1973/06/01 by Stephen Krashen · 477 citations
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Cognitive psychology #Comprehension approach #Developmental psychology #Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience #Language Development and Disorders #Language acquisition #Language development #Language education #Lateralization of brain function #Linguistics #Mathematics education #Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism #Period (music) #Philosophy #Psychology #Second-language acquisition #Second-language attrition #Stress (linguistics)
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1973.tb00097.x
published in Language Learning 23(1), 63-74 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 1973/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
New evidence is presented that modifies Lenneberg's (1967) proposed critical period of language acquisition. The development of lateralization is complete much earlier than puberty and is thus not a barrier to accent free second language learning by adults. Rather, the development of lateralization may correspond to normal first language acquisition. Also, the case of Genie, a girl who endured 11 years of enforced isolation, shows that some first language acquisition is possible after the critical period, although mechanisms outside of the left hemisphere may be involved. Genie's slow but steady progress also implies that adult achievement in learning second languages should not be pre‐judged.