In the name of Allah (S.W.

T)

Socio-Linguistics
Presented By: Omidullah Mohammadi
Instructor: Asst. Prof. Hamza Atifnigar
A concept of 'critical period' for language acquisition
--- Its implication for adult language learning ---
Teachability and Learnability:
Learnability theory applies some limits on the Teachability
Hypothesis which means That the effectiveness of teaching is
limited to the learning for which the learner is ready. On the
other hand, what is learnable can be teachable.
 Evidence of the Critical Period Hypothesis

The Critical Period Hypothesis:

The critical period hypothesis or sensitive period

hypothesis claims that there is an ideal time window
of brain development to acquire language in a
linguistically rich environment, after which further
language acquisition becomes much more difficult,
and effortful.
Studies of a Human Brain and its Lateralization:

Language is primarily localized in the left hemisphere while the

left hemisphere has proven to be more optimized for language,
the right hemisphere has the capacity with emotions, such as
sarcasm, that can express prosody in sentences when
speaking.
Studies of Feral Children:

A feral child is a human child who has lived

isolated from human contact from a very young
age, and has no (or little) experience of human
care, loving or social behavior, and, crucially, of
human language.
Criticism of the Critical Period Hypothesis:

The Critical Period Hypothesis is widely criticized by scholars usually

due to its over-generalization about language acquisition in all
respects of a language and its insistence on the abruptness of the
retrogression of language learning ability once beyond the critical
period.

1: Critical Period Hypothesis reexamined

2: The Sensitive Period and Multiple Periods
 Implications of the CPH for Adult Second
Language Learning

The Implication from the Variety of Results:

The major implication of the critical period

hypothesis is that language learning can only occur
(with the end goal of native fluency) during a few
years of a child's life some researchers have used
this theory as grounds for promoting bilingual
education programs.
The Different Acquisition of Pronunciation and Grammar:

Since the acquisition of pronunciation and grammar are different in nature,

it seems natural of each of them to have independent critical periods.
Phonological acquisition seems to be more sensitive to the critical period
than that of grammar. This leads to a theory of the multiple critical periods.
The Different Acquisition by Children and
Adults:

Language acquisition in children is a fascinating

process that occurs effortlessly and naturally. But
language acquisition in adults presents a unique
set of challenges compared to children.
Thanks!