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Cognitive factors that can affect language acquisition. 

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Cognitive factors that can affect language acquisition. 

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Cognitive bias such as favoring information that confirms pre existing beliefs, e lying too much on initial information and over estimating the importance of information that is easily accessible)

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Linguistic factors that can effect language acquisition 

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Linguistic factors that can effect language acquisition 

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Language disorders and challanges such as hearing impairments and developmental delays. Teachers should address specific needs and support each individual child.

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Physical factors that can affect language acquisition

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Physical factors that can affect language acquisition

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Hearing impairment or deafness . Early detection by parents and teachers will help this.

Physical conditions affecting the structures of the mouth that are involved in speech production.

Neurological conditions such as autism , cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome

Brain development and injury

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Affective factors than can affect language acquisition 

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Affective factors than can affect language acquisition 

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Creating a supportive learning environment

Fostering positive attitudes and motivations

Building students self confidante

Cultural identity in the classroom

And a nurturing sense of belonging

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Socio-cultural  factors that can affect language acquisition. 

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Socio-cultural  factors that can affect language acquisition. 

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Home environment - Language input , story telling, cultural practices

Community and peer influences- peer interactions , social norms, and language ideologies help shape language.

Media and Technology- Exposure to tv and internet affects language learning.

Cultural identity and attachment to home language

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Political factors that can affect language acquisition 

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Political factors that can affect language acquisition 

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School an government language policies

Language access and language rights in legislation

Language ideologies that shape attitudes , beliefs , and perceptions about language identity .

Political recognition of language right.

Language planning and implementation during curriculum planning and educational policies that influence learning opportunities.

International relations and language diplomacy

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Understanding and addressing these factors can inform effective language teaching practices , interventions, and support strategies to facilitate language acquisition and promote competence for divers learners.

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ITTT International TEFL & TESOL Training

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Common Factors that Affect 1st Language and 2nd Language Learning | ITTT TEFL BLOG

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The Classroom | Empowering Students in Their College Journey

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Learning a second language is never easy. Students must wrestle with new vocabulary, rules for grammar and sentence structure, idioms, pronunciation and more. Some people, however, seem to catch on much more quickly than others. Researchers have studied the reasons behind these discrepancies and have formed theories that may be helpful to English as second language teachers and students as they work with developing language skills for academic success and social interaction.

Learner Characteristics and Personal Traits

People who are confident and outgoing find it easier to learn a second language. They have less fear of making mistakes, and making mistakes is an integral part of learning a new skill. Introverts who struggle with social interaction are doubly challenged to practice speaking in a new language, although they may do well in written work. Motivation is also a powerful factor. Intrinsic motivation, such as the desire to achieve personal goals and successfully learn the new language, and extrinsic motivation, such as the need to improve language skills in order to find a job or communicate with peers, are both important factors.

Situational and Environmental Factors

Students whose families and communities set high standards for language acquisition learn more quickly than those who do not. Exposure to high-quality ESL programs is also essential. Students do best when they are allowed to speak their native language as they try to learn the new one because that helps them process the information. They also need exposure to native English speakers, both in and out of the classroom. Ideally, students should hear English spoken at a level slightly above their own level of competence. The learning environment should be comfortable, and students' successes should be recognized.

Prior Language Development and Competence

According to the U.S. State Department, "It is generally accepted that adequate linguistic and cognitive development in a home language contributes positively to second language learning." Students who have been exposed to several languages but without having the opportunity to become proficient in any are at a disadvantage. General cognitive ability is also a factor. Certain people are especially gifted in the area of language acquisition, according to some linguists.

Age and Brain Development

The optimal age for learning a language is between the ages of 2 and 12, according to "Firat University Journal of Social Science." After puberty, language acquisition is more challenging because the brain has undergone a process called lateralization, the division of the brain into two parts with separate functions, and is less adaptive. People who learn a new language after puberty will usually keep their native accent, but those who learn as children will not. Children ages 8 through 12 learn new language more quickly than younger children who are not yet proficient in their native language.

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Factors That Affect Language Acquisition in ESL Students

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Learning a second language is never easy. Students must wrestle with new vocabulary, rules for grammar and sentence structure, idioms, pronunciation and more. Some people, however, seem to catch on much more quickly than others.

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Watching children learn an additional language is a lot like seeing them swim for the first time. Some children dive right in and are soon paddling around the deep end. Others take their time, dipping a toe in the water and gradually venturing out from the shore.

