SAMUDRA UNIVERSITY

THE

PSYCHOLOGY
of Second Language Acquisition

Presented by group 4
1. Putri Annazarin
2. Putri Rahmanda Sari HRP
3. Cut Putri Julia
4. Rizka Dwi Aprillia
 THE RELATIONSHIP OF LANGUAGE AND BRAIN IN SLA
Why are Language and Brain Important in SLA?

Second Language Acquisition, or SLA, is not just about

memorizing vocabulary or grammar rules. It’s a complex
process that actively involves the brain. Language processing
is a high-level cognitive function, and the brain pathways
used for L1 and L2 can be different—especially when L2 is
learned after childhood. This is where neurolinguistics plays a
role: as a bridge between language and the nervous system.

So, how do scientists know which parts of the brain are

active? They use tools like fMRI, which detects blood flow to
the working areas of the brain, and EEG, which measures
electrical activity to track how quickly the brain responds to
language.
BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
Several brain areas play key roles in language
processing. The Broca’s Area, located in the left
frontal lobe, is responsible for producing language
—so when we speak or construct sentences, this
area is activated. The Wernicke’s Area, located at
the back, is responsible for understanding
meanings.

The Arcuate Fasciculus is a bundle of nerves that

connects Broca’s and Wernicke’s Areas, allowing
communication between speech production and
comprehension. The Hippocampus stores long-term
memory, including vocabulary. And the Prefrontal
Cortex, which matures in adulthood, is often used by
late L2 learners for more conscious language
processing.
DECLARATIVE/PROCEDURAL MODEL BY
ULLMAN

According to Ullman’s theory, the brain uses two types of

memory for language. When we learn L1 as children, the
brain relies on procedural memory. It becomes automatic—
just like learning to walk. We don’t have to think about it.

But when learning L2 after the critical period, we use

declarative memory. This means we consciously memorize
rules and vocabulary, and we often have to think before we
speak. That’s why learning a second language feels more
effortful for adults.
- Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH)

There’s a theory called the Critical Period Hypothesis. It suggests there’s a

golden age for learning languages—before age seven. After this period, the
brain becomes less flexible, and it’s harder to absorb language naturally. A
famous case is Genie, a girl who was isolated during childhood and didn’t
receive language input. Even after being rescued, she was never able to
fully acquire language.

- The Influence of Motivation in L2 Acquisition

Motivation also plays a huge role. Research shows that when we’re highly
motivated, Broca’s and Wernicke’s Areas become more active. On the other
hand, if we just memorize without interest, brain activity stays low. Intrinsic
motivation—learning because we want to—is the most effective.
COMPLEXITY
THEORY IN SLA
Complexity Theory, proposed by Diane
Larsen-Freeman in 1997, sees language
learning as a complex, dynamic, and non-
linear process. That means learners don’t
follow one exact path when learning a
second language. Instead, their progress
may change depending on many internal
and external factors.
 There are two reasons why learning is called
‘complex’:
1 It involves many components—like
motivation, environment, and emotions
2 The result of these interactions is more
than just the sum of each part.
—that interact with one another. So language learning cannot be
predicted exactly—it always evolves.

So language learning cannot be predicted exactly—it always evolves.

 Characteristics of Language as a
Complex System
Learning a language as a complex system e. Self-organizing
c. Sensitive to Beginnings
g. Adaptive & Feedback-
has several main features identified by Learners are self-organizing
Larsen-Freeman (1997), which include: (Butterfly Effect) sensitive
Each learner builds their own strategy
A small thing at the start—like a Learners are also adaptive. They adjust their
and method of learning, based on
learning based on feedback and new
a. Dynamic kind teacher or a mean comment—
can affect us for a long time.
their personal needs and experiences.
experiences. That feedback could be from
This is called the Butterfly Effect. Every learner is different. Some love
teachers, friends, or the environment.
Small moments can lead to big watching English movies, others
Language learning is dynamic—it When someone corrects us or we learn from a
keeps changing. One day, we changes in how we learn prefer grammar books. We all build
mistake, our brain adapts. That’s how complex
might speak fluently, the next day our own learning style.
systems grow—by learning from experience.
we struggle. It depends on d. Open to
context, mood, and experiences
Environment
f. Emergent h. Strange Attractors & Fractals

b. Non-linear Language learning is an open

system. It’s influenced by the
Language skills are emergent.
They grow naturally through
Complex systems have strange attractors,
which guide the learning process toward
environment—social, cultural, real-life exposure—not just certain patterns. And like fractals, these
Sometimes we study hard, but from textbooks or patterns repeat—but with unique twists each
and even technological. Just
progress feels slow. memorization. Like speaking time. No learning journey is exactly the same.
like a tree that grows
Other times, we learn fast from skills that come after hearing
depending on its entire So, learning doesn’t go straight up. It loops, it
just listening or chatting. and interacting a lot.
ecosystem. turns, it repeats. But in the end, we’re still
It’s not always fair or
climbing.
predictable—and that’s okay.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN
SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
(SLA)

What are Psychological Factors in SLA?

