The Case With Second Language Learning: Rules of Grammar and Structure of a Language - Essay Example

Introduction At a certain age in their development children are expected to learn language. This is to enable them communicate and interact with those around them. Language acquisition for children is a must for one to function properly in society. There are a number of stages that a child undergoes in language acquisition. Most children are driven by curiosity and the need to communicate feelings, express opinions and wants. It is through language that a child communicates needs without ambiguity. Initially the way to express feelings is through body language; crying or smiling (Cattell 2000, p. 89). Grown ups try to understand the meaning of a baby’s cry. As much as crying is useful in communicating urgent needs such as hunger, thirst, change of nappies, heat or cold, other concerns for instance boredom, loneliness or anxiety may easily be ignored. For this reason a child tries as much as possible to learn a language in order to be understood. The immediate environment of a child, people surrounding a child, economic activities in the area and needs of the child all influence language acquisition (Lightbown & Spada 2006, p. 184). On the other hand learning a language in a class is driven by factors such as career advancement, job opportunity, interacting with a certain community, academic purposes or pleasure. Most people who learn a second language are driven by societal or economic purposes. It is seldom as a result of inert needs of a person (Gass, & Selinker 2001, p. 58). Compared to first language acquisition most people learn a second language as grown ups. They are more responsible and at the same time aware of the learning process. Benefits of learning a second language may or may not be known to an individual and so more effort is channelled towards achievement of set goals (Bygate 2000 p.189). These are some of the differences in learning a first and second language. The essay presents more differences on the same. Since learning a first language has a 100 percent success for all children, it is important for those learning a second language to imitate some of the techniques employed by children. Differences in Learning First and Second Language Age of Learners Learning a first language is a lot more different from learning a language in class or second language for that matter. In the former the learner is a child who has not been exposed to any other form of communication apart for body language and crying. From birth a child expresses feelings through crying or smiling. There is no other way to communicate effectively with those in his immediate environment. On the other hand learning a language in class is a lot more different. Most second language learners are advanced in age. These are adults who have already acquired another language. There is therefore a language used to give instructions by a teacher (Hulstijn 2005, p. 736). Consciousness during Learning In learning a first language a child is not consciously aware of the learning process. In most cases a child picks words in the immediate environment. All the time, all day long a child is in the process of learning a language (Walqui 2000). This is not the case when it comes to learning a language in class. First, there is a teacher who impacts knowledge to students. Both learner and teacher are conscious of the learning process thus making it formal. Every lesson is well structured to meet certain goals. Exposure to Language The child learning a first language is exposed to an environment of learning from birth till later in adult life. The everyday situations give a child numerous opportunities to experiment with language. All day long a child listens to conversations and narrations of adult’s experiences. Learning corresponds directly to activities in the immediate environment. A child identifies with the process of learning due to enough exposure with a language. The same cannot be said of second language learning. Normally, learners expect a maximum of five hours in a classroom (Doughty 2005, p. 169). During the entire period not much learning corresponds to day to day experience of learners. Learners are taught about objects and concepts not available in the environment of the learner. Fun and Enjoyment There is much fun in first language acquisition. For parents and those close to a child, it is a new experience which must be encouraged in any way possible. No matter the errors or mistakes committed, still one is encouraged to learn. A child is not afraid of making mistakes or experimenting with something new. Without any fear she experiments with a variety of words and sentence structure. This is not the same case in classroom learning. In this context mistakes are quickly brought to a learners’ attention. As a result students learning in a class are shy to attempt and try out something new. The learning process is not always fun for learners. Disapproval from teachers and fellow students somehow drives away the fun (Doughty & Michael 2005, p. 298). Biologically-driven Acquisition of a first language is biologically-driven. Each and every individual has to undertake this stage in order to function well in society. It is an essential life-skill to see to the development of an individual. The case of second language learning is much more different. Learning of a second language is not biologically-driven (Mellow & Karen 2002, p. 14). The process is not part and parcel of an individual’s development. It is simply a personal or institutional choice. Use of Intuition In learning first language children use intuition to judge grammatical correctness. There are no lessons on grammar yet children ably form grammatical sentences. This is done with no effort at all. Second language learning is far much different. Once mistakes are made learners rely on the judgment and direction of an instructor (Doughty, 2005, p. 85). It is