The Importance of Implementing the English Language at Algerian Primary Schools

Abstract

To sum it all up, age is one of the most affecting factors that determine how an individual learns a foreign language. Hence, the present work was designed to investigate the significance of age in learning a foreign language. The theoretical part of this research is divided into two chapters, the first chapter is dedicated to “Language Acquisition and Age “, and the second chapter to “the Critical Period Hypothesis “; this chapter highlights several studies in the second language acquisition literature that support the existence of a critical period in second language learning, and suggest a strong correlation between age and native-like attainment in a second language. The findings of the practical part can show that the younger the learner, the better he is at acquiring EFL. The young learners scored higher and showed better achievement in linguistic properties, whereas late starters showed less achievement in general.