THE ROLE OF AGE IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING.
Abstract
Age has long been one of the most discussed variables in the field of second language acquisition (SLA). The way learners’ biological, cognitive, and social development interact with language learning has raised key questions among linguists, educators, and psychologists. While it is generally believed that younger learners acquire pronunciation and fluency more naturally, adults often progress faster in grammar and vocabulary due to their mature cognitive systems and learning strategies. The relationship between age and language learning, therefore, is not a simple matter of “younger is better,” but a complex interaction of brain development, motivation, exposure, and learning context.
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