What is the Critical Age in Second Language Acquisition?

It has been empirically proven and universally agreed that younger learners effectively a second language more so than older learners. This is supported by the Critical Period Hypothesis which states there is a fixed span of years where language acquisition can take place naturally and effortlessly. (Ellis, 1994) Scientifically, it is a known fact that the optimal age for language acquisition is during the first ten years of life when the brain retains its plasticity and flexibility.

However, there is a great deal of variation which does not always justify the critical period hypoethesis as standard. Ellis makes six distinguishable categories when referring to various areas of second language acquisition. The Critical Period Hypothesis is crucial in the development of sounds (sensory acuity) where language learning capacity is at its climax in young children until the age of puberty and is afterwards impaired in adults. Grammar and pronunciation are linguistic areas which should also be acquired during the critical period. Finally, there is the desire for one to integrate culturally and communicate with native speakers and this is more prominent in young children because children are less inhibited than adults.

Adults however possess a high level of cognitive abilities which should also be considered an important factor in extending the age of puberty as the optimal age for second language acquisition. Adult learners rely on general inductive learning abilities in second language acquisition. Also, adults may experience more negotiation in meaning and are capable of storing first and second languages together. It is very possible for adults to acquire a second language, but near native-like competence may be difficult in neurological and sensory areas which are more prominent in younger learners.

Krashen, Long and Scarecella (1979) have concluded that adults and older learners exceed children in the rate of acquisition as well as in morphology, grammar and syntax. In addition, adult learners learn quicker than younger learners in formal learning situations over a short term basis.

The age of six years is the critical cutoff age according to Long (1990) with regard to the degree of nativeness. The degree of exposure in formal contexts of the second language determines the degree of native-like proficiency where puberty is the cut-off mark. In order to validate the Critical Period Hypothesis where the degree of native levels of proficiency in young children is concerned, exposure must be maintained in proportion to a first language. In formal contexts, "adult learners may be able to acquire a native accent with the assistance of instruction, but further research is needed to substantiate this claim" (Ellis, 1994). Neufeld's study (1978) of adult native speakers of English studying intensively Chinese and Japanese, "is significant in postulating that under the right conditions, adults can achieve native ability in pronunciation -- the area of language generally considered to be the most difficult for adults to acquire" (Neufeld, 1977 cited in Ellis, 1994).

in support of age until puberty as the optimal age in learning a second language, adults may fully develop cognitive skills and "this is likely to give them an initial advantage over children, but may not be sufficient to guarantee high levels of L2 proficiency" (Ellis, 1994)

Works Cited

Ellis, Rod. (1994) Second Language Acquisition. OUP