Friday, December 29, 2006

Can Adults Acquire a Second Language Successfully?

In my point of view, the answer is “Yes.” Recent neurological research as opposed, to the claims of Critical Age Hypothesis, says that adults do possess superior language learning capabilities (Walsh and Diller, 1978). This is because adult brains are capable for higher-order linguistic processes and embrace well-developed cognitive systems. Relying on long-term memory, adults can make associations and generalizations easily to integrate the new language input with their ample existing learning experiences. Therefore, two pivotal indications can be elicited here: there is no decline in language learning ability while people are getting older, and most importantly, adults can pick up a language more progressively and easily than younger learners. Research also indicates that besides the cognitive development, other elements like language learning strategies, learners’ affective factors, as well as effective teaching methods by tutors should be taken into consideration to produce successful language learners.

Over the years, a great bulk of language learning strategies have come and gone, in and out of fashion, just like the emergence of early grammar-translation approach until the contemporary communicative approach. Each of these came with respective theoretical foundations that advocated miscellaneous theories, methodologies, and approaches, such as direct learning on vocabulary retention, conscious-subconscious language learning, learning style and learning strategies (LS-LS), and so forth. Nevertheless, what I want to highlight here is: all the language learning strategies used among learners have proven to be useful to improve language learning (Lessard-Clouston, 1997; Yang, 1998; Thanasoulas, 2000). Nonetheless, Malaysian learners are not extensively exposed to the proper way on how to use language learning strategies, but only seen as a complementary component in the teaching and learning of second language skills namely reading, writing, speaking and listening. In another words, the use of language learning strategies is either incidental or unconscious (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 1991). This may be due to the deficiency in clarity of the concepts of learning strategies. For instance, language learning strategies can be perceived as a type of behaviour or mental activity; conscious or subconscious; or even both.

Citation (APA 6th ed.):
Mah, B. Y. (2006). Can adults acquire a second language successfully? OUM Tutor Connexxions, 15(October-November), 1-3. Retrieved from 2006/issue15/index.php?op=view&page=5

Click HERE to access the full text.