Pathways to Proficiency: Factors Influencing Second Language Acquisition
Before deciding to learn a foreign language, language learners or enthusiasts should equip themselves with insight into factors influencing second language acquisition. Deep insight can positively impact language learners’ self-intervention and guide language teachers in choosing the right teaching strategies.
Many factors influence students’ success in learning a foreign language. Some factors cannot be changed, and others are more within their control. Therefore, let’s understand these factors to achieve students’ goals and peek into realistic expectations for learning.
Internal Factors: The Building Blocks Within
If someone says, “Children have a natural ability to learn languages, especially additional languages, ” unfortunately, we disagree. Many factors influence a child’s second language acquisition. Let’s start this discussion with three factors students can optimize in learning.
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Aptitude
Learning a second language is characterized by cognitive abilities related to how students absorb and process information during language acquisition. The ability to learn quickly becomes a prominent characteristic of aptitude.
Certain executive functions of the brain also affect language development. In addition, students’ learning competencies affect their language acquisition abilities. The higher their learning competencies, the higher their chances of success in learning a language.
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Intelligence
Intelligence, which is assessed by verbal IQ tests, plays an important role in learning tasks related to language analysis and rules, such as reading and grammar. However, the nature of intelligence tends to be complex and potentially weak.
Gardner (2008) expanded the concept from a conventional perspective to a multifaceted approach, which includes linguistic, spatial, musical, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic intelligence. He believed that the unique combination within students is one of the factors influencing second language acquisition.
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Learning Style
Each student has a different learning style preference depending on their biological and psychological differences. Aligning students’ learning styles with appropriate teacher-teaching strategies can improve their performance, motivation, and achievement.
External Factors: The World Around Us
Unconsciously, students’ external factors affect language learning outcomes, such as parental support or fear of losing their mother tongue skills. Let’s discuss the following external factors that influence second language acquisition individually.
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Motivation
Students’ internal and external motivations often support or hinder the learning process. A classroom that allows student involvement affects their learning experience as it increases motivation. A contextual theme-based curriculum makes students more interested in learning.
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Language Exposure
To make progress, students need to receive some input. The more inputs they have, the greater their chances of success. If a student’s family only speaks one language, they need other environments to support their learning process.
It is also important how much exposure parents place on learning an additional language. Parents prioritizing language learning are more likely to help their children continue trying.
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Learning Environment
What changes among students is the place to acquire language, depending on the factors influencing second language acquisition. Students need other places to learn an additional language if their home environment is unsupportive.
Therefore, the classroom should be the most comfortable place a low-anxiety learning environment can increase the chances of language acquisition. In international settings, such as IB schools, the classroom environment is intentionally designed to promote inquiry-based learning, cultural inclusivity, and language immersion. These conditions help students build confidence and fluency, especially when second language acquisition is integrated into daily interactions and cross-disciplinary learning.
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Teaching Strategies
Teachers’ teaching strategies have a big impact on language learning. Gaining immersion experiences helps students connect the language learning process to their everyday lives.
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Living Comfort
Are students happy where they live? Some children move from one country to another because of their parents’ jobs. As a result, they are not motivated to learn a new language.
Additional Resources
Unlike the previous factors, the factors we will discuss are pretty abstract. Let’s move on to factors that are more or less beyond students’ control.
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Age
Most children rely on their memory, while adults are more prominent in rule-based learning. Age plays a vital role in factors influencing second language acquisition. Overall, the earlier students start learning a language, the better. Even so, everyone can achieve a high level of language proficiency.
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Mother Tongue
Additional languages closer to the student’s mother tongue take less time to master. Similar languages can be learned quickly by them because they have many of the same vocabulary. If there are some differences, no matter how small, they can slow down their understanding process.
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Personality
Another factor that cannot be controlled is personality. Each individual has a rare combination of traits. This means that they will not be precisely the same when determining behavior. Nevertheless, the right teaching strategy can unite these differences into a perfect whole.
Students benefit from learning about the factors influencing second language acquisition as language learners or enthusiasts. Parents and teachers should also be aware of this to optimize their language learning journey.
Students may face challenges along the way. Still, with the proper support and resources, students can overcome challenges and achieve their goals. At BINUS SCHOOL Simprug, language acquisition is supported through a balanced integration of academic rigour, cultural awareness, and individualised learning pathways. With the guidance of experienced educators and a strong community, students develop not only linguistic proficiency but also global-mindedness preparing them for higher education and international opportunities. If you are looking for a holistic education that provides the IB curriculum with Second Language Acquisition in Indonesia, BINUS SCHOOL Simprug is the answer! Explore how second language acquisition in Indonesia can be enhanced through an international curriculum. BINUS SCHOOL Simprug equips students with future-ready language skills and intercultural competence from an early age.
Also Read: Fostering Global Citizens: Second Language Acquisition in the IB Curriculum
References:
Factors that Influence Second Language Acquisition – Raising Language Learners
What factors influence language learning? (mangolanguages.com)
9 Factors that Influence Language Learning (whitbyschool.org)
