Chapter 10. Age effects in naturalistic and instructed second language acquisition
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Robert M. DeKeyser
Abstract
For more than half a century now the idea has been that children are better language learners than adults and that therefore second language learning in school should start early. Ironically, until fairly recently, the SLA literature on age effects, which was used to advocate foreign language in the elementary school, comprised hardly a single classroom study. The more recent literature does include a number of interesting classroom studies that show that children are not necessarily better language learners in the classroom, and actually worse learners for the most part; this literature has now been used to argue against the concept of the critical period. In this article I argue that these two bodies of literature are not contradictory and that age effects cannot be fully understood without reconciling them, showing that children are better at one particular kind of learning. This has profound implications for theories of cognitive development, theories of second language learning, and second language curriculum design.
Abstract
For more than half a century now the idea has been that children are better language learners than adults and that therefore second language learning in school should start early. Ironically, until fairly recently, the SLA literature on age effects, which was used to advocate foreign language in the elementary school, comprised hardly a single classroom study. The more recent literature does include a number of interesting classroom studies that show that children are not necessarily better language learners in the classroom, and actually worse learners for the most part; this literature has now been used to argue against the concept of the critical period. In this article I argue that these two bodies of literature are not contradictory and that age effects cannot be fully understood without reconciling them, showing that children are better at one particular kind of learning. This has profound implications for theories of cognitive development, theories of second language learning, and second language curriculum design.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- In memory of Professor Michael H. Long (1945–2021) vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Preface xi
- About the editor and contributors xix
- Chapter 1. The legacy of Professor Michael H. Long and his influence in second language acquisition 1
- Chapter 2. Taking the Long view 9
- Chapter 3. Stabilization 29
- Chapter 4. Enhanced incidental learning 77
- Chapter 5. The uncertainty principle in second language acquisition 101
- Chapter 6. Tandem interaction enhancement 113
- Chapter 7. Immediate versus delayed oral negative feedback 127
- Chapter 8. A calculus for L1 transfer 143
- Chapter 9. Age of acquisition in second language thinking 177
- Chapter 10. Age effects in naturalistic and instructed second language acquisition 197
- Chapter 11. Performance on second language speaking tasks 211
- Chapter 12. A task-based needs analysis framework for TBLT 235
- Chapter 13. Can focus on form have an effect on language development? 257
- Index 273
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- In memory of Professor Michael H. Long (1945–2021) vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Preface xi
- About the editor and contributors xix
- Chapter 1. The legacy of Professor Michael H. Long and his influence in second language acquisition 1
- Chapter 2. Taking the Long view 9
- Chapter 3. Stabilization 29
- Chapter 4. Enhanced incidental learning 77
- Chapter 5. The uncertainty principle in second language acquisition 101
- Chapter 6. Tandem interaction enhancement 113
- Chapter 7. Immediate versus delayed oral negative feedback 127
- Chapter 8. A calculus for L1 transfer 143
- Chapter 9. Age of acquisition in second language thinking 177
- Chapter 10. Age effects in naturalistic and instructed second language acquisition 197
- Chapter 11. Performance on second language speaking tasks 211
- Chapter 12. A task-based needs analysis framework for TBLT 235
- Chapter 13. Can focus on form have an effect on language development? 257
- Index 273
