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Question 2:

Is there a “best age” for someone to

start learning a second language? When
is the “best time” to start learning a
second language? Give appropriate
examples to support your answer.
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The importance of learning a second language (L2) has been widely

debated in our community recently. It is a fundamental issue as it concerns about

the need of having an alternative means of language to ensure the competency

and effectiveness of an individual to survive in a community. A variety of

different arguments have been put forward regarding the best age of learning L2.

It has been argued that the optimum age of learning L2 maybe during the

years from about ten to sixteen (Yule, 2006). However, according to Marinova-

Todd, Marshall and Snow (2001), this is a widely-held belief that contains an

element of truth, but which for the most part has been disproved by recent

linguistic research. The reason why the myth arisen is we are more tolerant of

the mistakes of children than of older learners or adults. Therefore, we are

generally more patient and forgiving of the mistakes of young children than of

adults. Indeed, although children make mistakes of both fact and grammar when

speaking in a foreign language, they are far more likely to get corrective

feedback only when they make a factual mistake. Adults, in the other hand rarely

make factual mistakes and so most of the corrective feedback they receive is

grammatical in nature. This strengthens the stand that there is no best age which

limits an individual to learn L2.

Yule (2006) also asserted that despite the fact that insufficient time, focus

and incentive undermine many L2 learning attempts, there are those who seem

to be able to overcome the difficulties and develop an ability to use the L2 quite

effectively and this happen without any age constrain to it. One of the affective

factors that constrains the teenagers is self-consciousness as compared to the

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younger children. Thus, learning L2 is not at all about the best age but it goes

beyond to the willingness of individuals to overcome their affective factors to

acquire the knowledge of L2.

Many people have mistakenly attributed young children's comparative

ease in new language situations to children's greater ability to learn L2. However,

the cognitive demands made on a youngster are different as compared to those

which confront by the adult. Everything is in the here-and-now to the children

(Snow and Hoefnagel-Hoehle, 1978). For example, if they are having a dolls'

picnic, most of the communication will surround the concrete objects they can

see and handle. They also have the right to not to speak and just watch what is

happening, or take part silently. The problems faced by the adult who has an

appointment with her tax advisor would be much contradicts to this as she does

not have the option of being silent, and the whole discussion will be conducted in

the abstract mode. It is clear to us that the expectation of the society does

influence the effectiveness of learning L2, and not only based on the best time to

start learning the language.

References

Snow, C and Hoefnagel-Hoehle, M (1978) The critical period for language acquisition:
evidence from second language learning Child Development 49/4 (Quoted in
Lightbown, P and Spada, N (1999) How Languages are Learned, Oxford)

Marinova-Todd, S; Marshall, D and Snow, C Three Misconceptions about Age and L2

Learning TESOL Quarterly Vol 34/1 2001
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Yule,G. (2006), The Study of Language Third Edition . United Kingdom Cambridge
University Press