APA ESSAY ABOUT INTERVIEWING

Abstract

This paper discussed why learning the 2nd language will be difficult than the 1st language; what relationship between the 1st language and the 2nd language; and the benefits in daily life from learning the 2nd language. We can know the difficulties of learning the 2nd language; basic knowledge of learning it; and the importance of learning it in the today’s society. I interviewed 5 students to ask above questions about benefits of learning the 2nd language and the difference between the 1st language and the 2nd language to them. I also found some articles were written by famous writers about my research topic. The specialists’ thinks that the 1st language is the basic of learning the 2nd language and it is more difficult than the 1st language. Then I found that learning the 2nd language could let you have more competitiveness than others in the workplace and gain more opportunities.

Introduction

Language is a necessary part of people’s daily life. If we don’t have it, people cannot communicate directly; cannot express the various cultures; also, we cannot imagine how the world would be. In addition, language is one of the most necessary things for all biology in the world, because whatever biology，they all need their own language to communicate with each other. In nowaday’s society, people maybe own the same life, but people who are in the different countries will speak the different language. This will result that people will have different cultures. If you cannot understand the language of this country, you cannot communicate with people there; you even cannot know the culture there deeply. For instance, ants and might will never have communication with each other because we assume they don’t understand mutual language. In today’s global integrative trend, it is important to know the cultures of others’ countries and communicate with people which from international countries. For example, when purchaser goes to buy cars in the dealer, they are more willing to choose the seller who can understand because it will be more convenient to communicate their special ideas. So, you can see the business opportunities from it. If you learn one more language, you will have more advantages than others in business and workplace.

Different Language: a Literature Review

Language is the necessary thing of people’s daily life. In today's world the trend of integration, learning other language is very important. My research paper has focused on the following questions:

1. Why learning a 2nd language is more difficult to learn than a 1st language.

2. What is the relationship of learning between 1st language and 2nd language?

3. What are the benefits in life for learning 2nd language?

Why Learning a 2nd Language is More Difficult?

In the article “Why Learning a 2nd Language is More Difficult?” Saoirse OMara said, “First language acquisition is mostly passive.” The author thinks before people understand how to use their native language, they will learn it by listening to other’s voice, speaking, finding the sentence structures, exploring the language skills. This is an unconscious process. Nobody learnt how to speak their native language intentionally but you also can master it well. We’re supposed to naturally pick up the language skills in life and growing up. “Second language learning, on the other hand, is an active process. We need to learn vocabulary and grammar in order to achieve our goal.” The author believes that people will spend much more time on studying and mastering the 2nd language. I agree with Saoirse OMara. People should remember the language skills consciously. It needs a language environment to improve your speaking, such as living the country, which speaks that language for a long time. Most of people cannot use the 2nd language well as their native language. We needn’t remember the vocabulary and grammar when we were babies and cannot speak. People started to learn how to speak little by little when they listened to parents’ speaking. This is really unconscious process. As an international student, I still cannot speak English fluently since I came to America for 5 years. However, I can use Chinese very well when I was 5 years old. So, learning the 2nd language is more difficult than learning the native language.

What relationship of learning between 1st language and 2nd language?

In the article “What relationship of learning between 1st language and 2nd language?” Vivian Cook says “The relationship between the two languages is crucial because it defines the very nature of second language acquisition.” The author think the 1st language and the 2nd language have the crucial relationship because when we learn the 2nd language, we need to use the 1st language skills and meaning. Just because of this, when people use the grammar of the 2nd language, it will seems to be same as the 1st language. I agree with author’s opinions. As an international student, I need to study the 2nd language. When I study English, I always translate it into Chinese to understand their meaning. Just because that English has the different grammar from Chinese, my teachers and classmates cannot understand what I wrote or said at the beginning of studying English. However, the international students who just like me can understand me. Maybe my native languages influence the 2nd language. So, my English becomes cultural, only Chinese can understand it.

What are the benefits in life for learning 2nd language?

The benefits of learning a second language In the article “The benefits of learning a second language” the author Jennifer Smith says, “Once you do, being fluent in a second language offers numerous benefits and opportunities.” The author thinks that there are so many benefits if you study the 2nd language. By the 2nd language, job prospects will be brighter; it will helps you to find job which need the 2nd language easily. The 2nd language is obbligato in the work place, you can use it promote the cooperation between countries. You can travel around the world and explore new things. If you choose to learn some common oral language like Spanish, French or English, you can travel everywhere in the world and will have no difficulties to communicate with people there. Learning a new language can experience the new culture and feel the difference of everywhere around the world. I agree with the opinions of author that learing the 2nd language will have the different life. Every country has their own culture, learning the 2nd language will help us to learn more about culture of these countries. As an international student, I cannot speak English when I first came to America. I also had no way to know the culture of this country. Even though I cannot communicate with Americans. So I believe that learning the 2nd language is also a life skill.

Method

This research let people know the importance of learning the 2nd language and urge more people to learn a 2nd language. The 2nd language can let people can communicate with people from different countries, know the culture from other countries and reduce the distance between countries. Also, it talks about the difficulties of learning the 2nd language and give the psychological preparation to people who want to learn the 2nd language.

To know more diversified answers of my research questions, I interviewed the students from different countries during my interview. So, I prepared questions focused on What are benefits you finding from studying the 2nd language and What the difference do you think between learning the 1st language and the 2nd language. I interviewed Alex in the dinning hall, he is an American boy who learned French for 3 years. Then, I interviewed the Chinese girl called Ada. She is my friend and I interviewed her when we hang out.

Also, I searched paper about my topic online. I find out about some benefits of learning the 2nd language that can help you travel around the world and know the culture of other countries.

Results and discussion

The results from research show that most of people think that learning the 2nd language is more difficult than the 1st language and also believe that there are some benefits to learn the 2nd language, even though everyone has the different idea of the benefit. In addition, most of people will choose English as their 2nd language. Alex told me his personal experience of learning the 2nd language and opinions about the 2nd language. As we know, learning a new language is not an easy task; we don’t have the language environment like the native language. So we need to spend more time practicing on the grammar, words, speaking and so on. It is really a hard thing for anyone. Alex spends 3 years studying French, but he still cannot speak French fluently as English. However, French really help him interact with French more than before and know the French culture deeply. Just like Jennifer Smith said in literature review: Once you do, being fluent in a second language offers numerous benefits and opportunities.