Second Language Acquisition Essay

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Second Language Acquisition By definition, language acquisition makes reference to the process by which human beings acquire their capacity for not only comprehending and perceiving language but also for producing both words and sentences with the aim of communicating. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) thus refers to the process taken by people to learn a second language. In this case, a second language is defined as a language spoken in the locale of a person but is not necessarily their native language. A second language differs from a foreign language in that a foreign language is learned in an area where the language is not spoken in general. In her overview of SLA research spanning the last several decades, Pica (2005) observes that SLA …show more content…

Bialystok’s assertion is contrary to 20th century belief that SLA and bilingualism affects cognitive development and language development in children by interfering with their ability to develop normal cognitive functions, success in educational environments, and by confusing them. Instead of a sense of concern, educators and parents should see the opportunity that bilingualism and SLA provides in academic achievement. This new discovery was supported by a landmark study dubbed ‘The relation of bilingualism to intelligence’ by Peal and Lambert (1962) which proved that based on a certain aspects of school achievement and a wide range of intelligence tests, there existed a general superiority of bilingual individuals over individuals that were monolingual. Related research has also shown that there are areas where bilingualism does not affect development while highlighting areas where bilingualism has contributed to children …show more content…

By reaching the conclusion that bilingualism is a developmental path that is both advantageous and healthy, it is necessary that bilingualism be viewed not as a deviation from monolinguals but with acceptance and normalcy. This is because in the 21st century, many children grow up not only hearing but also using more than one language to communicate (Nicoladis, Charbonnier, & Popescu, 2016). With statistics indicating that on a regular basis, majority of the world uses more than one language, there is a valid reason to believe that learning a second language especially as a child provides both social and developmental benefits in the era of

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