Teach English in Duliu Zhen - Tianjin

Language AcquisitionLanguage learning is an inherent skill that every person possesses. Every person desires to communicate and to understand communication. This leads many people to learn and adopt a second language, sometimes very different to that of their mother tongue. This article will explore how people acquire their first language, and how this process can vary significantly when attempting to learn or acquire a second language. Every person learns their first language beginning in their early childhood. Some linguists and scientist claim that the learning process can even begin during pregnancy. The fetus in utero becomes accustomed to the rhythms and patterns it can pick up from hearing and feeling when the mother speaks. Whatever theories may be held as to initial language perceptions and retention, the undeniable truth is that children adapt to and learn their first language at a surprisingly fast pace. The process begins first of course with the experimentation of sounds that the baby or toddler is able to produce. From there basic vocabulary is learned and expanded on through a trial and error process. Parents primarily teach their child vocabulary words and turns of phrases, and it appears as though grammar is learnt through mimicking, and once again, through trial and error. Parents teach their children very little grammatical functions in their new found language. It can be argued that by the time children start primary school, they have mastered the basics of their language. Adults on the other hand, have a different learning process than their young counterparts. Adults also most defiantly learn a language at a slower pace as well. There are a few reasons for this. Adults often find difficulty leaving behind the grammatical and linguistic rules of their native language. Therefore when learning a new language adults will often make comparisons between the two languages and can become detrimentally hung up on major differences between the target language and their own. In addition to this, children seem to be more willing to experiment with a new language that is learned, and don?t hold a stigma of embarrassment when they make a basic or common mistake with their target language. It can also be argued that children do not normally communicate outside of their vocabulary range. Adults already posses a rich vocabulary in their first language, and are capable of understanding and expressing more complex and difficult topics. The inability to do so is often discouraging and frustrating. Second language acquisition is most often a conscious decision that is made for or by the learner. Most often this decision is made by adults, often as a leisure activity or a hobby, or for business reasons. However, children may often be enrolled in a second language course or school to help provide them with more opportunities that come with being bilingual. Of course there is also the possibility that the new language to be learned is the primary language in the new country or environment that a person may find themselves in. If a second language is learned by a certain age (according to some studies no later than age 5, other studies as late as age 12) the child will be able to speak the new language with a hardly detectable or no accent in the second language at all. No matter the difficulties and advantages learners find when studying a new language, it should not defer a student from expanding their knowledge base and learning a new language. Learning a new language is both fun, and rewarding!