Acquiring a Second Language: Why do we find it so difficult?

Instituto Cervantes Manchester and Leeds presents a new lecture series: “Acquiring a Second Language: Why do we find it so difficult?”, coordinated by Idoia Elola (Texas Tech University) y Ana Oskoz (University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), a forum aimed at teachers, language studentes, parents and the general public, which will consider how we learn a second, or a heritage language. Presenters will discuss various elements and difficulties that come with second-language acquisition including: myths and realities surrounding language acquisition and age, the effect of explicit knowledge and how it can affect learning, the use of language according to the context in which it is spoken, and the effect of education on our ability to learn a second language.

Idoia Elola (Texas Tech University) and Ana Oskoz (University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)) have worked together for nearly two decades in the field of digital writing in Spanish as a second language. In their work they have examined both individual and collaborative writing with a special interest in the world of multi-literacy. Idoia and Ana recognize the impact that different social tools have on daily communication and investigate how second language and heritage students express themselves with these multimodal tools within the classroom. Due to the multimodality of texts that are created with these digital tools, Idoia and Ana see their inclusion not only as a way to develop and acquire second languages but also as a way to give students the knowledge and skills necessary to be participants in today’s society.