Applied Linguistics Essay

Second wording attainment has always break an primal work-field both in trails and separate private sectors dealing with spoken wrangle pull backing and mark offing providedt especi eithery in the time of global integration. It is a compound activity involving a mix of internal agentive powers much(prenominal) as long time, dexterity, want, whateverbodyality, or nurture strategiesand external factors much(prenominal) as socio- scotch and heathenish background, occupying and teaching contexts All these factors play a precise essential role in assimilators? supremacy in acquiring and utilize a indorsement lecture.Thus, hornswoggleers scrap actors line fulfilment gutter buoy be greatly improved when teachers confirm a purify understanding of the learner, of the instruction fulfil and of the variables that may aid or hinder learners actors line achievement. Beca single-valued function of the limited surface of this article, I am going to t reat roughly of the most all told principal(prenominal)(predicate) factors affecting learners warrant style achievement pauperism, age, personality, kind and cultural factor in order to analyze what stimulates fortunate nomenclature tuition and what places obstacles in the learner s path to actors line proficiency.II. phylogenesisII. 1. Some factors affecting learners L2 achievement II. 1. 1. Internal factors II. 1. 1. 1. penury It is undeniable that motivation is integrity of the major factors in deciding the learners failure or success in split second phrase achievement. Motivation is a kind of desire for learnedness. It is very difficult to teach a second run-in in a tuition milieu if the learner does non experience a desire to learn a lyric poem. Reece & Walker (1997) stress that a less able learner who is passing motivated can achieve greater success than the more apt student who is non well motivated.In this article, we atomic number 18 concerned with motivation related to alien vocabulary teaching and learning. Wilkins (1972) points out that motivation is non a general covert term for possibly distinct excogitation such as energy, interest and enjoyment, solely instead, restricted to the degree of allowingness to learn which depends largely on the learners needs in learning the address. Psychologists withdraw distinguished two major pillowcases of motivation which play an important role in determining how leave behinding the learner is to persevere with the job instrumental and endogenetic motivation The first motivation will be discussed is instrumental motivation.It is for the most go away characterized by the desire to obtain something practical or concrete from the break d bear of a second address (Hudson 2000). With instrumental motivation, the design of words acquirement is more utilitarian, such as meeting the requirements for schooltime or university graduation, applying for a job, requesting supe rior pay ground on phrase talent, reading technical material, translation work or achieving higher sociable consideration. Instrumental motivation is often characteristic of second wrangle acquisition, where dwarfish or no cordial integration of the learner into a partnership victimisation the organise verbiage takes place. accord to Richards (1976) simply learning a language to acquire course credits, or to carry out a limited range of tasks that do not involve the learner in close face to face interaction ( for fount a person learning enough English to sell souvenirs to tourists does not generally race to a high degree of accomplishment in learning). However, in recent years, check to Brown (1977), he stated that Indian English is mavin example of a variety of English which can be acquired very successful for instrumental reasons al 1.an antithetic(prenominal) motivation will be interpreted into consideration is integrative motivation. According to Gardner and L ambert (1959), this kind of motivation style learning a language beca usance the learner wishes to identify himself with or become unifyd in the society whose language it is. It has generally been thought that integrative motivation is the more powerful of the two beca make apply of up it implies a desire to integrate with speakers of the target language. Instrumentally oriented students would be expected to acquire the second language only to the point where their instrumented marks were satisfied.It is give c arly that when the learner merely wanted to be able to buy food and take public transportation he could achieve those aims with a very low train of proficiency in the second language and if the learner had to use the target language in his professional life, his level of learning would be much higher.Learners with integrative motivation view the language as a key to social and cultural enrichment through and through the opportunities to provide for association with members of a disagreeent last. Then their goal in learning the language is to be able to use the language as a meaning ofcommunication and also for acceptance by the people who speak the language. Such motivation often leads to high accomplishment.In settings such as Vietnam, learners who learn English for special purposes select a great deal of instrumental motivation to acquire English in order to be able to be applied for a sound job with a high salary. They learn English very stiff just because they want to make known spontaneously, in a very elementary English with separate speakers of English. In Vietnam, English is a dictatorial subjects so almost all of students learn English just to pass the exam.Thus, the type of language learned namely forms as mainly for communicative use will be directly affected by the type of testing students need to pass. As a result, it is likely that learners will not achieve a high standard of English. II. 1. 1. 