difficult and even impossible for learners to correct their own mistakes and make judgments in the learning process. This is also true of rules of grammar and structure of a language. It is common for learners to spend time studying notes and repeating particular pronunciation in order to get the concept right. Supportive Environment A child learning a first language has loving parents, siblings, neighbours and well meaning strangers surrounding him or her (Barton & Tomasello1994, p. 112). There is a strong family and societal bond between a child and those they interact with. Learning of a first language occurs in a loving and relaxed environment. There are common interests to be shared and learning experience is motivated by positive reaction and care from those around a child. Classrooms on the other hand are controlled environments with strict rules and regulations. There is little if any love and care for learners. It is a meeting between strangers whereby a professional relationship is nurtured and maintained. Such an environment is often tense thus compromising on learning. As much as students are motivated to learn there is little allowance for love, care and close attention. Learning Success The acquisition of a first language is compulsory and success guaranteed to all children no matter their level of intelligence. This also applies to mentally and physically impaired children. Despite a child’s disability grammatical code of a language is acquired in full. It is an essential part of human life for children to acquire language used in a social group or society. This is far much different when compared to learning a language in a classroom. Second language acquisition has proved a challenge even to highly intelligent persons (Saville-Troike 2006, p. 178). An individual might have impressive learning skills but fail to gain required competence in second language grammar. The mastery of second language is not guaranteed for a learner. Duration of Learning The duration for first language acquisition is not determined by anyone. It is a child’s own abilities and interest that dictate time limit. Some children take longer time to grasp language whereas others take a relatively shorter time. Nevertheless no one puts pressure on a child to record a certain achievement after a specified period of time. It all depends on an individual. This freedom accorded to a child to learn at own pace makes success a guarantee for all children. This luxury escapes a learner of a second language. The duration for a course, content and expectations from students are well drawn before commencement (Lightbown 2000, p. 437). From the beginning a learner already knows what is expected of him or her. In schools where curriculum is tight students are under pressure to show a certain level of performance (Ellis 2007, p. 108). Speed of Acquisition Most children by the time they turn five years old would have already mastered a first language. This however, is with the exception of vocabulary which can take a lifetime. It shows the speed at which a first language is acquired. It should be noted that some children acquire fluency at a much younger age. The speed of learning is determined by a number of factors prevalent in a child’s environment. It is a different story when it comes to learning a second language. There are individuals who would spend a lifetime learning a language yet fail to master it (Mellow 2006, p. 665). Others choose to discontinue the exercise after a certain period. As much as some learners are able to achieve fluency, still natives get an upper hand. Practical Learning When learning a first language children perceive paralinguistic features that accompany spoken language. They experience words being used in their appropriate context. Body language; tone and gestures are internalized in the learning process. When parents quarrel, greet each other or give compliments it greatly improves language skills of a child. The same is less likely to be experienced in second language learning. Teaching of a second language might not be accompanied by an appropriate context, tone or body language (Walqui 2000). It denies learners an opportunity to express feelings clearly. One does not get a personal satisfaction a child gets on using language. Sometimes teachers might want to create an artificial environment for practice. As much it helps raise interest in learners still it cannot compare with a live experience. Opportunity for Learning In acquiring first language a child is sure wherever he or she goes there is an opportunity for learning. This applies in the family, home, playground or in unfamiliar territories. However, the most important is playground. Once a child mingles with others at play the process of language acquisition is taken to another level. It becomes an active, fun and memorable activity. In addition a child is able to interact with people of different ages and backgrounds thus assess their use of language. A second language learner on the other hand experiences less fun during learning experience. Since an individual has only an instructor to give instructions, access to other language users is denied (Walqui 2000). A learner might never know how certain people use language. In unfamiliar contexts one may find it difficult to communicate with a language not well mastered. An opportunity to experience language being used in a number of cultural settings is denied. Stage in Growth The first language acquisition occurs at a particular stage in a child’s development. There seem to be nothing else occupying a child’s mind other than acquiring language. It is an exciting and interesting experience thus done with zeal and willingness. The effort and dedication towards mastery of a language is great. In the end a child is rewarded by being able to attain fluency at a certain age. On the contrary learning a second language normally comes later in adult life. There are many issues and programs