As we proceed with our discussion of how youngsters acquire a second language
in school, we must take a moment to summarize basic language acquisition theories
related to first and second language development. Our purpose is to acquaint
you with those aspects of theory and research that are helpful to teachers in understanding
both first and second language learners. It is important to note that
neither first nor second language acquisition is yet fully understood. As a result,
many controversies and disagreements prevail among experts. For this reason,
continued interdisciplinary research in psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, and
education is needed to help us better understand processes of language acquisition
and use. The issues are complex enough to keep many researchers busy for
decades, if not centuries, to come. With that, let us summarize some basic theories.