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What is SLA?
Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is the study of individuals and groups
who are learning a language subsequent to learning their first as young
children, and to the process of learning that language (Saville-Troike, p.
2006).
A second language may be learnt formally (specialized language
instruction) or informally through social interactions.
Examples:
in French
Informal Instruction --- A Japanese child who has migrated
to the US learns English during the course of playing and
attending school with English natives
Second language acquisition has been studied from multiple perspectives
in an effort to ascertain a holistic understanding of the process by which
individuals learn or acquire a second language.
The perspectives are as follows:
Linguistics: Examine the linguistic competence (underlying knowledge
of the language) and linguistic performance (actual production) of
learners at various stages of acquisition
Psychologists and psycholinguists: Emphasize the mental or
cognitive processes involved in acquisition, and the representation of
language in the brain (different learning strategies, personality factors,
types and strength of motivation)
Invasion or conquest
Need or desire for contact
Immigration
Adoption of religious beliefs and practices
Need or desire to pursue education experiences
A desire for occupational or social advancement
An interest in outside culture
The Nature of Language Learning
L2 Learning
The Initial State
The inherent aptitude to acquire L1 remains for the SLA, but the
potency of such ability debilitates with age
No intrinsic capacity for language acquisition extends beyond
childhood
Methods of the above evaluation cannot yield conclusive data as
language processing/acquisition is mentally imperceptible
Moreover, the tests are done indirect and often done in unnatural
settings thus compromising the accuracy of the findings
The initial state for L2 learning has resources of L1 competence,
world knowledge, and established skills for interactions, which can
be both an asset and an impediment.