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The Different Factors of Individual Language Learners in Second Language Acquisition

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The Different Factors of Individual Language Learners in Second Language Acquisition
The Different Factors of Individual Language Learners in Second Language Acquisition
Recently, Second Language Acquisition (SLA) play important role to language learning and teaching as second language that SLA refers both to the study of individuals and groups who are learning a language subsequent to learning their first one as young children, and to the process of learning that language that the additional language is called a second language (L2), even though it may actually be the third, fourth, or tenth to be acquired. It is also commonly called a target language (TL), which refers to any language that is the aim or goal of learning (Saville-Troike, 2006). According to Gass and Selinker (2008) states that SLA refer to the learning of another language after the first language has been learned that the use of this term does not differentiate among learning situations For the SLA learners, they have various differences of characteristics or variables in term of language learning that they learn with different speed and different results and there are many explanations for that issue for supporting the question that the focus on learner differences in SLA has been most concerned with the question of why some learners are more successful than others (Ellis, 1994; Saville-Troike, 2006; Harmer, 2007; Cook, 2008; Hall, 2011). Finally, second language (L2) learners are different in various factors that there are many explanations for that issue. The general factors that influence second language learning are: age, aptitude and intelligence, cognitive style, attitudes, motivation and personality (Ellis 1985). The aim of this essay is to present these factors and their contribution to success or failure in language learning that a variety of well-known scholars characterized into main three types: cognitive variables; affective variables; and personality variables (Johnson, 2008).
Firstly, the cognitive variables relate to the mental make-up of the person.



References: Abraham, R.G. 1985. “Field independence-dependence and the teaching of grammar.” TESOL Quarterly 20: 689-702. Bailey, K. 1983. “Competitiveness and anxiety in adult second language learning: looking at and through the diary studies” in Seliger, H Brown, H.D. 1994. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Brown, H. D. 2000. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching . 4th ed. New York: Pearson. British Council. n.d. Teaching knowledge database (Online). www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database, September 10, 2012. Cook, V. 2008. Second Language Learning and Language Teaching. 4th ed. London: Hodder Education, An Hachette UK company. Dornyei, Z. 1994. “Motivation and Motivating in the Foreign Language Classroom.” The Modern Language Journal Dornyei, Z. and O. Istvan. 1998. “Motivation in action: A process model of L2 motivation.” In: Working Papers in Applied Linguistics, Vol Dornyei, Z. 2001. Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ellis, R. 1994. The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University press. Gardner C. R. and W. E. Lambert. 1959. “Motivational Variables in Second-Language Acquisition.” Canadian Journal of Psychology Gass, M. S. and L. Selinker. 2008. Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course Genesee, F. 1976. “The role of intelligence in second language learning”. Language Learning Hall, G. 2011. Exploring English Language Teaching: Language in Action. New York: Routledge. Harmer, J. 2003. “Popular culture, methods, and context.” English Language Teaching Journal, 57: 288-294. Harmer, J. 2007. The Practice of English Language Teaching. Harlow: Pearson. Johnson, K. 2008. An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching. 2nd ed. Harlow: Pearson. MacIntyre, P.D. and R.C. Gardner. 1991. “Methods and results in the study of anxiety and language learning: A review of the literature” Murcia, C. M. 2001. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Naimann, N., Fröhlich, M., Stern, H. H. and A. Todesco. 1978 The Good Language Learner Richards, C. J. et al. 1991. Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics Scovel, T. 1978. “The effect of affect on foreign language learning: A review of the anxiety research” Skehan, P. 1989. Individual Differences in Second-Language Learning. London: Edward Arnold.

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