Part 2 Background to language learning

Unit 12 differences between LI and L2 learning

"You can never understand one language until you understand at least two."

‒Geoffrey Willans

     Firstly, I learn in this unit that when people learn their first language (L1) they learn in different context and in different ways. Some factors are influenced, such as age, and context and ways of learning.  It is not always easy to describe L2 learning in the classroom because it happens in different ways in different classrooms. Also, a big difference between L1 and L2 learning is that L1 learning is nearly always fully successful, while L2 learning varies a lot in how successful it is.

     Secondly, I believe that the analysis is important in some cases like age, for example babies learn language at the same time as their cognitive skills but adults for example show maturity I heir attitudes to language learning. On the other hand in L1 learners are motivated to learn language as they need to communicate, but in L2 adults and some secondary learners may already have expectations (beliefs that something will or should happen) about how languages should be learnt.

     Finally, For my personal point of view, exposure to language is important for learning. For example in L1 LEARNING the way of learning is by chunks and picking up language. But in L2 EARNING, the way of learning often occur by focusing on structures and individual words.

Key words: first language, context, cognitive, maturity, expectations, exposure, chunks, picking up, structures.

Yesyhd, M. (2012, May 8) Unit 12: Differences between L1 and L2. Retrieved from.
http://yesyhd.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/unit-12-differences-between-l1-and-l2/  

Bodeepongse, Porntip. (2009, April 27) TKT Unit 12_L1 & L2. Retrieved from.

http://es.scribd.com/doc/14673052/TKT-Unit-12-L1-L2.