Research Article

The Effects of Age Factor on Learning English Language: A Case Study of Sudanese Private and Public Secondary Schools in Khartoum State, Sudan

Authors

  • Ali Albashir Mohammed Alhaj Department of English, College of Science and Arts, King Khalid University, Dhahran Aljanoub, Abha, Saudi Arabia
  • Dina Ali Abdalla Ali Department of English, College of Science and Arts, King Khalid University, Ahad Rufaydah, Abha, Saudi Arabia
  • Majda Babiker Ahmed Department of English, College of Science and Arts, King Khalid University, Ahad Rufaydah, Abha, Saudi Arabia
  • Eman Mahmoud Ibrahim Alian Department of English, College of Science and Arts, King Khalid University, Ahad Rufaydah, Abha, Saudi Arabia; Faculty of Education, Zagazig University, Egypt

Abstract

The current paper aims at studying the age factor in Sudanese public schools and private schools where the starting age differs in both.  Also, it aims at finding out whether the late or early starting of learning English language influences the learner's acquisition to language. Moreover, the study aims at showing the difference between learners of English language in private schools and learners in public schools. The tools used for data collection were questionnaire for EFL Sudanese teachers and a test for Sudanese secondary school students. The research was conducted with a total of 30 male students attending Sudanese public schools and private schools. By using the mixed-method research approaches, the findings revealed that most respondents agree that the early learners are better than late ones, that is to say that students of private schools who start learning English at an early age had better mastery of English than those of public-school students who start at a late age. Finally, the study recommended that investigating the effects of age factor on learning English language is a very important phenomenon and may apply in other countries such Egypt, Saudi Arabia etc. This study is the first of its kind to investigate the effects of age factor on learning English language, particularly,  in the context of Arab countries.

Article information

Journal

International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation

Volume (Issue)

3 (9)

Pages

148-155

Published

2020-09-30

How to Cite

The Effects of Age Factor on Learning English Language: A Case Study of Sudanese Private and Public Secondary Schools in Khartoum State, Sudan. (2020). International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 3(9), 148-155. https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2020.3.9.16

References

Albahiri, M. H., & Alhaj, A. A. M. (2020). Role of visual element in spoken English discourse: implications for YouTube technology in EFL classrooms. The Electronic Library, 38(3), 531-544. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-07-2019-0172

Alhaj, A.A. M., & Albahiri, M/ H. (2020). Using Pedagogic Video to Enhance English for Specific Purposes Teaching Program (ESP) for Saudi University Students: A New Prospective Approach. Arab World English Journal, Special Issue on CALL (6). 302-317. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/call6.20

Al-Dali, A. (1997). The Age Variable, UMI, Bill & Howell Information Company, USA.

Asher, J. J., & García, R. (1969). The optimal age to learn a foreign language. The Modern Language Journal, 53(5), 334-341.

Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching languages to young learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011). Choosing a mixed methods design. Designing and conducting mixed methods research, 2, 53-106.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). The selection of a research approach. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 3-24.

Gawi, A. (2012). The effects of age factor on learning English: A case study of learning English in Saudi schools, Saudi Arabia. English Language Teaching, 5(1), 127-139.

Hu, R. (2016). The age factor in second language learning. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 6(11), 2164–2168. doi: 10.17507/tpls.0611.13

Jafari, S. S. (2013). Motivated Learners and Their Success in Learning a Second Language. Theory & Practice In Language Studies, 3(10).

Johnstone, R. M. (2002). Addressing'the age factor': some implications for languages policy. Strasbourg: Council of Europe. Strasbourg: Council of EuropeLenneberg, H. (1967/1995). Biological Foundations of Language. New York: Wiley.

Oyama, S. (1976). A sensitive period for the acquisiti on of a nonnative phonological system. Journal of psycholinguistic research, 5(3), 261-283.

Robertson, P. (2002). The critical age hypothesis. A critique of research methodology. Asian EFL Journal, 4(1), 4-25.

Selinger, H.Krashen ,S, & Ladefoged,.(1975). Maturational Constraints in the Acquisition of a Native-Like Accent in Second Language Learning. Language Sciences 36:20-22.

Shehadeh, A. and Dwaik, R. (2010). The Age Factor in EFL Learning: Insights from the Palestinian Early Start English Program. An-Najah University Journal for Research in Humanities, 24 (7), 2119-2149.

United Nations. (2010). World Data on Education :Sudan Principles and General Objectives of Education. s.l. : United Nations Educational ,Scientific and Culure Orgonization,

Uysal, N. D., & Yavuz, F. (2015). Teaching English to very young learners. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 197, 19-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.042

Verplaetse, L. S. (1998). How content teachers interact with English language learners. TESOL journal, 7(5), 24-28.

Wolfenden, F., & Buckler, A. (2013). Capturing changes in Sudanese teachers' teaching using reflective photography. Teaching and Teacher Education, 34, 189-197.

Downloads

Keywords:

The Effects of Age, English language, Private, Public, Secondary Schools, Sudanese, Khartoum