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 Language Acquisition Factors

In the paragraphs below I am going to discuss three-second language acquisition factors that have an effect on XXX’s learning. Although there are many factors that affect L2 acquisition, I will mainly focus on motivation, attitude, personality and self-esteem.

Motivation

“The most important factor in second language acquisition success is motivation” (Lightbown & Spada, 1999, p. 163). Over the two years, I have observed that XXX is a highly motivated child. He tries his best to participate in all the activities and be in the limelight! According to XXX's mother, she motivates her son to study hard and always reminds him that they have come to New Zealand because she wants to give him a better education and a good lifestyle. This can only happen if XXX works hard in his studies and gets a white-collar job. The way XXX is motivated is more relevant to “Extrinsic” motivation. This type of motivation drives a person to be competitive in life and expects rewards such as money, praise or positive feedback (Khasinah, 2014). However, Brown (1994, as cited in Khasinah, 2014) states that  “researchers claim that intrinsic motivation leads to greater success in learning a foreign language, especially in a long run” (p.259). Overall, it is quite evident that XXX is motivated to acquire L2 but in long term, his extrinsic motivation behaviour might clash with his intrinsic motivation behaviour.

Attitude

XXX’s positive attitude to his target language reflects that he is a keen learner and knows very well the importance of L2. XXX’s parents attend parent-teacher conferences and participate in all school-related activities which might help XXX to progress in his learning areas. For instance, in the past years, our school participated in the Pasifika Early Literacy Project (PELP) whereby Pasifika children were given dual language books to take home and read with their whanau. To help XXX and other children in their L2 we made a large cloth bag known as a story sack that contained favourite children's books with supporting materials to stimulate language activities and make reading a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone.  Hence, (Gardner, 1985, as cited in Khalid, 2016) states that L2 learners with positive attitudes toward the target language will learn L2 more effectively than those who lack positive attitudes. 

Personality and Self-Esteem

Over the two years, I have observed that XXX is a quiet boy who likes to stay in his own space working quietly. However, this year I have seen some changes he is more talkative during class discussions participates in extra co-curricular activities and takes an active interest in the whole school Jump Jam. To achieve something in life, a person needs some degree of self-esteem and self-confidence  (Khasinah, 2014).  For instance, our school’s focus for this year is “Mastery”. Thus, the principal asked some of the children about one thing they are going to master this term. XXX replied that he is going to master “backstrokes” during swimming class. I felt it was very impressive for him to give that type of answer. Being surrounded by supportive parents and a teacher creating the right atmosphere for learning, XXX will be motivated to master L2  (Khasinah, 2014).