English Didactics I- 2021

Mr. Alejandro Santillán

Why is it that learning an L2 is more difficult and usually less successful than

learning an L1? (200-250 words)

There are many reasons why, for many people, it is more difficult to learn an L2.

Acquiring an L1 is an unconscious process which takes place at a very early age. As

respects to L2 it is often owing to time constraints that learners assign insufficient time

for practicing the process of learning a language. There are also affective factors which

are often involved negatively and have an unfavorable impact in the results of this

process.

To begin with, learners do not typically devote enough time to the development of an L2.

This can be explained by the fact that L2 is usually learned at school, along other

subjects, and for a few hours a week. When acquiring a mother tongue, there is little

else to do. Moreover, the learner already has a language available for daily

communication and therefore, does not need L2 immediately.

On the other hand, more often than not, learners are constrained by emotional factors.

It is necessary that they are comfortable with the environment of learning and the people

who are sharing the process with them. They also need to be appropriately stimulated

by interesting studying materials.

In conclusion, lack of the necessary time and the existence of certain affective factors

can be used to account for the differences in performance between L1 and L2. However,

this assumption does not mean that we will not be able to cooperate in the process and

achieve the best results we can.