Entry 4: Reflection

Second language acquisition (SLA) is the field of study in which researchers investigate how people can learn another language after acquiring knowledge of their first language. From taking this course, I learned that there is a difference between bilingualism and second language acquisition. With bilingualism or multilingualism, the focus is on all of the languages that the person speaks (Ortega, 2013, p. 4). Contrastingly, with second language acquisition, the main focus is on the person’s second language rather than their first language. I also learned that there are two different kinds of learners, naturalistic learners and instructed learners. Naturalistic learners are those who learn the second language (L2) through informal opportunities in their multicultural neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces without receiving any organized instruction (Ortega, 2013, p. 6). Instructed learners are those who learned in a formal setting such as through school, university, or private lessons. Although there are two types of learners, most people learn L2 through both naturalistic and instructed experiences.

Second language acquisition is affected by a variety of factors, which include age, personality, motivation, experiences, cognition, and prior background knowledge. According to Ortega (2013, p. 12), there is a critical period in which “the processes and outcomes of L2 acquisition are fundamentally and irreversibly changed. This means that there may be a ceiling to L2 learning, in the sense that it may be impossible to develop levels of L2 competence that are isomorphic to the competence all humans possess in their own mother tongue.” In the book, Ortega talks about how age plays a factor in SLA. Learners who acquire L2 before puberty are more likely to attain morphosyntactic and phonological competence close to the native speakers of the language (Ortega, 2013, p. 28-29). Learners who learned past the age of puberty are not likely to perform in the native speaker range regardless of the number of years they resided in the L2 environment.

Personality also plays a factor in SLA because it may speed up the rate in which the learner acquires the language. The learners that are more shy or timid may not be as willing to speak the language as the learners who are outgoing. The rate at which learners acquire the second language is also affected by their prior background knowledge, cognition, and experiences. According to Ortega (2013, p. 53), “knowledge of two (or more) languages can accelerate the learning of an additional one, and all previously known languages can influence knowledge of and performance in an L3.” “The learner’s mother tongue universally influences the processes and outcomes of L2 learning” (Ortega, 2013, p. 53). Therefore, the learner transfers the knowledge they have of L1 to assist in their L2 development. Cognition also plays a huge role in SLA because it affects the extent and rate in which the learner acquires the second language. Ortega states that “incidental learning, or learning without intention is possible in L2 learning, such as through reading for pleasure. However, people learn faster, more and better when they learn deliberately or with intention” (2013, p. 107). Lastly, the experiences a learner has affects the development of the L2. When learners have a greater general knowledge and have been exposed to various cultures and languages, they have a stronger base for learning another language compared to those with little to no experiences.

I believe that this class will definitely make a positive impact on my professional practice because of all the information I have learned about SLA. Having a deeper understanding about SLA will be useful in teaching ESL students because it allows me to see where the students are coming from. I understand the factors that affect SLA, so having that knowledge will help me adjust my instruction and practices to accommodate the students. I could help the students make connections from their previous language to English in order to help them develop their fluency. I also understand that it is really important for the students to practice speaking and writing in L2 so that they can have a better understanding of L2. The more the students practice the language, the better they will get at speaking the language and developing fluency in the language. In my future classroom, I would make sure to give the ESL students many opportunities to practice speaking with their classmates by having class discussions. If the students are more introverted, I could have the students work with partners or in groups to improve their fluency.

I do not think there were any aspects or topics of the class that should have received more or less attention. I personally felt like all of the topics were covered appropriately, so there is no need for change. At first, I did not like having to do the Vblogs because of the videos. In my previous classes, the professors only required reflections, so I felt taken aback when we had to record videos and interview people. After doing the Vblogs and interacting with my classmates, I did feel that I learned a lot more about the content because I was learning about the content through different mediums. I was learning about SLA through reading the book, reading my classmates’ reflections, and watching their videos. I gained a lot of insight about learning languages from watching my classmates’ videos and hearing about their stories. Overall, I learned a lot about second language acquisition from taking this course, and I hope to be able to take this information and apply it to my future classroom when I become a teacher.