User:Kawood78

Maturational Constraints on Language Learning
Is it harder to learn a second language as we age?

If we look at both first language learning (L1) and second language learning (L2) it seems quite clear that young children are equally successful language learners regardless of whether it is their 1st or 2nd language acquisition. While on the other hand adults, who have more developed cognitive capabilities, typically struggle with language acquisition (Newport 1990). At age six, studies have shown, a child's heightened capabilities to learn language begins to diminish. Past the age of six children begin to suffer from the similar problems both adolescents and adults share when learning languages, this change is referred to as the Critical Period Hypothesis].

This generally agreed upon theory claims that as we age, it becomes increasing difficult to acquire new and useful languaging skills. Before the age of six, most children have the capacity to learn up three languages, with remarkable vocabulary, and many of these children are able to continue speaking the learned languages into adulthood as long as they continue to practice and use all three languages as equally as possible. For example, immigrants to the US may speak their native language at home and then English in the schools. For children before the age of six, as long as the native language is continually used at home and English is used in school it may be possible for this student to become bilingual in both languages. Bilingualism children have shown signs of heightened cognitive development and increased creativity in communication.

There is opposition to this theory. Studies are showing that the critical hypothesis theory has flaws. One idea is that it is the amount of time spent on the acquiring the learner language and total immersion in the learner language that truly determines the learners fluency level not the age at which the learning begins. For example, for four years an adult L2 learner is dedicated to learning French and is immersed in French culture, he will acquire fluency in French at a much faster pace then an adult learner simply learning in a university setting for four years.

Language learning is still being studied and new results continue to change and shape old theories into new beliefs of how humans learn languages. --Kawood78 20:09, 4 February 2010 (UTC)Kimberly --Kawood78 20:06, 9 February 2010 (UTC) --Kawood78 10:58, 16 February 2010 (UTC)