that occupy the mind of an adult. As a result learning is not given the attention and zeal necessary for mastery. A number of cases for failure to master a second language arise from lack of commitment. Number of Languages It has also been noted that children can learn more than one language simultaneously. They are able to use their intuitive power to differentiate various languages used by people around them. Also, they intuitively master different structures and grammar of several languages (Goldberg 2006, p. 79). For this reason more than one language can be learned at the same time. Furthermore, fluency in the languages is guaranteed. On the contrary second language acquisition is complicated and tricky for most learners (Diessel 2004, p. 142). Though there are some talented individuals who learn more than one language at a time, most people find it difficult to learn even one language. Necessary Skills Skills needed in acquisition of first language are basic human skills. A child only needs to observe and hear whatever is being said. If these senses are in good shape then a successful learning experience is guaranteed. This might not be the case with second language learning. Teachers expect learners to meet certain qualifications. Common practice has always been use of a first language to teach a second. A first language is therefore vital in learning a second language. (Boxer & Cohen 2004, p. 325). In addition there are other skills necessary to learn a second language. For instance one must be able to read and write. This is to enable a learner do assignments and follow instructions given by teachers. A blackboard is used to write and explain certain grammatical rules. A learner’s competence in a number of skills is therefore essential for classroom learning. First Language Interference Learning a second language unlike a first can be very challenging. Learners mostly adults have already acquired a first language. It becomes an uphill task to acquire a second language. In most cases learners tend to compare first language with a second thus making learning difficult. First language interference is notable in pronunciation whereby learners find it tricky to pronounce some words. The same cannot be said of first language learning. Children quickly and freely learn a first language since there is no interference of another language. It therefore becomes easy to try out and experiment with various sounds. Language Analysis There is no room for taking notes, analyzing grammar and structure in learning a first language. A child perfects experience through practicing constantly. Everything is done intuitively as there is no choice whatsoever of knowledge being passed on. It is very difficult to ascertain whether or not the right material is being grasped. Everything is taken as it comes. This is different from learning a language in a class. In this setting only language perceived to be standard is taught to students. The other varieties of a language may only be hinted at for comparison purposes. Teachers are trained professionals who teach language systematically (Tomasello & Brooks 1999, p.172). Rules of grammar, parts of speech are taught with precision. Other forms of Communication Second language learning teaches a learner how to write, speak and read. It is rare for one to speak a second language but fail to read or write. In first language learning a child only learns to communicate orally. This is done successfully as fluency is acquired after some time. However, written form of a language is always learned in a classroom. There are many children who are fluent in first language but fail to read or write in the language. A child must join a school or get an instructor in order to learn how to read and write in a first language. Study Colleagues In learning a second language a learner is not alone. There are other students one can compare and assess performance. When it comes to performance, progress is evaluated and students rated accordingly. In this way those who exhibit exceptional performance can be separated from those who perform minimally. This is different from learning a first language. In this environment a learner has no companions. It is an individual child struggling with learning experience. Even if there are other children in the neighbourhood, none is aware of another’s progress. It is only parents or siblings who know how a child is faring with language acquisition. Errors and Correction A child learns a language in an encouraging environment with less criticism of mistakes done. As much as ridiculous mistakes are made, all efforts are welcome. Errors are ignored. Adults are aware once a child matures pronunciation is perfected (Barton & Tomasello, 1994, p. 115). This is contrary to teaching a language in a classroom. In this setting teachers take learning process very seriously. Errors are quickly noted and brought to the attention of a learner. Remedial exercises are given often to ensure perfection is attained (Heift 2003, p. 539). Learners of a second language are afraid to make mistakes thus shy away from trying. Failure to try in the end leads to little or no progress. Flexibility and Choice Learners of a second language are able choose a language to learn. They may consider a number of factors in exercising their choice. It also means that at any time during the course of learning one can decide to terminate the exercise. Sometimes one changes to another language or postpone learning to a later date. On the other hand children learning a first language have no choice. The language spoken in a child’s immediate environment is one to be learned. Learning process once started can neither be halted nor postponed to a later date. Prestige and Personal Satisfaction There is prestige and personal satisfaction in learning a second language. Considering most learners are adults a second language enables a person to communicate effectively with speakers of the language. In