The Importance Of Second Language Acquisition

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In our country, learning a language is seen as impossible. This thought results in problems in classes for teachers because most of the students restrain themselves from learning English. It means that we, as teachers, must know how languages are learned and which factors affect learning a language. Learning a second language is parallel with first language acquisition from various aspects. There is a marked difference between learning and acquisition. Children acquire language through a subconscious process during their childhood when they aren’t aware of grammar. This is for the first language of the children; we can say it is for the native language. There is a natural communication in this process in contrast to learning. Learning a language is a conscious process, it consists of rules and principles. The students have conscious knowledge and s/he need to talk about that knowledge, that means it is not communicative. It can be said that while acquisition is a natural process, learning is an artificial process.
Learning a foreign language is important in our life especially in these days. Everybody may have a different reason to learn English or another language, but it must be known that it is important and essential.
‘’If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.
If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart’’. -Nelson Mandela
"A different language is a different vision of life." - Federico Fellini
Second language acquisition has been researching for the last two decades but all the details of this process aren’t understood completely. Stephen Krashen says that second language acquisition is not different from the first language acquisition. Second language acquisition occurs onl...

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...rtant point for speaking; critical period hypothesis. If a child starts to learn a second language before the age of 6, s/he will be definitely successful. If a child starts to learn a second language between the age of 12 and 15, s/he will have a chance to be successful but it is very hard to do. In our country, students start to learn a second language at the age of 9(minimum) and it produces poor results.
Teachers should point out the contrastive analysis to learners because when learners know the similarities and differences between native language and target language in terms of linguistic forms, vocabulary (etc.), and negative transfer can be prevented and also positive transfer can be encouraged. Teachers, families and the Ministry of Education should consider the critical period hypothesis. The age of starting to learn a second language must be reduced.

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