Difference Between L1 And L2 Learning

L1 VS L2 Learning: Controversy

Abstract

Nobody can deny the interrelatedness of first and second language acquisition. Many factors can affect the way people acquire the two languages and lots of research has been done in order to show the influential causes. In the current paper, an attempt is made to find the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition in terms of learner’s goals, error correction, affective factors, critical period hypothesis and UG access.

Intro

It is a recurring theme in the realm of language learning that people wonder whether learning a second language is the same as learning their mother tongue or not. For long, many researches have conducted various research in order to find the similarities and differences between

Affective filters include terms such as anxiety, motivation, attitude and so on. He proposes that the affective filter is responsible for individual variation in SLA. He also puts that this affective filter plays no role for children who are acquiring their L1. No matter what the curricula is, an L2 learner with high anxiety, low motivation or low self-confidence cannot deal with learning a new language easily since the person is exposed to a barrier which prevents the individual from fully communicating with the environment, peers, teacher and the materials being taught. Also, attitude decides commitment to learning. Students who give up in the middle of the way usually achieve less than those who are persistent in learning and participate in class activities. Therefore, teachers can use proper techniques in teaching the new material with the aim of reducing affective filters to minimum. According to Bley-Vroman (1998, confirmed in cook, 2008), Affective factors play a great role in determining the success of L2 learners. Students who are average and not gifted, yet truly motivated, can overcome the problems easier and learn faster than those who are sharp and talented but not motivated enough to learn. However, like what Krashen mentions, Bley-Vroman, Elis, and later Cook believe that affective filters have no place in determining the success of an L1 learner since the environment and culture of acquiring L1 is the same as the milieu and culture of the L1 learner. Another point to mention is that when a child learns a second language, he or she goes through the process of enculturation which means the person becomes a member of the target language group. On the contrary, since a second language learner, especially adults, learns L2 with different purposes, the individual may or may not become a member of