Learning L1s and L2s, Essay Example

In the article “Going Beyond the Native Speaker in Language Teaching,” author Vivian Cook (1999) discusses what it means to be a “native speaker.” Simply put, the native language for any speaker is the language that the speaker first learned and used (Cook, 1999). This native language is the L1, and any other languages a speaker later learns are L2s; individuals who are taught more than one language from birth are considered to have more than one L1, and any languages learned later in life are L2s. By the definition provided by Cook, an L2 speaker can never be considered a “native” speaker of the L2. In this context, then, the only measure of the “authenticity” of a native speaker is whether or not the speaker is using his or her L1. The abilities of different native speakers to use their L1s effectively, or the presence or absence of various accents, usages of slang words or regional colloquialisms, and other variations have no bearing on whether the speaker is an authentic native speaker; the only criteria is whether it is the first language the speaker learned to speak.

There are a number of ways to teach an L2, including methods that encourage L2 learners to avoid using their L1s when learning the L2, and approaches that allow students and instructors to communicate using students’ L1s while learning L2s. There is no specific language pedagogy that is appropriate for all students; factors such as where and how a speaker will ujse the L2 all affect the choice of teaching method. It is not necessary (or even possible) to create native speakers of L2s, so the emphasis should simply be on whatever methods best suit the needs opf particular students or classrooms.

Children likely have an advantage over adults where learning an L2 is concerned, simply because children are still in the biological and sociological stages of development where language is being learned and later skills are still being mastered. At least some of the same processes and skill sets used in expanding on native-language capacity can be applied to learning an L2.

Works Cited

Cook, Vivian. ‘Going Beyond The Native Speaker In Language Teaching’. TESOL quarterly 33.2 (1999): 185–209. Print.