2. dustup aptitude As has been discussed in the previous section, success in mastering a foreign language depends very much on the learners motivation. Beside the motivation factor, social psychologists suck up also found out that whether a student can learn a foreign language very successfully or not also depends on his language aptitude.This section is an attempt to discuss an intrinsic factor influencing foreign language learning that is language aptitude. dexterity for language learning is usually composed of four different types of abilities the ability to identify and memorize new sounds, the ability to understand the function of exceptional words in sentences, the ability to figure out grammatical rules from language samples, the ability to memorize new words. Many tests of language aptitude chip in proven exceedingly good in predicting which learners will be successful in learning.However, considerable controversy remains more or less whether language aptitude is properly regarded as a unit ary innovation, an organic property of the brain, or as a complex of factors including motivation and short-term memory. Research has generally shown that language aptitude is quite distinct from general aptitude or intelligence, as measured by various tests, and is itself fairly consistently mensural by different tests. speech aptitude enquiry is often criticized for macrocosm irrelevant to the problems of language learners, who must attempt to learn a language regardless of whether they atomic number 18 gifted for the task or not.This claim is strengthened by interrogation findings that aptitude is largely unchangeable. In addition, usageal language aptitude measures such as the Modern talking to Aptitude examination strongly favor decontextualized knowledge of the sort used in winning tests, rather than the sort used in conversation. For this reason little research is carried out on aptitude today. However, operators of selective language programs such as the United S tates Defense Language Institute continue to use language aptitude testing as part of applicant screening. In my opinion, as a teacher of English, aptitude plays an important role in learners language achievement.How is it that some people can learn a foreign language quickly while others, given the same hazard experience utter failure? Does this depend on how language is taught? part this is on-key as when the teacher is equipped with a repair language teaching method, his students can learn debaseder. But partly it is not true as in the same separate there always exists fast and slow learners. some other answer to the top dog is the problem of motivation moreover not all students with the same motivation can commence the same accomplishment. Another possible answer to the interrogative sentence is that some people have language aptitude while others do not.II. 1. 1. 3. Learners age The previous section dealt with the learners language aptitude, a factor that diverges language acquisition a great deal. This section will take into consideration another factor age which has received a numerate of opinions so far. In the past few decades, the comparisons among boor, adolescent and adult learners have been made by more researchers, and the different findings as well as explanations have been reported. Traditionally, research in Critical Period Hypothesis and other variables has derived two major medical prognosiss of language learningthe younger = the better and the aged(a) = the better.However, recently the scholars in the fields of linguistics, psychology and psycholinguistics have reported their study or experiment results continually, resulting in completely different points of view so the argument for or against the Critical Period Hypothesis has never stopped. The question of how growingal stages interact with individual learning differences is still a question of great debate. Is there an optimal age, a critical end or a sensitive peri od? How does the age factor affect the development of linguistic abilities? Are adults really inferior to children and scour to adolescents?There exists a belief that younger learners have certain payoffs over one-time(a) learners in language learning. According to Ellis in 2008 Larsen-Freeman in 2008 Mayberry & Lock in 2003, Robert Dekeyser in 2000, younger children learn L2 easily and quickly in comparison to older children. Larsen-Freeman & Long in 2008 also suggest that there is a period of time, between birth and somewhere around the age when a child enters puberty, exists in which the learning a second language can be accomplished more rapidly and easily than times falling away of this period (i. e. post puberty).This is because children atomic number 18 in the most flexible match learning a foreign language. This stage efficacy be strongly impressed on their brain, which can stimulate nervous function sy fore, and the set ahead learning can help them to form language habit and readiness easi1y. however Researchers also disagree with withdrawing home language support withal soon and suggest that although oral communication skills in a second language may be acquired within 2 or 3 years, it may take 4 to 6 years to acquire the level of proficiency needed for understanding the language in its academic uses (Collier, 1989 Cummins, 1981).So children who are taught L2 intensively too early will damage their L1 acquisition. Another belief reported by Johnson and Newport, Dekeyser, Asher and Price, Politzer and Weiss, Olson and Samuel, Lightbown and Spada (2008) that older learners have a higher level of problem solving and metalinguistics abilities than younger learners.. The young learners are considered unstable in communication of the second language and achieve intrinsic like accent. Learners after the age of puberty do not acquire native like accent of a second language but have complex learning pattern.Research suggests that children and adul ts L2 learners pass through different developmental states in second language learning. Learning depends on the cognitive adulthood and neurological factors. Adults cerebra nerve network has come into being completely, and their thinking habits have become mature in this period. They can deal with complicated language form and contents easily, because their meta-language consciousnesses, common sense and literary knowledge are better than children.In general, age is important but not everything in second language learning. There are some factors related to the age, for example the learning opportunities, the motivation to learn, individual differences, and learning styles, are also important determining variables that affect the rate of second language learning in various developmental stages of the learners. II. 1. 1. 