SLA

My Recent Study Situation

李杨250591

The books I have read since the beginning of this semester are mainly on the

Applied Linguistics. And I’m still reading them at present. Because the text book is

somewhat a bit difficult for me, I read the Second Language Acquisition wrote by Rod

Ellis, the same author of our text book at first. This book is an introduction of SLA.

And it helps me to have a relatively clear concept about this course.

Another book I have read about language learning is Applied Linguistics——

Language learning and teaching, written by Yi xiubo, a professor in Jilin University.

This book is mainly about the basic principles and research results of the language

learning and teaching. And it is divided into four parts. The first part gives us a brief

introduction on the appearance and development of the applied linguistics. It also

talks about the essence of language itself, language learning and language teaching,

and the relationship between them. The second part compares the differences between

L1 and L2 learning, on the bases of representative theories of L1 and L2 acquisition.

It states the L2 learning process, the learner’s language as well as the errors they made.

It also discusses some influential factors that come from cognition, affect, age, and

individual differences on foreign language learning and the solutions to them. The

third part is a part of language teaching. It shows us the main schools on language

teaching methods and approaches. It focuses on the syllabus design and gives a glance

at classroom techniques and the roles of teachers and learners. The last part is about

skills-based language teaching.

I paid more attention on comparing the first and second language acquisition. L1

and L2 acquisition are quite different learning processes in spite of their apparent

similarity. But it is usually easy for people to ignore their differences and draw a false

analogy. The research on L2 acquisition is usually based on the study of L1

acquisition. When L1 and L2 acquisition are compared, many variables should be

taken into consideration. If L1 and L2 acquisition in children are compared, one is

manipulating the language variable. If L2 acquisition between children and adult are

compared, one is manipulating the differences between children and adults. Such

comparisons are the most fruitful in yielding analogies for adult L2 classroom

instruction. If L1 acquisition in children and L2 acquisition in adults are compared,

one needs to draw analogies not only between L1 and L2 learning situations but also

between children and adults. It is much more logical to compare L1 and L2 learning

in children or to compare L2 learning in children and adults. Nevertheless, most of the

traditional comparisons have been of child L1 acquisition and adult L2 acquisition.

Such comparisons are difficult to make because of the enormous cognitive, affective

and physical differences between children and adults.

Children learning two languages simultaneously acquire them by the use of

similar strategies. They are, in essence, learning two L1s, and the key to success is in

distinguishing separate contexts for the two languages. Non-simultaneous L2 acquisition is difficult to define within the limits of childhood. One could refer to

children who are acquiring an L2 soon after they have begun to learn their L1. The

research confirms that the linguistic and cognitive processes of L2 learning in children

are in general similar to L1 processes. It is more difficult to explain adult L2 linguistic

process. Adults do approach an L2 systematically and attempt to formulate linguistic

rules on the basis of whatever linguistic information is available to them – the

information from both the native language and from the L2 itself. The research proves

that the interference from the L1 is not the most relevant or most crucial factor in

adult L2 acquisition. Adults learning an L2 manifest some of the same types of error

found in children learning their L1.

In my opinion, a big interference in adult L2 acquisition is the affective filter.

Compare to children, adults usually have great “mental block” that prevents them

from learning L2 with a positive attitude. Krashen stated that acquirers need to be

open to the input and that when the affective filter is up, the learner may understand

what is seen and read, but the input will not reach the LAD. This occurs when the

acquirer is unmotivated, lacking in confidence, or concerned with failure. But children

have no this kind of situations, because they need to grasp one or more languages to

convey their meanings. So they always have a positive affect on language learning. At

this time, the filter is down, and the acquirer is not anxious and is with intent to