Teach English in Datuan Zhen - Shanghai Shi

1st Language vs 2nd Language AcquisitionAcquiring a language is a fundamental skill and is achieved with ease and speed by the majority of us during childhood. Acquiring a second language (L2) is a much desired skill: in contrast to learning a first language (L1) it is a feat that is difficult for many to achieve. The difference in outcome is severe and cannot be accounted for by a simple explanation. This paper will contrast the complicated processes of first and second language acquisition. The common discourse lends the idea that children develop their first language naturally while adults labour to learn another. It is true that few students are able to accomplish a level of competency in an L2 that they have in their L1. There is a great deal we still do not know about why it is so difficult to learn a second language; however there is a wealth of scholarship available on the subject of language acquisition. Traditionally the disparity between L1 and L2 has been attributed to factors such as motivation, memory span, maturity and capacity to learn. A closer examination, however, suggests the contrast between the two cannot be attributed to a Tabula Rasa theory of ?child as a blank slate? or an aptitude to absorb critical information. One begins to acquire a first language, or L1, at young and formative age; significant because infants have the advantage of time. Before beginning to communicate they are already submerged by unmodified natural input from parents, TV, Radio etc. In addition the environment is usually within the social context of the family; ?a safe place without competition or fear of failure? . Children are quick to begin experimenting with how words are produced; they are encouraged to make sounds and babble. Children start using words before they have mastered the sounds and articulation. These early attempts are met with encouragement from parents. It is interesting to note that the feedback children receive is communication-based: it is rare for a mother to correct pronunciation or wording and never grammar. Despite a great variation between individuals, the pattern of acquisition for children across different languages remains the same. ? Phonetics and phonology (sounds and how they are made ? Semantics and lexis (the meaning of words) ? Morphology and syntax (grammatical rules and structures) There are many variable factors to consider when examining the acquisition of a second language or L2. Perhaps the most significant difference is that there is already a language present in the learner?s mind. The environment in which it is learn is often in a classroom situation and the exposure is restricted to a limited schedule. L2 learners need guidance, the focus of which is usually learning complicated grammatical structures. There are many other variable factors to consider in the acquisition of an L2: individual motivation, previous learning experience and personal experiences, which reveal that it is a complex area of study. Meisel conducted a comprehensive study of the structure of language acquisition, comparing L1 and L2 learners. He endeavoured to discover whether the process was solely a matter of external factors, such as schooling and exposure, or whether native fluency is still accessible to the L2 learner. He noted that ?L2 acquisition is better characterised as resulting from ?creative construction? rather than habit formation.? Even if the strategies adopted to learn an L2 are similar to how the L1 was learnt, this does not signify that the sequence of learning will be the same. As teachers of english as a second language, examining the acquisition of both first and second language acquisition facilitates a more comprehensive understanding of the learning process. It is evident that there are both environmental and internal factors that vary when comparing the two. Students of english need not despair however; despite differences it is evident that it is possible to achieve fluency and accuracy in a second language. BIBLIOGRAPHY Clarke, Beverly A., First- and Second-Language Acquisition in Early Childhood, CEEP University of Illinois; 19th September 2011: http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/pubs/katzsym/clark-b.html Ellis, Rod, The Study of Second Language Acquisition, Oxford University Press; 2003. Griese, Eva-Maria, Are There Similarities in First and Second Language Acquisition? GRIN Verlag; 2008. ITTT (International TEFL Teacher Training), Unit 3 ? Theories, Methods and Techniques Meisel, Jürgen M., First and Second Language Acquisition: Parallels and Differences, Cambridge University Press; 2011. Tucket, Margaret, First and Second Language Acquisition, 16th September 2011: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f03/web2/mtucker.html Wikipedia, Second Language Acquisition, 11th September 2011: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_language_acquisition