Factors Affecting Language Learning Process [PDF]

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Factors Affecting Language Learning Process



5 Internal Factors that Influence Language Learning 1. Personality Is the student introverted or extroverted? A student’s personality can affect how he learns a second language. More introverted students have been shown to take longer to acquire a language because they are more hesitant to make mistakes. Extroverted students, on the other hand, are more likely to go out on a limb and try out their newly learned vocabulary. To ensure that both personality types succeed, it is important to create an environment where students understand that mistakes are part of the learning process and it is more important to speak than to be perfect. 2. Motivation (Intrinsic) Is the child being forced to learn, or does he want to learn the language? When a child understands the importance of understanding a language and can see how it directly applies to his life, he learns faster. A contextual, theme-based lesson scheme can help get students become more excited to dive into language learning. When they are interested in learning a language and they see meaningful connections to their lives, they begin to take risks to produce language, which helps them to acquire it faster. Intrinsic motivation has been found to correlate strongly with educational achievement. Clearly, students who enjoy language learning and take pride in their progress will do better than those who don't. 3. Age How old is a student when they start learning a foreign language?



While students of all ages can learn a foreign language, there is consensus that certain aspects are affected by the age of the learner. It becomes harder for students to have native pronunciation from the teen years. Some students also find that it is more difficult to fully acquire a foreign language as they get older, but this is not true of everyone. Second language acquisition is influenced by the age of the learner. Children, who already have solid literacy skills in their own language, seem to be in the best position to acquire a new language efficiently. Motivated, older learners can be very successful too, but usually struggle to achieve native-speaker-equivalent pronunciation and intonation. 4. Prior Linguistic Knowledge Is the language he is learning his first foreign language? Once a child has studied and acquired a language, his skill at learning another new language will increase. Language learners have the ability to translate skills from one language to another because they are able to recognize the rules and patterns of language, even if the vocabulary is different. Students who are learning a second language which is from the same language family as their first language have, in general, a much easier task than those who aren't. So, for example, a Dutch child will learn English more quickly than a Japanese child. 5. Experiences Learners who have acquired general knowledge and experience are in a stronger position to develop a new language than those who haven't. The student, for example, who has already lived in 3 different countries and been exposed to various languages and cultures has a stronger base for learning a further language than the student who hasn't had such experiences. 6 External Factors that Influence Language Learning 1. Teaching Strategies How is the language taught? The strategies a language teacher uses have a big impact on language learning. How does the teacher help students understand the concepts of a language? How does the teacher take different learning styles into account, as well as different levels of comprehension? For example, watching a film in the target language and writing and



performing skits in the target language address multiple learning styles. Offering an immersion experience helps students connect the language learning to their everyday lives, but rote vocabulary memorization and grammar drills create 'meaning-less' language lessons. Clearly, some language teachers are better than others at providing appropriate and effective learning experiences for the students in their classrooms. These students will make faster progress. The same applies to mainstream teachers in second language situations. The science teacher, for example, who is aware that she too is responsible for the students' English language development, and makes certain accommodations, will contribute to their linguistic development. 2. Comprehensible Input How attainable does the language feel to the student? Stephen Krashen is known for developing the Input Hypothesis of Second-language Acquisition. In this context, the titular “input” is the language curriculum. Krashen wrote that teaching at just any level of difficulty isn’t sufficient: the input received by a student must be comprehensible. In other words, the curriculum must reach a child at their current level and challenge him with activities and just 1 (i+1) level beyond their current stage. If the material feels out of reach, the student can feel “shut down” and have trouble engaging with the lesson. To make sure that students feel motivated to learn, it is important to ensure that they feel like they have the ability to progress to the next level of learning. 3. Learning Environment How does the child feel in the classroom? Another key factor is how comfortable students feel in their language learning environment. Does their classroom feel cold and tense, or positive and relaxing? What’s the school’s culture and beliefs about language learning? A student’s learning environment has an impact on their motivation—a low anxiety language learning environment increases the chance for language acquisition. 4. Motivation (extrinsic) Is another language spoken at the child’s home? What is his exposure level to different languages? Exposure is an important factor in language comprehension and acquisition. If a student’s family only speaks one language, are they able to provide help when the child needs it? It also matters how much value parents place in learning an additional language. Parents who prioritize language learning are more likely to push their child to keep trying even when it feels difficult.



Children who are given continuing, appropriate encouragement to learn by their teachers and parents will generally fare better than those who are not given any. 5. Culture Lev Vygotsky's theory suggests that, although children are born with the skills for language development, development is affected and shaped by cultural and social experiences. The culture in which a person develops will have its own values, beliefs and tools of intellectual adaptation. These all have an effect on cognitive functions, including language development. Vygotsky also believed that language is a result of social interactions and that language is responsible for the development of thought. Beverley Otto writes about the various differences that researchers have found when studying the language development of children from different cultures. The differences in language between cultures are evident when you compare how some countries use several words to describe a concept and others use just one word to describe the same concept. 6. Access to native speakers The opportunity to interact with native speakers both within and outside of the classroom is a significant advantage. Native speakers are linguistic models and can provide appropriate feedback. Clearly, second-language learners who have no extensive access to native speakers are likely to make slower progress, particularly in the oral/aural aspects of language acquisition. Sources: https://www.whitbyschool.org/passionforlearning/9-factors-that-influence-language learning http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/factors.htm https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2019/06/what-to-do-with-underachieving students-a-quick-teacher-guide https://www.hellomotherhood.com/chomskys-theory-on-childrens-language development-5721474.html