Reflection of Week 7 Readings

First and foremost, I thought the Chapters from Lightbrown and Spada and H. Douglas Brown correlated very well. Both talked of age as a factor in a second language learners acquisition.

I enjoyed the chapters in H.D. Brown book because he gave useful advice for actually teaching the students in the classroom. The one thing I want to say about that is FINALLY! WE have studied the different teaching principles but I had never grasped what that actually would translate into in the classroom. The Brown book broke everything down by sections. In Chapter 6 he broke it down by children and adults and what limitations and advantages each of these groups have. In Chapter 7 he broke each category into beginning (or novice) and then intermediate and advanced. I learned that teaching intermediate learners can be quite difficult because each student may be at a different proficiency level but at still considered "intermediate". I like how he made everything clear with the different capabilities with each groupings.

In the Lightbrown and Spada book it talked of the Critical Period Hypothesis. I am glad that I was never aware of this hypothesis when I was learning a second language because I feel it would have only made my self confidence plunge. I think it is quite unfair that certain learners will never gain native like speech in their target language. Also, who is to say that native like language is the goal in the first place? I think both adults and children have advantages of their own and it is best to look at this issue in that light. After all, a positive attitude can go a long way in second language acquisition.