Critical Period Theory Essay

When it comes down to acquiring new skills, whether they be; academic or vocational, mental or physical it has generally been accepted that the earlier the new skill is started the better the final outcome will be, but is that always the case?
This paper will look at some of the evidence from experts and leading studies in the field to answer this question.
A critical period is defined by the United States National Institute of Health as “a period of time during an organism’s development in which the brain is optimally capable of acquiring a specific ability, provided that appropriate environmental stimuli are present.”
Humans and some other members of the animal kingdom acquire language during a critical period. After this time the level and

Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) refers to the idea of there being a limited ideal time period for the acquisition of a second or first

Synapses numbers hit their highest levels in children between the ages of 2 and 4. These then start to decline and become steady between the ages of 10 and 15.
To some extent these findings point to the onset of puberty being the end of an important phase of learning.
Aside from the biological implications in relation to SLA there are other factors which have a positive correlation to learning English at an early age. The younger a child is the more used to making mistakes they are and the less embarrassed they become when making them. Young child learners “are likely to be less ‘language anxious’ than many older learners and hence may be more able to absorb language rather than block it out” (Johnstone, 2002)
When a parent or school decides to expose their child or student to a second language they need to consider how the language will be introduced. The initial contact with a new language and the child’s willingness to pursue it will depend on the level of related enjoyment perceived by the child. A softly-softly or fun approach to SLA with young learners is likely to create a long lasting positive