Age and Acquisition of a Second Language
Published on Feb 02, 2023
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Accents
Do accents really matter?
I chose an image of a doctor for this slide based on an experiences I have had. My daughter has had experiences with numerous doctors at UAB. While ALL of them have had fluent English abilities, some have come from other countries and have had accents when they speak. Some of those accents have required careful listening on my part at times. Not too long ago, when sharing the name of my daughter's doctor with someone looking for one, the person commented "I'm so tired of foreign doctors. I can't understand them." I think sometimes accents intersect with skin color in ways that cause some people to perceive whether someone is considered "foreign". My 19 year old daughter on the other hand is Asian and was born in China. She began learning English at the age of 3. She does not have an accent that identifies her as "foreign." Her appearances may, but not her voice. Rather, she has picked up the southern-sounding accent that surrounds her. I think as teachers, one thing we can do, especially if we teach older learners, is to be aware of how accents impact people's perception of others.
Photo by Usman Yousaf
"The acquisition of the communicative and functional purpose of language is far more important than a "perfect" native accent - unless of course you're planning to be an undercover spy in a foreign country!" (Brown, 2014)
Photo by Sergiu Nista
Classroom Impact: Focus on other aspects of language learning and create a community that values and respects everyone for who they are and what they contribute, not what their voice may sound like with or without accents.
Photo by Kenny Eliason
Language Ego
- It falls under affective considerations that impact L2 learning
- The term was coined by psychologist Alexander Guiora. (Guioro et. al 1972, Ehram 1993, Dornyei 2005, 2009)
- This concept looks at how a person's identity relates to the language the person speaks.
When we communicate with others, we practice sending out messages and having them received, and having messages sent back to us. Through this process, identity is shaped and confirmed.
To acquire a new language is, in some ways, to acquire a new identity!
Children may have an easier time with this process before puberty. They may have less fear of trying new things and less self-conscious feelings.
Photo by Xavi Cabrera
Make a fool of yourself for the benefit of your students!
While wearing a costume isn't always necessary, teachers can create an environment that respects how hard the process of learning a new language is by modeling their own risk-taking and mistakes and encouraging that in their students. Maybe try out some of your student's language - mistakes and all and let your students correct you! Create a community that values risk-taking and enforce a no-teasing policy. I can see how this would be beneficial at any age, but perhaps particularly with adolescents who already have a fragile and ever-changing identity.
Photo by Toa Heftiba
Rote and Meaningful Learning
- Ausebel (1964) made a distinction between rote and meaningful learning.
- Children and adults both are better at meaningful learning where they link new material to current knowledge.
Rote and Meaningful Learning (cont)
- Adults have greater capacity for rote learning, but primarily use it for short-term memory.
- Language learning that emphasizes rote learning over meaningful learning is not likely to be very effective for anyone - children or adults - in the long run.
Brown (2014) notes that many studies comparing child and adult second language acquisition are comparing children's meaningful, natural learning to adult's classroom (and perhaps more rote-based) learning. It's an apples to oranges comparison!
Photo by Anastasiya Romanova
Classroom Application
Make learning meaningful for all learners!
Photo by Ismail Salad Osman Hajji dirir
