Lonsdale Institute: SWEANA406A - Second Language Learning Report

This report investigates the effectiveness of studying a second language in a country where it is native. It begins with an introduction to Second Language Learning (SLA) and highlights its importance for both learners and teachers. The discussion section elaborates on the contribution of second language study in academic progress, noting its positive impact on English structure and vocabulary, as well as reinforcement of subjects like social studies, mathematics, and English literacy. It further explores how second language study narrows achievement gaps among diverse student populations, promoting competency and cultural awareness by providing unique insights into different cultures. The report also addresses barriers to second language study, such as limited opportunities in less affluent areas. The conclusion emphasizes the crucial role of second language acquisition in a multilingual world, particularly in technology-driven fields, reinforcing its overall effectiveness. The report references multiple studies to support its claims.

Running head: SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING
Second Language Learning
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNIN
TASK 1
Academic Report Plan
1. Purpose of the report
To research about the effectiveness of studying a second language in a country where it is
native.
2. References you will use for the report
5
3. Tick or highlight the type of report you should write:
☐ Analytical report ☐ Research report ☐ Scientific report
4. Notes
List the headings you will
use in your report
Introduction, Discussion, conclusion
Main points/ideas for your
report
Contribution of second language study in academic progress,
Contribution of second language study in narrowing down
the achievement gaps, Second language study promotes
competency and cultural awareness, Barriers to Second
Language study
Describe any graphics you
will use
There will be not graphics used.

2SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNIN
TASK 2
Introduction
SLA or Second Language Learning is one of the very critical issues for both the
learners and the teachers of second language. Hence, learning and teaching a second language
has always been of utmost important matter for the linguistics who desire of learning
solutions in order to facilitate the job of the instructors and to answer the educational
enquires. As according to (), teachers play a very vital and positive role in the task of
improving the second language acquisition if they understand how to assist the learners in
progressing and improving their ability (Meyer, 2015). However, attaining fluency in one or
two foreign language is one of the most obvious reasons for studying a foreign language
among most of the learners abroad but there are also certain effectiveness of it that are worth
noticing. This paper shall elaborate on the effectiveness of studying a second language in a
country where it is native.
Discussion
Contribution of second language study in academic progress
As per it is stated by Curtain and Dahlberg (2014), learning a foreign language
enhances the knowledge and understanding of the English structure and vocabulary. Also,
there are many researchers who show that the time that is spent on the study of foreign
language or second language powerfully reinforces the important subject areas of social
studies, mathematics and English language literacy. The students continuously outperform
the control teams in the key subject fields on the various types of standardised tests, often
noticeably. Furthermore, according to the study conducted in the year 1997 by Armstrong
and Rogers, it has been found that students in schools scored higher in the subject of
mathematics and in the language arts after a semester of the second language study of 90 min

3SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNIN
in each week. Hooke (2013) in this context has also supported the fact that bilingualism
enhances and fosters the learning and development of spatial and verbal abilities.
Contribution of second language study in narrowing down the achievement gaps
It is to state that it is often observed that the children of different colour, from
economically less benefited backgrounds and the English Language Learners make the
significant commensurate achievement gains from the Second Language Learning. The
Foreign Language Magnet Program of Cincinnati has the learner population, among which 57
percent are the African American and 43 percent are Caucasian and along with that 52
percent of the whole are receiving free lunch. It is to note that the achievement of such
learners far overreach the global rules in both the areas of reading and mathematics and these
members in the foreign language magnet program gain significantly more than the rest other
programs of Cincinnati.
Second language study helps in the promotion of competency and cultural awareness
In this period of worldwide interdependence and a continuously increasing multi-
ethnic and multicultural society, the early second language study has given the learners an
unique insight into the various different cultures as well as have built their cultural
competency skills in such a way that no other discipline could have able to do. Exposure to
the Second Language Learning contributes as a notable means of assisting the children to the
intercultural competence. The consciousness of the global community could be improved
when the children get the opportunities to experience the involvement along with other
cultures by the means of foreign languages (Curtaiin & Dahlberg, 2014). Various studies
have come to the conclusion that the Second Language Learners are much more liberal about
the diversity within the people e (Carpenter & Judith, 2011)
Barriers to Second Language study

4SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNIN
The opportunities of learning second languages as well as gaining knowledge about
other cultures are severely lacking among most of the less income, minorities, and the
districts of urban school. Instruction about Second language is been provided among only
one-quarter of the urban public schools in comparison to the suburban private schools, which
is two-thirds. In the year 2003, about 29% of the public school principals belonging from the
highly minority school districts have been expected the future declination in the instructional
duration for second languages (Hughes, Im & Allee, 2015). The African-American,
American-Indian and the Hispanic students earn very less credits in the second languages as
compared to their white mates. Maximizing the access to as well as the enrolments in the
second language courses in the elementary and the secondary institutions or schools might
not, by their own, be enough to enhance the proficiency in second language. On an average
the high school students receive nearly one-fifty hours of second language instruction in a
year.
Conclusion
Learning and acquiring a second language is very crucial, especially in a multi lingual
and a bilingual society. It is one of the necessities in the current global world where the use of
technology is greatly restricted to specific countries that are speaking small number of
languages. Second Language Learning is very effective in these countries due to the above
mentioned facts.

5SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNIN
References:
Armstrong, P.W. and J.D. Rogers. (1997). Basic Skills Revisited: The Effects of Foreign
Language Instruction on Reading, Math and Language Arts.” Learning Languages,
Spring. 20-31. (*"Presents a study that provides quantitative and qualitative evidence
of the effect of foreign language education upon the basic skills of elementary
students, with the hope that such evidence will provide information and assistance to
parents and educators who are investigating the benefits of elementary school foreign
language programs.")
Carpenter, John A. and Judith V. Torney. (1974) Beyond the Melting Pot. In Childhood and
Intercultural Education: Overview and Research, edited by Patricia Maloney Markun.
(pp.14-24) Washington DC: Association for Childhood Education International.
Curtain, Helena & Carol Ann Dahlberg. (2014). Languages and Children: Making the Match:
New Languages for Young Learners, Grades K-8. Third Edition. New York:
Longman.
Hughes, J. N., Im, M. H., & Allee, P. J. (2015). Effect of school belonging trajectories in
grades 6–8 on achievement: Gender and ethnic differences. Journal of school
psychology, 53(6), 493-507.
Meyer, O. (2015). Towards quality CLIL: successful planning and teaching
strategies. PULSO. Revista de Educación, (33), 11-29.