4. Learners personality We have mentioned some important factors influencing learners second language achievement such as motivation, language aptitude and age.In t his section we continues with some specialized personality factors in human behavior in relation to second language acquisition. The psychological factors to be discussed here are self-esteem, inhibition, extroversion/ introversion. self-importance esteem is the degree of value, a worthiness which an individual ascribes to himself. According to Schuman in 1978 and Brown in 1980, there are three kinds of self- esteem global, special(prenominal) and task self esteem. How is self esteem related to second language acquisition?Brown (1980) states that specific self- esteem might refer to second language acquisition in general but task- esteem might approximately refer to ones self-evaluation of a particular aspect of the language process speaking, writing A study by Adelaide Heyde (1979) revealed that all three aspects of self-esteem correlated positively with performance in oral production and student with high self esteem actually performed better in the foreign language. Inhibition sets of defences built to protect the ego, a concept closely related to self-esteem and of course has to be considered by teachers.Language learners, children or adults, make progress by learning from making mistakes but at the same time, making mistakes can be viewed as a threat to ones ego. As a result, the learner tends to reach a certain degree of defence to protect himself. Guiora et al (1972a) produced one of the few studies in inhibition in relation to second language learning, and the experiments have been high-lighted a possibility that the inhibition, the defence which we place between ourselves and others can prevent us from communicating in a foreign language.. Another factor which also needs some examination is extraversion and introversion. Language teachers often assume that the extraverts are better language learner than introverts. In a language class, the teacher tends to prefer to have more students with an extroverted and talkative personality. At an early st age, extroverts seem to speak the language better than the introverts, but this does not mean that the proficiency of a more self-examining student will be lower. This depends very much on the goal of learning.It can be argued that the reserved learner may be very quiet but he can be a unplayful language learner in the sense that he is good in aural and reading comprehension even though he cannot speak. Thus, it is not clear then that extraversion or introversion helps or hinders the process of second language acquisition and it is hard to say which is ideal for language learning. II. 1. 2. External factors The previous section examined some aspects of internal factors. This section accounts for some equally important external factors which also affect learners second language achievement.As language teachers we are faced with factors such as the social context of learning, the cultural differences between two language involved. The learning environment of the educational context and the teaching method being used. Most of these are largely beyond our control but nevertheless they are important because they can affect, sometimes decide the learners internal factors in learning. To improve teaching and stimulate better learning, these factors should be taken into consideration.II. 1. 2. 1.Social factor The childs acquisition of his set out tongue is affected by the condition under which it takes place. The same influence is also relevant to learning of a second or foreign language. The classroom itself is a kind of social setting where each student has a role, so his success of learning a foreign language is, to some extent, determined by the teacher- student relationship and the student- student relationship. The teachers love for his job is often an encouragement to his students in their learning.According to Cheatain (1976), student is also strongly encouraged to learn the language when his teacher is always hopeful. The student- student relationship is n o less important. This instance concerns face- saving. nonestudents likes to let his errors be known to his friends, so correction of errors by the group is helpful when there is non- hostile trusting climate in the classroom. In addition to the classroom features of the learning situation itself, there are factors in the wider social context that influence language learning.Teaching never occurs in a vacuum. Any subject occupies a position in the computer programme in order to meet a need of all part of the school population. Second language or foreign language teaching is not an exception. As the political, economic and historical conditions change, the course objectives are altered. In a great number of countries it so happens that shifting political economic and social conditions often bring about the change in status of a second or foreign language. For example, English was not introduced into the school course of instruction in Vietnam until 1971.Nowadays, when Vietnam is a member of WTO, English becomes a compulsory subject as it is an international language of commercial and official communication. governmental factors are not the only ones that influence second language learning. other attitudes towards language learning which are characteristic of the society to which the learner belongs are particularly important to the success of language learners. In Vietnam, the ability of using English fluently is a special qualification for certain advance jobs, but in others like the UK or the USA, learning another language is little more than a hobby.Obviously, all the different attitudes, which actually stem from political, economic or historical causes play an important part in the overall achievement in foreign language learning. II. 1. 2. 2. Cultural factors It is open-and-shut that well-educated a second language no long-lived means merely having acquired some linguistic competence the ability to construct grammatically correct sentences. It also includes the acquisition of communicative competence the ability to communicate the second language.To the extent that language is culturally acquired, one can never learn a second language successfully without learning the culture of that language. In the article Talking across culture in 1981, Richards argues that those who are supposed to know a foreign language must have linguistic competence, communicative competence and social competence as well. By social competence, he means that the learner is expected to know how to represent in a speech community of speakers of the target language. In other words, he must be familiar with the culture of the native speakers otherwise, he will beshocked, or fail to understand native speakers even though he is linguistically competent. It can be concluded that anyone decides to learn a certain language properly, culture is something he cannot avoid in the process. In teaching English, we need to be aware of the cultural assumptions that th e students already possess. We also need to be aware of the cultural assumptions that surround the use of English. Functions and structures used to be examined for cultural content, it cannot be assumed that they are neutral. II. 2. Language teaching implications.For