This transparencies show the factors that affect the way a learner acquieres L2 knowledge.

1. L2 learning and teaching
By: María Fernanda Mena

2. Whyaresome
learners more
successfultan
others?
Factors:
Social context
Social
experience
Relationship of
L1 and L2
Age
Aptitude
Motivation
Instruction

3. Socialcontext
 Status of L1 and L2
 Boundary and identity factors within and between
L1 and L2 speech communities.
 Institutional forces and constrains.
These factors impact on the learner attitude and
opportunity, also help to determine how the language
is learned (as 2nd language, foreign language, etc.)
Macrosocial factors that
influence L2 learning:

4. Social
experience
 Determine the quantity and quality of L2
input and interaction, which influence
the ultimate success in L2 learning
 There is very Little experimental
evidence to support this because it is
complex to control social variables.

5. Relationshipof
L1andL2
 Not all L2s are equally easy to acquire
for speakers of particular L1s.
 Relationships of L1 and L2 will yield
differential possibilities for positive
transfer of parameter settings.

6. Age
 Younger learners have brain plasticity, fewer
inhibitions, weaker group identity, and more years
to practice.
 Older learners have an advantage in learning
capacity, in analytic ability, in pragmatic skills, in
greater L1 knowledge, and in real-world knowledge.
 It is possible for older learners to achieve near-
native competence in a L2, but less likely.

7. Aptitude
 Important predictor of
differential success in L2
learning.
 It is not completely
deterministic.

8. Motivation
 Determines the level of effort which
learners expend at various stages in
their L2 development.
 Is a key to ultimate level of proficiency.

9. Instruction
 Its quality makes a
difference in formal
contexts of L2
learning.
 There isn’t a best
method that Will
fit everything, a
combination of
different methods
is the wisest
approach.

10. Reference
 Muriel Saville – Troike, “Introducing Second
Language Acquisition”, Cambridge