The Age Factor In Second Language Acquisition

The study of second language acquisition has drawn more and more people's attention since the 1960s. Lenneberg has put forward the Critical Period Hypothesis. From then on, lots of researchers have set about their research into proving whether there is an optimal age in language acquisition. They tried their best to utilize the research finding in the fields such as neuro-psychology, psycholinguistics and sociology.This thesis tries to explore into the influence of age factors, together with some other age-related factors in second language acquisition. Some researchers hold the viewpoint that younger learners with biological predominance can acquire a second language more easily than older learners. In the article, the author compares children, adolescents and adult learners and analyzes different features among the three age groups. By analyzing the data obtained through the questionnaire, the author concludes that children are superior to the other two age groups in acquiring pronunciation similar to the natives. However, children need more guidance from their parents and teachers to form suitable learning habits and develop appropriate learning strategies. Adolescents are qualified to acquire a second language by means of deliberate study and necessary practice. Due to the shortage of time and burdens of life, adult learners are inferior to the other two groups in acquiring a second language. The author also claims that different language learners can utilize their advantages and avoid their disadvantages in the process of acquiring a second language.This study not only deals with the traits of different age groups of learners, but also focuses on a general outlook into the solution to future language teaching problems and provides the readers with some learning strategies.