Second Language Acquisition

and
Second Language Learning

PRESENTER:
DATE:
LOCATION:
DURATION: 60 MINUTES
 What is it?

 Second language acquisition (SLA) is a

process where a second language is
learned or acquired, in addition to
having a first language
 How long does it take?

 The length of time it takes to acquire

English varies from learner to learner.
It can take from “…four to seven years
or more.”

 (Klinger, Hoover, & Baca, 2008, 19)

 What’s the difference?
 There is a difference between acquisition and
learning

 Second Language Acquisition is a subconscious

learning process

 Second Language Learning involves a conscious

process

 Although, many in education use the two terms

synonymously
 Factors that influence SLA

 Motivation
 First language experiences
 Language distance and attitude
 Access to the language
 Age of acquisition
 Personality and learning styles
 Peers and role models
 Quality of instruction
 How does motivation impact SLA?

 Directions: THINK, PAIR, SHARE

 1. Think how this factor impacts SLA

 2 Pair up with a partner and exchange your ideas

 3 Share your ideas with the whole group

 Motivation
 Motivation comes in two forms; integrative or instrumental

 Integrative
 ELL’s positive attitude towards native-English speakers
 ELL’s aspirations to become a member of the English speaking community
 ELLs will find more success when want to integrate into the new target
society,
 Linked to long-term success in ELLs

 Instrumental
 Tied to a social or economic reward for learning English
 Often times with little social integration
 ELL is trying to gain something practical or concrete from learning English


 Both integrative of instrumental motivations contribute to successful

development of English language proficiency
How does first language experience impact SLA?

 Directions: THINK, PAIR, SHARE

 1. Think how this factor impacts SLA

 2 Pair up with a partner and exchange your ideas

 3 Share your ideas with the whole group

 First Language Experiences

 First language can impact the learning of English

 vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, as well as language
structure and use
 Positive transfer can increase the rate at which
English is learned
 Negative transfer can impede its growth
 Native language proficiency can affect acquisition of
English
 The more academic knowledge and the more
proficiency ELLs are in their first language, will aid
in learning a second language (Walqui, 2000)
How do language distance and attitude impact SLA?

 Directions: THINK, PAIR, SHARE

 1. Think how this factor impacts SLA

 2 Pair up with a partner and exchange your ideas

 3 Share your ideas with the whole group

 Language distance and attitude
 Depending on their native language, ELLs may have an easier or
more difficult time learning English

 The more similar English is to the ELL’s native language, the easier
time they will have learning the language

 The ELL’s language attitudes toward school, peers, and the

community can effect learning English

 Attitudes can have both positive and negative effects on English

progress

 Learning English is additive and not subtractive

 It does not necessary mean losing the first language, but rather
learning an additional one
 How does access to the language impact SLA?

 Directions: THINK, PAIR, SHARE

 1. Think how this factor impacts SLA

 2 Pair up with a partner and exchange your ideas

 3 Share your ideas with the whole group

 Access to the language

 ELLs will have access to the language at school, but

support from home will increase their success

 While some educators may advocate that parents of

ELLs speak English at home, it is more important
for ELLs and their parents to value and maintain
their native language in order to keep the lines of
communication open
 How does age of acquisition impact SLA?

 Directions: THINK, PAIR, SHARE

 1. Think how this factor impacts SLA

 2 Pair up with a partner and exchange your ideas

 3 Share your ideas with the whole group

 Age of Acquisition

 In general, when it comes to pronunciation, experts

agree that the development of pronunciation is
highly depending on the age at which the learner
begins learning English

 It is believed that if an ELLs learns English before

puberty, the learner will attain a native-like accent,
whereas ELLs who learn English after the onset of
puberty, will most likely always speak English with a
marked accent
How do personality and learning styles impact SLA?

 Directions: THINK, PAIR, SHARE

 1. Think how this factor impacts SLA

 2 Pair up with a partner and exchange your ideas

 3 Share your ideas with the whole group

 Personality and Learning Styles
 ELLs come from a variety of different and diverse background

 Learning a second language varies greatly from individual to

individual

 This is due in part in individual difference in analytic

orientation or global orientation

 Analytically oriented ELLs will breakdown learning English

into words and sentences

 Globally oriented ELLs will use patterns of the language to

gain meaning
How do peers and role models impact SLA?

 Directions: THINK, PAIR, SHARE

 1. Think how this factor impacts SLA

 2 Pair up with a partner and exchange your ideas

 3 Share your ideas with the whole group

 Peers and Role Models

 ELLs in their teens will be strongly influenced by their

peers in order to establish a sense of belonging

 It is essential for ELLs to have role models who are both

positive and realistic that demonstrate successful
bilingualism

 This connection can also be made through literature and

personal experiences

 Role models will aid the ELL in developing an

understanding of their own successes and challenges
How does quality of instruction impact SLA?

 Directions: THINK, PAIR, SHARE

 1. Think how this factor impacts SLA

 2 Pair up with a partner and exchange your ideas

 3 Share your ideas with the whole group

 Quality of Instruction
 ELLs are not learning English from memorization or drills

 ELLs learn through meaningful interaction inside and outside

of the classroom

 Although teachers cannot control the interaction outside of

the classroom

 In the class, teachers can foster the growth and development

of their English language learning through their own
instruction in the classroom

 They can create a classroom environment that the rich in

language and collaborative in nature, rather than rely on
lecture and recitation during instructional activities
 Copyright © 2013, Holly S. Hudspath-Niemi and Mary Lou Conroy. From
Implementing Response-to-Intervention to Address the Needs of English-
Language Learners: Instructional Strategies and Assessment Tools for School
Psychologists, by Holly S. Hudspath-Niemi and Mary Lou Conroy (2013). New
York: Routledge.