Learn a Second Language Expository Essay
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Learn a Second Language Expository Essay
Most scholars have drawn their concern to research how the adults learn the second language. In their research, their conclusions seem to be contrasting where some scholars feel that adults learn the second language easily, while others feel that it is only the children who can learn the second language easily as compared to adults. Nevertheless, it should be made clear that adults it is quite common and possible for adults to ascertain a high success level in learning the second vocabulary and grammar, and this makes them communicate in a way that it could be hard to differentiate them from the native speakers. Certainly, this is how those who back the idea that it easier for adults to learn the second language suggest (TED Talks, 2010). The opposers of this idea have maintained that while learning the second language, the adults might be at an advantage following their superior cognitive abilities, though in the long run, young learners will catch up and surpass the older learners, especially when it comes to pronunciation.
Thesis: How adults learn the second language has been a concern for many scholars based on the reading materials, and looking at the arguments presented by the authors, typically, it would be difficult for adults to learn the second language as they would while they were young.
Younger is Better in the Long Run
Pieces of evidence make it clear that there is a connection between the pronunciation of the second language speakers and age. To be specific, it has always been argued that while old learners may have the advantage of learning the second language following their superior cognitive aptitudes, on the contrary, younger learners normally catchup, eventually overtaking the older learners, particularly when it comes to pronunciation. Interestingly, adult learners have high cognitive abilities, yet the younger learners overtake them in learning the second language. Certainly, this is something that may compel one to explore the underlying reasons that contribute to this fact. To prove this assertion, certainly, learners are engaged in the second language community where they are under constant exposure to the second language. Such learner can master the second language to an extent one may confuse him or her for a native (TED Talks, 2010). Ideally, young learners are constantly exposed to the second language community, which presents them with the advantage of mastering the language because they are less occupied as compared to adult learners. This is because adult learners have a lot of accomplishments, which makes them direct little attention to master the second language.
I was compelled to learn some examples presented by scholars to suggest why younger learners can master the second language comprehensively as compared to adult learners. Typically, the scholars engaged animals in their examples to demonstrate how it is difficult for adult learners to communicate in a way that will identify them with the native language. In their first example, “baby cats that do not receive visual stimulation will go up blind, although there is nothing wrong with the eyes” (TED Talks, 2010, Para.3). In their second example, “baby birds that are not exposed to the songs of their species will not develop normal songs” (TED Talks, 2010, Para.3). Certainly, reflecting on these examples, one would have no other option than to back the assertion of the scholars because their examples reflect how the failure of a person to be engaged in stimulation during a serious stage of development will fail to develop a certain ability. Bearing these assertions both from the first and the second body paragraphs, it would be ideal to back the idea that it would be rather difficult for adult learners master the second language necessarily as compared to younger learners.
Conclusion
There have been debates on whether it would be easier for an adult to learn the second language properly. Reflecting on the arguments presented by the scholars, one realizes that while the adult learners have the cognitive ability to master the second language, it will be hard for them to communicate diligently like the natives because based on science, this is something that should be practiced in the childhood which is marked with the critical stage of development (TED Talks, 2010). This also suggests why the younger learners master the second language comprehensively as compared to the adult learners.
Reference
TED Talks. (2010). Learnign a Language as an Adult. TED Talks.