Psychological factors are individual traits that influence the
success of learning a second language.
These factors explain why each learner may experience
language acquisition differently.
Based on Muriel Saville-Troike (2012):

AGE
- Critical Period Hypothesis (Lenneberg, 1967):
Language learning is more effective before
puberty.
- Children often achieve native-like
pronunciation, while adults are better at syntax
and pragmatics.
- Newport (1990): "Less is more" – children
acquire grammar naturally without
overanalyzing.
 SEX
- Females tend to perform better on verbal
fluency tasks (Kimura, 1992).
- Males may excel in rule-based processing
(Halpern, 2000).
- Hormonal influences: Higher estrogen levels
in females linked to better articulation and
motor skills.
APTITUDE
Carroll (1965) proposed four main components of
language aptitude:
- Phonemic coding ability – processing and
storing sound.
- Inductive language learning ability – identifying
patterns.
- Grammatical sensitivity – recognizing
grammatical roles.
- Associative memory capacity – remembering
language elements.
MOTIVATION
Gardner & Lambert (1972):
- Integrative motivation: Desire to
connect with the language
community.
- Instrumental motivation: Practical
reasons like jobs or education.

Schumann (1997, 2001):

Motivation also involves brain
appraisal of learning relevance.
COGNITIVE STYLE
- Field-dependent: Rely on social context.

-Field-independent: Better at analyzing

language structure.

- Reflective vs. Impulsive:

Reflective = slower but more accurate.
Impulsive = faster but more error-prone.
PERSONALITY
- Extroversion: More active in speaking
and interaction.
- Introversion: Often better in
academic tasks.
- Tolerance of ambiguity: Being
comfortable with uncertainty supports
success.
- Empathy & creativity: Aid in
understanding cultural and linguistic
contexts.
LEARNING STRATEGIES
O’Malley & Chamot (1987):
1. Metacognitive strategies – planning and
monitoring learning.
2. Cognitive strategies – direct language
processing, like repetition and association.
3. Social/affective strategies – interacting with
others and managing emotions.
RESULT AND
DISCUSSION
Result
The purpose of this study is to see how
motivation affects second language learning.

Participants and Methods: This study involved 10

participants who were divided into two groups.
The first group was the Experimental Group,
which received motivation in the form of
encouraging words and gifts after the pre-test.
While the Control Group, consisting of 5
participants, received no motivation at all.
Experiment Group
The motivated group showed significant improvement. For example, RTJ experienced a score increase of
up to 20 points, which shows that motivation successfully increased their effort.
Control Group
Although the participants in the Control Group did not receive any motivation, some of them still showed an
increase in their scores. For example, TA and FN, despite not being given any additional motivation,
managed to increase their scores by 7 points.
 DISCUSSION
The findings of this study show that
motivation plays an important role in
improving L2 learning outcomes. In general,
participants who were given encouragement
showed greater score increases compared to
those who were not. However, not all
individuals respond to motivation in the same
way, and other factors also contribute to
learning outcomes.
1. Motivation contributes to score improvement
In general, motivation does affect learning outcomes,
especially in motivated groups. However, the impact can
vary depending on the individual. Some participants in the
Control Group still showed improvement even without
external motivation.
This shows that other factors, such as learning strategies,
also play a big role in learning success.
2. Individual differences in response to motivation
Some people feel more motivated, while others feel
depressed or anxious. This can affect how they learn and
the results they achieve.
3. Score improvement in the Control Group
This suggests that motivation is not the only factor influencing L2
learning. Some participants may have developed effective learning
strategies, such as metacognitive strategies (e.g., self-monitoring and
reflection), cognitive strategies (e.g., reviewing materials), or social
strategies (e.g., practicing with peers or native speakers). In addition,
factors like previous learning experiences, language aptitude, and a
supportive learning environment may also contribute to learning success
without additional motivation.
4. Effectiveness of the motivational methods used
This study confirms that motivation plays an important role in second
language learning, but its effectiveness can vary depending on the
individual and the type of motivational method used. Therefore, more
personalized and diverse approaches to motivation may help improve
learning outcomes more optimally.
THANK YOU