Language Learning vs. Acquisition Based Theory. Special Regards to the Age Factor

This term paper deals with the following questions: What is the nature of language or grammar in a bi- or multilingual person's mind, and how do different systems of language knowledge coexist and interact? How is more than one grammatical system acquired, either simultaneously or sequential? In what respect does bi- or multilingual acquisition differ from monolingual acquisition? How is the knowledge of two or more languages used by the same speaker in bilingual interaction? (SLA)

In order to get a better understanding of SLA one firstly and inevitably has to answer the question what language acquisition entails and how exactly it relates to the effect of age. Therefore Linguistic theories will be made use of to help drawing lines between acquisition and learning as well as L1 and L2 acquisition. One of the main aims of this paper is to explain Ziegésar's acquisition based approach to teaching grammar and explore its possibilities. Keeping in mind that instructed SLA (or better: assisted?) takes place in a certain environment, the role of the foreign language classroom will be discussed and evaluated.