Age and the Acquisition of English as a Foreign Language

This book provides an overview of current research on the age factor in foreign language learning, addressing issues, which are critical for language planning. It presents new research on foreign language learning within bilingual communities in formal instruction settings focussing on syntax, phonology, writing, oral skills and learning strategies.

Auteur

María del Pilar García Mayo is Associate Professor of English linguistics at the University of the Basque Country (Spain). Her research interests include the acquisition of second language syntax both from a generative and an interactionist perspective.

María Luisa García Lecumberri is Associate Professor of English phonetics at the University of the Basque Country (Spain). Her research interests are intonation in English and Spanish and the acquisition of English by foreign learners.

Contenu

María del Pilar García Mayo and María Luisa García Lecumberri: Introduction
Part 1: Theoretical Issues
1 David Singleton: Critical Period or General Age Factor(s)?
2 Jonathan Leather: Phonological Acquisition in Multilingualism
3 Stefka H. Marinova-Todd: Know Your Grammar: What the Knowledge of Syntax and Morphology in an L2 Reveals about the Critical Period for Second/foreign Language Acquisition
Part 2: Fieldwork in Bilingual Communities
4 Jasone Cenoz: The Influence of Age on the Acquisition of English: General Proficiency, Attitudes and Code Mixing
5 María del Pilar García Mayo: Age, Length of Exposure and Grammaticality Judgements in the Acquisition of English as a Foreign Language
6 María Luisa García Lecumberri and Francisco Gallardo: English FL Sounds in School Learners of Different Ages
7 David Lasagabaster and Aintzane Doiz: Maturational Constraints on Foreign-language Written Production
8 Carmen Muñoz: Variation in Oral Skills Development and Age of Onset
9 Mia Victori and Elsa Tragant: Learner Strategies: A Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Study of Primary and High-school EFL Teachers