T his article provides an overview of theories, approaches, and practices in teaching children who speak languages other than English in … p_Z��J���b�V\E���=��p�ֶ����S@2���B�[q�Eɭ . Ertheo explores benefits of learning a second language at an early age. A second langauge is any language acquired (or to be acquired) later than the native language. Again, the use of the L2 set of terms has a dual function: it indicates something about the acquisition of the language and something about the nature of the command. 0000003142 00000 n 0000020366 00000 n 0000015016 00000 n The concept of the L2 user is similar to Haugen's minimal definition of bilingualism as 'the point where a speaker can first produce meaningful utterances in the other language' (Haugen, 1953: 7) and to Bloomfield's comment 'To the extent that the learner can communicate, he may be ranked as a foreign speaker of a language' (Bloomfield, 1933: 54). 0000020296 00000 n "When L2 students read specific texts in classroom contexts, particularly in academically oriented settings, they will engage in varying types of reading that reflect differing tasks, texts, and instructional objectives. 0000063912 00000 n Hence 'second' means also 'weaker' or 'secondary.'" 0000006650 00000 n . 0000019284 00000 n "Second, the term 'second language' is used to refer to the level of language command in comparison with a primary or dominant language. by Barbara Kroll. In London people speak over 300 languages and 32% of the children live in homes where English is not the main language (Baker & Eversley, 2000). (H. H. Stern, Fundamental Concepts of Language Teaching. L2 reading instruction should be sensitive to the students' needs and goals and to the larger institutional context. In this … 0000003428 00000 n Sometimes students do not fully understand the goals for a given reading text or reading task, and perform poorly. John Benjamins, 2010). The first is comprehensible input , which is a fancy way of saying being exposed to (hearing or reading) something in the new language and learning to understand it. (William Grabe, Reading in a Second Language: Moving from Theory to Practice. Second Language Learning. h�b```b``�d`c``�ab@ !�;��Ȁµ|�l��:��XC�� �� 9�;,�78H��~e�RƷ�nI��a��҄I�S�]o. Oxford University Press, 1983). "[J]ust as theories of writing derived only from first language writers 'can at best be extremely tentative and at worst invalid' (Silva, Leki, & Carson, 1997, p. 402), theories of second language writing derived only from one language or one context are also limited. trailer Invariant developmental sequences, on the other hand, have been discovered for L2 as well, but they are not the same as in L1. 0 0000008065 00000 n review of the language, learning, and language learning theories and practices for second language teaching, focusing on sociocul-tural theories and practices. First, it refers to the chronology of language learning. For example, 'foreign language' can be subjectively 'a language which is not my L1,' or objectively 'a language which has no legal status within the national boundaries.' 0000005196 00000 n 0000005841 00000 n "Using a second language is a commonplace activity. In fact, a young child can learn a second language faster than an adult can learn the same language. 0000013731 00000 n "To sum up, the term 'second language' has two meanings. .." (Jürgen M. Meisel, "Age of Onset in Successive Acquisition of Bilingualism: Effects on Grammatical Development." For them, English is a 'second language' or 'L2.' Multilingual Matters, 2002), "Whereas L1 development happens relatively fast, the rate of L2 acquisition is typically protracted, and contrary to the uniformity of L1 across children, one finds a broad range of variation in L2, across individuals and within learners over time. Research in this area (called “second language acquisition” in academia) suggests that there are three key elements to learning a new language. Cambridge University Press, 2003). 0000020451 00000 n 0000056425 00000 n . . 118 0 obj <>stream 0000002417 00000 n 0000016107 00000 n In this example, the confusion has been created by equating 'first' with 'national,' 'historically first' or 'important,' and 'second' with 'less important' or 'inferior,' and thus mixing up the third set of objective terms which attributes a position, value or status to a language with the first two sets of subjective terms which relate individuals and their use of languages.