Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning

while English "orients its users to separation or abstraction from the perceptual field" (p. 2). In this case, it is quite possible that the subjects were past the right hemisphere stage in their acquisition of English, and other factors, such as the one suggested by Rogers et al., influenced the results.

Finally, if the stage hypothesis is supported by subsequent studies, we must determine what the right hemisphere contributes to language acquisition. According to recent research (Zaidel, 1973; Curtiss, 1977) even the mature right hemisphere has a surprisingly rich comprehension lexicon and an understanding of basic semantic relationships. Its linguistic inferiority may be primarily in syntax. Does the right hemisphere bring these lexical and semantic abilities into play during early stages of language acquisition, with the left hemisphere fully taking over only when more advanced syntax is acquired, and/or are other "appositional" abilities used?

Conclusions

The current scene in neurolinguistics is somewhat unsettled, but recent years have seen a number of exciting discoveries and rapid progress. Some crucial issues have not been decided, but there are some conclusions we can conservatively draw:

While child-adult differences in second language acquisition potential do exist, the evidence for a biological barrier to successful adult acquisition is lacking. On the contrary, there is abundant reason to maintain that adults are still able to "acquire" language naturally to a great extent.

There is some evidence for right hemisphere participation in early stages of first and second language acquisition, suggesting a further L1-L2 parallel (L. Obler, personal communication).

These conclusions lead to no methodological breakthroughs, to no "neurolinguistic method". They are, however, quite consistent with current approaches to second language instruction, approaches developed by concerned teachers independent of theory, that emphasize meaningful and communicative activities that take advantage of the adults' ability to acquire language.²