Age at immigration and second language proficiency

among foreign-born adultsBy Gillian Stevens (1999).

Scarlett EspinozaClaudia MillafiloAracely Rodríguez

Universidad Católica de la Santísima ConcepciónEnglish Pedagogy

INDEX1. Introduction

2. Theoretical Framework

3. Analysis Framework/Methodology

4. Analysis Results

5. Discussion

INTRODUCTION

• Who?

• What for?

• Why?

• Where?

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Perspectives

Linguists and psychologists’

research

Sociologists and economists’

research

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKLINGUISTS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS

1. Migrants’ proficiency in an L2 would have evidence in several aspects of the language, such as phonology and syntax, depending on their age at arrival.

2. Maturational constraints would be biologically related to neurological or quasi-neurological structures in the acquisition and proficiency of an L2.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK3. Age at immigration marks the age at onset of L2

learning.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK*SOCIOLOGISTS AND ECONOMISTS

1. Length of residence in the U.S. is often used as a measure of immigrants’ exposure to opportunities to learn the language.

2. Economists argue that educational attainment also affects L2 acquisition.

ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK

• Sociological point of view.

• Use of 1990 U.S Census data.

• Dependent variable.

• Independent variable.

ANALYSIS RESULTS• Analysis sample: respondents’ characteristics.• Limited• 40%: very well• 22%: well• 31%: not well /at all• Age/ average• Schooling• Not critical period but steady decay.

-The results provide support for two aspects.-Age at immigration.

ANALYSIS RESULTS• Background• Countries• Education• Schooling in the U.S• Marriage• Relationship between proficiency in English and age at immigration.• Probabilities of increasing their

proficiency.

DISCUSSION• Do maturational constraints tied to age at onset of language-

learning govern L2 acquisition?

• Respondents’ ages at onset of L2 learning would have an impact on their levels of proficiency in English in adulthood.

• Young learners starting before age five or so, are almost certain to report being proficient L2 speakers in adulthood.

• Language acquisition as a social process.

• The result says nothing about the processes producing maturational constraints nor about the specific linguistic phenomena affected by them.

NEW WORDS • Threshold: / re h ldˈθ ʃ əʊ / the level at which something

starts to happen or have an effect.• Intertwine: / nt r twa n/ if two or more things are ɪ ə ˈ ɪ

together they are very difficult to separate. • Noteworthy: / n t w rði/ˈ əʊ ˌ ɜː deserving to be noticed or to

receive attention because it is unusual, important or interesting.

• Decay: /d ke / ɪˈ ɪ (sth) to be destroyed gradually by natural processes; to destroy sth in this way.

• Household: / ha sh ld/ˈ ʊ əʊ All the people living together in a house or flat/apartment.

• Constraint: /k n stre nt/ a limitation.ə ˈ ɪ

REFERENCES• U.S Bureau of the Census (1993). Census of population and

housing, 1990. Public use microdata sample: 1- percent sample [MEDF]. 2nd release. Washington, DC: Dept. of Commerce. [Distributed by Inter-University for Political and Social Research, Ann Arbor, MI.

• Stevens, G. (1999). Age at immigration and second language proficiency among foreign-born adults. Language in Society, 28, pp. 555-578.