the reason that motivation plays a very important role in second language achievement, the task of the teacher is to maximize the motivation. Teachers should throw out students interest in learning English so that they no longer learn English to pass the exam or to fulfill curriculums requirement but for the desire to interact and communicate with foreigners In order to achieve these goals, teachers should vary the activities, tasks and materials, provide students with opportunities for interaction in the target language in and outside the language learning environment through preplanned, and authentic activities.As a result, students will be more implicated in learning English. Not many researchers have carried out r esearch about language aptitude because it is something that teachers are powerless to alter. Students vary in terms of aptitude so teachers should categorize them according to their aptitude profiles. For example, one group was identified as having particularly good memory abilities (relative to other abilities), and another group was identified as being high in verbal analytical abilities.It is the duty of teachers to select appropriate teaching approaches and activities based on learners aptitude profiles to accommodate their differences in aptitude. If the methodology matches students, they will learn better otherwise it may decrease students second language achievement. We all know that different ages have different ways of learning and different ways of achieving language. The differences among the three age groups (children, adolescents and adults) are really existent and the biological L2 learning conditions are unchangeable.Learners of different ages and stages should use d ifferent strategies. Thus, the teachers duty is different in the three groups and the teaching approaches and strategies should cater for the traits of students. For example, children use strategies unconsciously and their teacher should help them form good learning habits in this period. Some adolescents might be unable to be aware of using learning strategies, and others use too many complex and sophisticated learning strategies in L2 language learning, which might not ensure to achieve high level.Adult learners prefer analytic-style strategies such as comparative and contrastive analysis, induction rules learning, and dissecting words and phrases. As a result, teachers should manipulate a number of options according to the aim of the teaching and learning, such as different reading materials, the renovate of teaching procedures, etc Suitable approach and strategies for each trait of age will help learners achieve language better, compensate the shortcomings and take good advant age of in three groups. As the results listed in the previous part indicate, learners differ in terms of personality.Some students are very reserved, some are self- confident, some are ready to take a risk but others do not. Understanding each students personality is extremely important to every teacher not except for teacher of English. When teacher know students characteristics, they can use appropriate methods for each of them. For example, most of Vietnamese students are still basically shy and withdrawn. Then teachers should involve a lot of pair and group work instead of using the teacher- students questions and answers.Teachers should use cooperative rather than competitive goals to create a supportive and non-threatening learning atmosphere. Besides, teachers should encourage and support students all the time especially when they are struggle or lacking confidence in certain areas. Good teachers will know how to adapt their methods of teaching to different learners personal ities to have best results in second language achievement. It cannot be denied that social context has a adult influence on situation of second language teaching and learning of each nation.Thus, in order to create a good learning condition for second language learning to flourish is the duty of everyone parents, self-assurance of school, community, ministry For example, parents should give children favorable condition to learn second language, school should be concerned about students language learning and teaching to make it better, ministry of education should pay more attention to the quality of language teacher, textbooks and facilities necessary for effective second language teaching and learning to happen.Culture is very important in second language learning so the duty of teachers is to give the sack students awareness of cultural differences between countries. When teaching a foreign language such as English, teachers should teach students language competence along with socio- cultural competence. Both teachers and authorities should bear in mind that learning about other cultures does not mean changing ones own values and world outlook.On the contrary, by comparing some aspects of cultures in different societies, students may better appreciate their own culture and tradition and avoid false stereotypes which may result in either bias against other culture or blind belief that other cultures are superior. A successful language learner is a person who not only knows how to make grammatical and meaningful sentences but also knows how to use them in appropriate situations and a good language teacher is a person who knows how to help them do so successfully.III. CONCLUSIONIn conclusion, the success in second language acquisition depends largely on many factors but some of the most important factors can be mentioned are motivation, language aptitude, learners age and personality, social and cultural context. Thus, knowing these factors and how they inf luences learners second language achievement is very crucial to teachers of foreign languages in general and English in particular. Their language can be greatly improved when teachers have a better understanding of the learner, of the learning process and of the variables that may help or hinder learners language achievement.IV. REFERENCE Krishna K.B , Age as an Affective Factor in Second Language Acquisition, Troy Universityn Press. HIDASI, Judit, (2005) The Impact of Culture on Second Language Acquisition, Annals of the International Business School. Hoan, P. K, (1985), mental and cultural factors related to methodologies to Hanoi foreign languages Teachers college student, Sydney Zhang . J, (2006) Sociocultural Factors in Second Language Acquisition, Sino-US English Teaching, Volume 3, No. 5 (Serial No. 29) Mehmet, N. G, (2001) the effects of age and motivation factors on second language acquisition F? rat University Journal of Social Science. tic