Second Language Acquisition

 

    Second language acquisition (SLA) refers to the process of learning another language after having acquired a native language (Gass & Selinker, 2008). Learning a second language after acquiring a native language is also called sequential bilingualism. Second language acquisition or sequential bilingualism is different from simultaneous bilingualism; students who learn two languages at the same time (Carroll, 2008).

 

Factors Influencing Second Language Acquisition     

    The Ontario Ministry of Education (2001) lists factors that influence the rate at which ESL students learn English and adapt to the environment and academic program. Learning a second language may be influenced by:

  • The age of the ESL students on arrival
  • The students' stage of acculturation or orientation to Canada
  • Prior educational background
  • The influence of personal trauma or difficult times
  • The language spoken at home
  • Previous exposure to English
  • The level of first language literacy

Myths About Acquiring a Second Language

  • Myth #1: Learning a second language is an entirely different proposition from learning one’s own native language.

    •  Reality: There are many parallels between learning a first and second language.

  • #2: Younger children are more effective language learners than are older learners.

    • Reality: While younger language learners may learn to pronounce a new language with little or no accent, older language learners are often more efficient learners.

  • #3: Once second language learners are able to speak reasonably fluently, their problems are likely to be over in school.

    • Reality: The ability to speak a second language (especially in conversational settings) does not guarantee that a student will be able to use the language effectively in academic settings.

  • #4: Learning academic English is equally challenging for all second language learners.

    • Reality: The challenge of learning English for school varies tremendously from learner to learner and depends on many factors.

  • #5: If we focus on teaching the English language, learning in all areas will occur faster.

    • Reality: Language learning is a developmental process; while learning a language will not occur in the absence of exposure to the language, increased exposure to language (particularly in academic settings) does not guarantee quicker learning.

  • #6: Students from Asian countries are better English language learners and more academically successful than students from Spanish-speaking backgrounds.

    • Reality: Students from all language and cultural backgrounds are equally capable of learning English as a second language; academic success cannot be attributed to language or cultural background, but rather to a variety of social, emotional, intellectual, and academic factors.

       

       (Power & Hubbard, 2002)