out key concepts related to age as a factor for
second language acquisition
 Critical Period Hypothesis in L2 learning
 Research related to the possible existence of a
“ceiling "or upper limits of successful L2 learning
 Benefits of learning a second language at an early
age
 List of findings in which most theorists agree
 Video: Language Acquisition- Krashen

3. Factors that can Influence
Language Learning

SLA
Motivation
Biological
Mother Tongue
Age
Emotions
Learning Intelligence
Environment

4. Is there an optimal age for second
language acquisition?

Everybody agrees that age is a crucial factor
in language learning.
L1- Children - within a biological window of
4-6 years of age.
L2- ages vary widely

5. Key Concepts concerning the
Age Factor

Cognitive
Factors
Critical Period
Biological
Schedule
Brain Plasticity

6. 
 The possibility that there is a
biologically determined period of life
when language can be acquired more
easily. Beyond this time a language is
more difficult to acquire.
Karavasili,
2014
Critical Period

7. Biological Schedule

Neurophysiological Mechanism
Bilingual language Acquisition - age 2 to
puberty (Lenneberg)
L1 Acquisition- 4-6 years of age
Loss of brain plasticity- 9 years of age
Penfield and Roberts (1959) and Lenneberg
(1967)
Pronunciation and intonation- acquired easier
during early childhood

8. Brain Plasticity

 The loss of the brain plasticity happens by the age of
nine. This plasticity assigns functions to different
areas of the brain and cannot be changed
Penfield and Roberts (1959) and Lenneberg (1967)
 The loss of brain plasticity explains why adults may
need more time and effort compared to children in
second language acquisition
(Lenneberg, 1967)

9. Critical Period Hypothesis for
SLA

Has not been conclusively proven by
research, nor has it been completely
disproved (Wagner, 2014)
Discordant evidence
Most research indicates that CPH does not
exist for all aspects of SLA (Wagner,2014)
There is powerful evidence of a critical period
for accent (Brown, 2000)

10. “Ceiling "or Upper Limits of
Successful L2 Learning

 There is a possibility that there may be a ceiling to L2
learning in the sense that it may be impossible to
develop levels of L2 competence that are identical to
the competence all humans possess in their own
mother tongue.
 There is not well-understood but nevertheless
biologically determined impossibility, after a certain
age to continue using the implicit learning processes
that are best suited for natural language learning
during the early years of human life.
(DeKeyser,2003 ; Loup, 2005)

11. Benefits of Learning a Second
Language at an Early Age

Pronunciation and intonation
(neuromuscular mechanism)
Motivation (lack of inhibitions)
Imitation (this capability fades away
after puberty)
Flexibility, curiosity, tolerance, learning and
memory capacity

12. Two hot issues

Critical Period Hypothesis in L2 learning-
Does a biological schedule operate, after
which the processes and outcomes of L2
acquisition are fundamentally and irreversibly
changed?
The possibility of the existence of a
ceiling to L2 learning
Impossibility of developing L2 competence
as developed in their mother tongue

13. Older is better initially, but
younger is better in the long run

 Krashen, Long and Scarcella – 23 studies between
1962-1979
 Five long term studies concluded: after five years of
residence in L2 environments, young starters were
clearly better than adult starters
 Adult learners and older children learn at a faster
pace (cognitive maturity)
 Children eventually always catch up and surpass late
starters.
 Aoyama’s study (2008) supports the same
conclusion

14. List of Findings

 In terms of L2 learning rate, adults and older children
enjoy an initial advantage
 In terms of L2 attainment, learners who begin
acquiring the L2 before puberty will develop levels of
morphosyntactic and phonological competence that
are close to native speakers of that language
 Post-pubertal learners, are not likely to perform in the
native speaker range (regardless of the numbers of
years they have resided in L2 environment).

15. List of Findings

 Some researchers are in favor of a critical period stating
that it is biologically impossible for the human brain to use
the same processes that were involved in learning the L1.
 Others are in favor of non-biological explanations , they
consider socio-educational and affective-motivational
forces.
 Recent research suggests that bilingualism effects (L1 &
L2 interaction) and language activation and dominance
effects ( relative amounts of L1 versus L2 use) operate
across all ages, beginning as early as age two.

16. 
 Stephen Krashen on Language Acquisition.mp4
 Myth Busting Age and Language Learning - Video
#1.mp4
Video

17. Conclusion

 Ortega states that Newcomers to the field of SLA
might feel overwhelmed by the many arguments and
data that appear to equally support and contradict
various positions. Age is a controversial topic. The
findings seem difficult to interpret , and many
questions to understand universal age effects on L2
acquisition remain open.

18. References

 Ortega, Lourdes ( 2009). Understanding Second
Language Acquisition. Hodder Education.
 Termcord (2014) The Age Factor in Second
Language
Acquisition. Downloaded November 3,2014
from
http://termcoord.eu/2014/02/age-factor-second-
language-acquisition/