The Significant Period of Second Language Acquisition

The Significant Period of Second Language Acquisition

by

Yang Zhahe

Email add.: Kunming [email protected]

Foreign Languages School

Yunnan Normal University


1. Background information of the issue

The Open-and-reform policy in China (1976)

The beginning of the CET4 and CET 6 (1986)

The assessment of the foreign languages learning and teaching based on the language competence of listening and speaking (1995)


2. Countrywide research & investigation on the

improvement of listening and speaking, to the native speaker’s level in the Chinese contest

1) The factors that affect the listening and speaking even at tertiary level

* Policy at all levels

* Language environment (urban and rural)

* Teachers ( quality and quantity)

* Text books ( native or SL2)

* Teaching methods (old or new)

* Learners (willing or not willing)

* There may be over 20 factors can be mentioned


3. Of all the factors, learners should be the most crucial one in the second language acquisition

* One theory; “ Languages can only be learned , not

be taught.” a teacher can only be the helper …

* Interest ( like or dislike)

* Value of the language (useful or useless)

* Motivation ( strong inner power)

* Objectives ( going abroad )

* Attitude (love the house love the bird)

* Character ( outward or inward)

* Genetic origin ( some from the parents)

* Age ( last but the most important here)


4. Our research based on the age-importance in Second Language Acquisition Paul Broca, a French doctor majored in neuropathy (mental) and dissectionThe story of his findings in 1861 Paul Broca had a language barrier patient who could understand others, but could not talk and yet his speech organs were good. Six days later the patient died and the dissection found that his left-front part brain tissue was clearly damaged. Afterwards, 8 similar cases he declared this part is the language-center area. Later people call it Paul Broca area, or Broca’s theory in language learning. This is a great contribution Broca did in language learning.


5. And other important findings in this area were established in Connell University of the USA issued 1996 in the magazine Nature of the first volume. * New technology nuclear magnetic resonance Findings: * The development of this area (2--3) * The matured period (10--12) Tendency: * The characteristics now; easy and flexible in language learning when young and rigid and stiffened when old.


* The three stages of the law of Nature for human beings

Stage one: 2—12 both physical &Languages growth Stage two: 13—19 living & working skills obtaining Stage three: 20 and above, family raising

Back to the experiment carried out in Connell University again

* The controlled experiment Group one ( under 12 ) Group two ( above 12 ) * Item: Second language Learning


•The differences in L2 learning in the brain

•Before 12 above 12


6. One more thing to mention is the relationship between mother- tongue and second language

The tendency of resistance from the mother- tongue system against acceptance of other languages.

eg. Most people think their native language is the best one and most beautiful, and easiest to learn. So the mother tongue is superb.

This instinctive protection of the native language occurs in every language and the more perfect it develops, the stranger it will be. Likewise the younger, the better in learning a second language.


7. Psychological characteristics of the young in the second language Learning * Troubles in care * Their attention-span * Language environment * Suitable text books * Good instructor 8. Conclusion In general the Significant Period for the young learners to start second language learning is between 6 — 12.

Thank you !

The Significant Period of Second Language Acquisition

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