It's common to believe that a child's skill with learning an additional language comes naturally. We don't agree. Yes, some children do pick up language skills faster than others-but that doesn't mean that the ability to learn a language is an attribute possessed by only a lucky few. When students start learning an additional language at Whitby, some do soak up the knowledge faster than others. Yet it's not just natural ability at work. We've actually found that there are many internal and external factors that influence how fast students pick up a new language.

9 Factors that Influence Language Learning for Kids

1. Motivation

Is the child being forced to learn, or do they want to learn the language?

When a child understands the importance of understanding a language and can see how it directly applies to their life, they learn faster. We've found that a contextual, theme-based curriculum can help get students more excited to dive into language learning. When they are interested in learning a language and they see meaningful connections to their lives, they begin to take risks to produce language, which helps them to acquire it faster.

2. Support at Home

Is another language spoken at the child's home? What's their exposure level to different languages?

We've found that exposure is an important factor in language comprehension and acquisition. If a child's family only speaks one language, are they able to provide help when the student needs it? It also matters how much value parents place in learning an additional language. Parents who prioritize language learning are more likely to push their child to keep trying even when it feels difficult.

3. Prior Linguistic Knowledge

Is the language they're learning their first foreign language?

Once a child has studied and acquired a language, their skill at learning another will increase. Language learners have the ability to translate skills from one language to another because they're able to recognize the rules and patterns of language, even if the vocabulary is different.

4. Learning Environment

How does the child feel in the classroom?

Another key factor is how comfortable students feel in their language learning environment. Does their classroom feel cold and tense, or positive and relaxing? What's the school's culture and beliefs about language learning? We've found that a student's learning environment has an impact on their motivation-a low anxiety language learning environment increases the chance for acquisition.

5. Teaching Strategies

How is the language taught?

The strategies a language teacher uses have a big impact on language learning. How does the teacher help students understand the concepts of a language? How does the teacher take different learning styles into account, as well as different levels of comprehension? For example, watching a film in the target language and writing and performing skits in the target language reach multiple learning styles. Offering an immersion experience helps students connect the language learning to their everyday lives, but rote vocabulary memorization and grammar drills create 'meaning-less' language lessons.

6. Comprehensible Input

How attainable does the language feel to the student?

Linguist Stephen Krashen is known for developing the input hypothesis of second-language acquisition. In this context, the titular "input" is the language curriculum. Krashen wrote that teaching at just any level of difficulty isn't sufficient: the input received by a student must be comprehensible. In other words, the curriculum must reach a child at their current level and challenge them with activities and just 1 level beyond their current stage. If the material feels out of reach, the student can feel "shut down" and have trouble engaging with the lesson. To make sure that students feel motivated to learn, it's important to ensure that they feel like they have the ability to progress to the next level of learning.

7. Student Personality

Is the student introverted or extroverted?

A student's personality can affect how they learn a second language. More introverted students have been shown to take longer to acquire a language because they're more hesitant to make mistakes. Extroverted students, on the other hand, are more likely to go out on a limb and try out their newly learned vocabulary. To ensure that both personality types succeed, it's important to create an environment where students understand that mistakes are part of the learning process and it's more important to speak than to be perfect.

8. Age

How old is a student when they start learning a foreign language?

While students of all ages can learn a foreign language, there is consensus that certain aspects are affected by the age of the learner. It becomes harder for students to have native pronunciation from the teen years. Some students also find that it's more difficult to fully acquire a foreign language as they get older, but this isn't true of everyone.

9. Comfort in their Country of Residence

How happy are students in the country where they are studying a language?

A final factor in language learning is the child's comfort in the current country of residence. Most children move to a new country because of a parent's job, not by choice. As a result, their motivation to learn a new language can depend on whether they're happy to be in a new place, or if they've come kicking and screaming. Luckily, even if a child is unhappy at first, their attitude can shift if they feel welcomed by their teachers and supported by their parents.

Language Learning at Whitby

Language learning is not a skill that children either have or don't. There actually are many internal and external factors that influence how fast children pick up a new language-from the child's personality to the way language is taught at their school.

To learn more about the unique learning environment at Whitby, schedule a tour or download our guide to the difference between an N8 and K12 education.

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9 Factors that Influence Language Learning

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Discover the internal and external factors that influence language learning and impact how fast students are able to become fluent in a foreign language.

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KEY FACTORS AFFECTING SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION