Differences between L1 and L2 Unit 12

In unit 12, we talk about the differences of L1 and L2, and how it varies depending of the age, context and ways of learning. Let’s do just a remainder that L1 is referring to the mother tongue, while L2 is the target language.

According to the age we have in L1 everything starts when we are babies and this go on in our childhood years and it lasts until our adolescence, because our cognitive skills come along with our age, so students are motivated to interact with people around them. While, we talk about L2 the view change a lot, it starts at the school age and with teenager their attitudes to learn a language is not mature enough, on the other hand, the adults have enough maturity and their expectations are high about learning second language. In the context and the way of leaning the two language are really different in L1 the exposure is all the time a the language can be pick up easily, we learn chunks since we were born, the motivation comes from the necessity of interaction and the use of the vocabulary is simple and we get praise and encouragement from our home all the time. However, in the L2 teachers we are in charge of teach specific structures in a classroom where the exposition to the language in minimums quantity, the practice is controlled by the monitor.

So, we must concentrate on grammar, learning styles and preferences inside the classroom because it is the only place where students can get in contact with the language, teachers have a huge responsibility on their back because they are teaching to communicate and they should do it fun and interesting for all-aged students to become or have a successful EFL classroom.

Here some link with more information:

• http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SLA/L1%20and%20L2.htm
• http://www.powershow.com/view/1ffdd9-MzA2Z/SECOND_LANGUAGE_ACQUISITION_powerpoint_ppt_presentation
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT4jfwwlhz0
• http://www4.ujaen.es/~gluque/L1L2compared.pdf