some cases it opens opportunities such as career advancement. On the other hand first language acquisition is a necessity and there is no feeling of prestige. A child must learn a first language in order to function well in society. Role of Technology In the modern age teaching of second language is aided by technology (Heift & Devlan 2001, p.312). There are many students assisted by computers in studying a second language. This technology requires a certain input from a student. In many ways it has helped to make language teaching much easier. Technology is fast becoming increasingly useful in teaching a second language. On the other hand children learning a first language must depend entirely on those around them. It is impossible for a child to acquire first language through any other medium apart from human interaction. It is through imitation and close contact with speakers of a language that a child learns. Second language learning therefore has an advantage since one can learn through alternative mediums. Prejudice, Biases and Attitude There are always biases in learning a second language. For instance it is common for people to associate some languages with particular behaviour or characteristics. Most people fail to realize that all languages are equally complex. Acquisition of any language follows a similar process. Prejudice, biases and negative attitude towards certain languages makes learning difficult for most students (Gass & Selinker 2001, p. 201). On the other hand children learning a first language have no such attitude. They simply learn a language with no preconceived notion or idea about a language. Every idea is accepted and taken as it comes without criticism or second thoughts. They do not have ability or choice to compare one language with another. This ignorance exhibited by children enhances speed to master a language. Learning Aids Learners of a second language have a luxury to use a number of facilities in learning process. One can read books, dictionaries, visit libraries etc in order to enhance learning. This helps reduce monotony of listening to spoken language. Those who are physically challenged are also provided with special lessons to enable them to communicate. On the contrary first language learners rely solely on listening to spoken language. A child is not able to put to use other facilities that may aid learning and mastery of language. Moreover, a child who is physically challenged may find it difficult to communicate with those around. Conclusion Compared to acquisition of a first language, second language learning proves to be problematic to most people. There are a number of things second language learners can ape from children learning a first language. For instance children are not fearful to try. They are always willing to repeat aloud unfamiliar words or phases pronounced by strangers. In so doing they learn new words, structures and grammatical rules of a language with no effort at all. There is also support in the immediate environment of a child. The family members are patient and always willing to give the needed support. In a relaxed and loving environment created by family members and understanding people a child learns faster. When corrected children do not feel abashed and are not afraid to make mistakes. This helps a great deal in language acquisition. Learning a language must be fun and interesting to learners. This is not always the case with second language learning. Learners seem to derive little or no fun at all from the learning experience. In a classroom learning is mostly theoretical making it hard and confusing to students. This is especially on dealing with abstract concepts such as rules of grammar and structure of a language. These concepts are easily grasped and mastered by a child through intuition. It is only by constant practice that one can master a language. Children are able to attain fluency quickly since they practice all the time. On the contrary adults are always anxious when learning a second language. Their struggle to learn a different language is characterised by frustration, fear to make mistakes or fail. This greatly compromises ability to fully grasp and master a language. Languages are meant to be spoken and therefore one can learn better by speaking other than analyzing it in a classroom. In a number of cases theoretical learning of languages has been allotted more time compared to practical learning. Students become competent in analyzing a language and fail to attain fluency. The passion which children have in learning a first language must be imitated. Acquisition of a first language is important to a child since it helps communicate specific needs to concerned people. It is with the same urgency and passion that learners of a second language are expected to approach learning process. A child is aware learning a language is essential for interaction in a human society. The learning environment also matters a great deal. A child is exposed to different contexts in which language is used practically and in different ways. This cannot be compared to a classroom where learning experience is detached from the context. In order to revitalize learning of second language teachers need to create opportunities for students to gain first hand experience with language. Learners of a second language also need to be motivated and supported to enable them to enjoy learning experience. It can however be observed that learning a second language has great advantages to learners. The importance of being able to communicate to a variety of people cannot be ignored. There is prestige and personal satisfaction in being able to speak multiple languages. Nevertheless, learners have to deal with many huddles including first language interference, fear to fail and a number of issues in day to day life. All these make second language learning a tough but worthwhile experience. 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