ISSUES IN FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION REVISITED

It is important to develop a lot of skills during first and second language acquisition process in order to have good results. To be competent and perform a good first and second language according to our needs, it is difficult to develop them in both languages, but we have to do it in order to comprehend both of them, especially for adults, who are the ones who have more troubles to learn a second language. To comprehend is very important because through that skill we are able to produce and to develop an output. There is a common question which is do you speak English?, and what we do not realize about is that into that question there is another question which is and you understand it too? It is logic that if we speak a language we are able to understand it, because to understand or comprehend a language is Important and the first step to produce something in a language, that is why the inability to produce something in a language does not mean that the learner cannot comprehend or in the case of an adult, does not mean that he/she does not have an innate capacity to learn a second language, we have to be aware that cognitive and affective variables can affect the process of learning. During the acquisition of a second language, children are indeed learning Universal Grammar (but obviously they do not understand what Universal Grammar is), while adults who learn a second language are learning almost without any reference of Universal Grammar and a more formal language. The acquisition of a second language can vary, because some contextual, cultural and affective variables sometimes are not applicable to the first language development and that is why the second language learner is exposed to a very difficult task which is to understand and know the thoughts and concepts that are similar (morphologically) but different at the same time in meaning (from first language to second language and vice versa), because that is a problem that difficult the learning process. In light of this, some learners try imitation, for getting better results, even though this is a good tool for basic learners, sometimes it becomes in a stop for more advanced learners, because they worry about imitate only, some others, try practicing, though it is a good way to learn and improve, it does not matter the frequency of stimulation nor the number of time practicing a form in order to learn an item, what is important is to contextualize the language in the real function of the language which is to communicate selfideas. To be able to have a good speech in second language, first, we have to develop very good input skills, for example, by improving listening and reading, we will be able to create more formal and well-formed phrases when talking, and better paragraphs when writing. And with those abilities, we will have a better speech, more formal and comprehendible. It is hard sometimes for adults to learn a second language, but by constructing the appropriated environment, it is possible.

By Milton Orlando Martinez