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learning a first or second language would not. Affective variable concerns emotions. Linguistic
variable concerns the differences and potential dissonance between the first and second
language. The above mentioned variables without any doubts are different between children and
adults. So it is easier to compare young children learning an L1 and young children learning an
L2. And when we talk about acquisition and learning hypothesis, there is a distinction between
learning, the explicit, conscious knowing about the language that occurs through instruction and
classrooms practices and the acquisition of the language which is the way a child get the
language, Krashen (1982). Krashen claims that learning cannot be turned to acquisition;
language learning and acquisition are totally different things.
Contrastive analysis has to take into consideration physical and affective changes.
Physical Changes are neurologically related issues, the psychomotor or the control over
our articulatory muscles. That what gives us the accent we have
in our speech which include
(throat, larynx, mouth, lips, tongue, and other muscles). The development of the child’s speech
muscles is a large contributing factor to the attainment of native-like pronunciation. This control
over articulatory muscles is at first basic and then develops to handle more complex sounds
which may last more than the age of 5 to be completed. Now the point is that due to the muscular
plasticity of children they can acquire a better pronunciation of a second language than an adult
earner.
The development of cognition in adult comes along with some affective obstacles
(changes) on the way of learning a second language. One of them is inhibition. A child is highly
egocentric, meaning his identity is highly flexible and pliable. As he grows up, he becomes more
and more aware of himself and develops a more solid self-identity and after the age of puberty he
tries to protect this identity. In case of language he develops a language ego with reference to the
language he studies.
Another affective factor casing difficulty for the learners is attitude. Since young children
are not yet cognitively developed to raise a solid attitude toward a certain races, cultures, ethnic
groups, and languages. The attitude that is established when the
child grows up and if it is
positive it can enhance the process of second language learning and vice versa. Affective
variables can act as a mental block, also termed affective filter, and prevent comprehensible
input to be absorbed. When the learner is unmotivated and lacks confidence the affective filter
goes up. When the learner is not anxious and wants to be a member of the group speaking the
target language the filter goes down.
One of the big differences between a child learning an L1 in a natural setting and L2
learners in the classroom is the input they receive, both in quality and quantity. Quantity of input
child receives a torrent of L1 on a daily basis in a natural way while an L2 learner‘s exposure to
the language he is learning is much more limited. The behaviorists believe that there is a one to
one relationship between input and output which is learning. Input is proper feedback which will
lead students to get good results. Stephen Krashen argues that the learner needs to receive
comprehensible input to acquire language. The input a first language learner receives is simple
and comprehensible at the beginning and gets slightly more complicated. He also believes that
input should be slightly above the level of the language learner (i+1). Only in doing so can the
second language learner move forward. Children are exposed to a
day to day interaction and
conversation that is tailored to the level of the understanding of the child.
Complex processes are involved in L1 and L2 learning and understanding and
investigating these processes will help teachers to be more aware and involve the recommended
language teaching tips though they shouldn’t adhere to only a certain claim or factor. They
should understand, analyze, synthesize and even criticize before trying to implement any of the
suggestions made for teaching. They also should decide on a language theory so they adhere to it
and combine it with their language teaching in classrooms.
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