Individual learner differences:
a) Social background (parents' education, material situation, skills at mother tongue)
b) Gender
c) Lateralization - right hemisphere (non-verbal, maths, feelings), left hemisphere (verbal, grammar, reading, thinking)
d) Age - Critical Period Hypothesis (based on Eric Lanneberg's findings, age of puberty -12)
The Case of Genie - since the age of 18 months in solitary confinement, couldn't speak
The wild boy of Aveyron (11/12 searching for food)
e) Motivation - Harmer - internal drive that encourages sb to pursue a course of action
=Extrincic motivation (INTEGRATIVE - being interested in culture, INSTRUMENTAL - to get good job, better position or status)
= Intrinsic motivation (physical condition of classroom, method, teacher, success)
f) Intelligence*
According to Locke there are 4 sources that support CPH:
= Learning 2nd language (immigrants before 7yo were fluent speakers, 15yo were not)
=Delayed exposure to the lang. (if you are not exposed at right time, difficulties to be fluent)
=Brain damage at different age (more likely to recover when young)
= Wolf children
AFFECTIVE DOMAIN
SELF ESTEEM - how we judge ourselves, it can change according to our success
INHIBITION - connected with reaction to mistakes (atmosphere)
RISK TAKING - A successful learner experiments with language learning
ANXIETY - trait (always have to worry about sth), state
EMPATHY - putting oneself into someone else's shoes
EXTRAVESION - confident, outgoing, don't like working alone, better at speaking, need other people to feel `good'
INTROVERSION - shy, don't like talking, control what they are going to say, better at listening