IS THERE AN OPTIMAL AGE FOR STARTING SECOND LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION?

Résumé

The received opinion that prefers an early age for the instruction of children in a second language has ifs sources in various long-established postulates from non-pedagogical fields. Genesee names them as the cognitive-nativist and neuropsychological positions, and the argument of "affective purity". He reviews each argument and cites some frequently heard objections, with a view to establishing a fresh perspective on the issue before inspecting some specifically educational research that bears upon it. By a careful weighing of the indications presently available, Genesee argues that advantage seems to lie with an early beginning followed by work at the secondary level.