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Welcome to the Welcome to the presentation presentation

‘‘Does age affect L2 learning?’Does age affect L2 learning?’

By Derek ChoBy Derek Cho

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ReferenceReference

H. Douglas Brown. ‘ Principal of Language Learning anH. Douglas Brown. ‘ Principal of Language Learning and Teaching’. Pearson education d Teaching’. Pearson education

Julia Herschensohn. 1999 ‘ The Second time around MiJulia Herschensohn. 1999 ‘ The Second time around Minimalism and L2 Acquisition. University of Washington.nimalism and L2 Acquisition. University of Washington. John Benjamins Publishing Company John Benjamins Publishing Company

Rod Ellis. 1997. ‘ The Study of Second Acquisition’. ShRod Ellis. 1997. ‘ The Study of Second Acquisition’. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language publishing compaanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language publishing companyny

Jacqueline S. Johnson and Elissa L.Newport. ‘ Critical pJacqueline S. Johnson and Elissa L.Newport. ‘ Critical period Effects in Second Language Learning: The influeeriod Effects in Second Language Learning: The influence of Maturational State on the Acquistion of English nce of Maturational State on the Acquistion of English as a Second Language’. Cognitive psychology 21: p.6as a Second Language’. Cognitive psychology 21: p.60-990-99

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Critical period HypothesisCritical period Hypothesis

Definition: There is a fix span of years during Definition: There is a fix span of years during which language learning can take place which language learning can take place naturally and effortlessly and after which naturally and effortlessly and after which it’s not possible to be completely it’s not possible to be completely successful (Ellis, 1997). successful (Ellis, 1997).

Definition: Child’s brain has a specified Definition: Child’s brain has a specified capacity for learning language – a capacity capacity for learning language – a capacity that decreases with the passages of years that decreases with the passages of years (Penfield and Robert, 1959)(Penfield and Robert, 1959)

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PubertyPuberty

Age

LanguageProficency

Puberty

Optimum Level

12-13

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Neurological DevelopmentNeurological Development

As the human matures, certain functions are assigned or ‘laternalized’ to either side of the brain.

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Brain functionsBrain functions

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Viewpoint for the critical period Viewpoint for the critical period hypothesishypothesis

Scovel, Singleton:Scovel, Singleton: There is a critical periThere is a critical period not only for first language but also seod not only for first language but also second language acquisition.cond language acquisition.

Implication: Children are better learners Implication: Children are better learners than adults.than adults.

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Opposite Viewpoint for the Opposite Viewpoint for the critical period hypothesiscritical period hypothesis

Walsh and DillerWalsh and Diller Lower-order processes Lower-order processes such as pronunciation are such as pronunciation are dependent on early dependent on early maturing, making the maturing, making the foreign accents difficult to foreign accents difficult to overcome after the overcome after the childhood childhood

Higher-order language Higher-order language functions, such as functions, such as semantic relations are semantic relations are more dependent on late more dependent on late maturing neural circuits.maturing neural circuits.

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Levels of thinking skillsLevels of thinking skills

1.1. Identification Identification

2.2. Extracting informationExtracting information

3.3. SequencingSequencing

4.4. Comparison Comparison

5.5. AnalysisAnalysis

6.6. Application Application

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Version 1Version 1 The exercise hypothesis: Early in life, The exercise hypothesis: Early in life,

humans have a superior capacity for humans have a superior capacity for acquiring languages. If he capacity is not acquiring languages. If he capacity is not exercised during this time, it will disappear exercised during this time, it will disappear or decline with maturation. If the capacity is or decline with maturation. If the capacity is exercised, however, further language exercised, however, further language learning abilities will remain intact learning abilities will remain intact throughout life.throughout life.

Implication: Second language acquisition Implication: Second language acquisition should be equivalent in children and adults. should be equivalent in children and adults.

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Version 2Version 2

The maturational state hypothesis : The maturational state hypothesis : Early in life, humans have a superior Early in life, humans have a superior capacity for acquiring languages capacity for acquiring languages abilities for acquiring languages. This abilities for acquiring languages. This capacity disappears or declines with capacity disappears or declines with maturation.maturation.

Implication: Children will be better in Implication: Children will be better in second language learning as well as second language learning as well as first.first.

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Types of Comparison and Types of Comparison and contrastcontrast

C1C1 A1A1

C2C2 A2A2

Child Adult

L1

L2

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ResearchResearch

Subjects: 46 subjectsSubjects: 46 subjects

Early arrivals 23 subjects, late Early arrivals 23 subjects, late arrivals: 23 arrivalsarrivals: 23 arrivals

23 native speakers23 native speakers

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Rule Types Tested in the Rule Types Tested in the TaskTask

1. Past tense1. Past tense 2. Plural2. Plural3.3. PluralPlural 4. Present Progressi4. Present Progressi

veve5.5. DeterminersDeterminers 6. Pronominalization6. Pronominalization7. Particle movement 8. Subcateogoratio7. Particle movement 8. Subcateogoratio

nn9. Auxillaries9. Auxillaries 10. Yes/No questions10. Yes/No questions11. Wh-questions11. Wh-questions 12. Word order12. Word order

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ExamplesExamples

The farmer bought two pigs at the market.The farmer bought two pigs at the market. The farmer bought two pig at the market.The farmer bought two pig at the market.

The little boy is speaking to a policemanThe little boy is speaking to a policeman The little boy is speak to a policemanThe little boy is speak to a policeman

Yesterday the hunter shot a deer.Yesterday the hunter shot a deer. Yesterday the hunter shoots a deerYesterday the hunter shoots a deer

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The relationship between age The relationship between age of arrival in the United States of arrival in the United States and the total score correct on and the total score correct on the test of English grammarthe test of English grammar

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Correlation between the age of Correlation between the age of arrival and test scorearrival and test score

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Mean percentage of errors on Mean percentage of errors on L2 types of English rulesL2 types of English rules

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EffectsEffects

1. Age of Acquisition and ultimate 1. Age of Acquisition and ultimate performanceperformance

- Children have an advantage over - Children have an advantage over adults in acquiring a second language.adults in acquiring a second language.

2. The effects of age of acquisition 2. The effects of age of acquisition before versus after pubertybefore versus after puberty

- Subjects who arrived in the United - Subjects who arrived in the United States after puberty performed more States after puberty performed more poorly than those who arrived earlierpoorly than those who arrived earlier

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EffectEffect

3. Support the maturational state 3. Support the maturational state hypothesishypothesis

- the age effect is present during time - the age effect is present during time of ongoing biological and cognitive of ongoing biological and cognitive maturation and absent after the maturation and absent after the maturation is completematuration is complete

4. Age of acquisition and rule type4. Age of acquisition and rule type - unclear what part of sentence or - unclear what part of sentence or

grammar she/he is having problems grammar she/he is having problems withwith

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Conclusion: Other factors Conclusion: Other factors affecting second language affecting second language

acquisitionacquisition 1. Levels of thinking skills 1. Levels of thinking skills 2. Intervention of L12. Intervention of L1 3. Motivational factors3. Motivational factors 4. Interlingual identification (Weinreich,4. Interlingual identification (Weinreich,

1953)1953) 5. Storage of L2 information5. Storage of L2 information 6.Personality6.Personality


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