2. Literature Review

According to the previous language teaching history, we aware that the best way to teach a foreign language varied from time to time. In fact, no one could guarantee which method is the best. However, it is noted that theorizing about Second Language Acquisition (short for SLA) has its historic roots in reform movements connected to the practical business of language teaching. In China, SLA is a current research field over the last 30 years, and a major goal of SLA is to improve language teaching. Besides much of the SLA research has implication for language teachers, syllabus designers of language tests, and there is a growing number of studies which focus directly on these issues (Wang Dong, 2009: 190). For language teachers, it is very important to realize that even if L2 learners can be shown to following a common developmental route, they differ greatly in the degree of ultimate success that they achieve. That is to say, the same instructional option is not equally effective for all L2 learners.  Inpidual differences are likely to influence which options work best (Ellis 1997: 59). So, it is obviously necessary to take inpidual differences into account when we explain the apparent ineffectiveness of instruction in foreign language teaching. That is why inpidual differences have deserved much academic concern in recent years. In this thesis, I will only focus on three of the major dimensions here, namely, age, personality, and motivation owing to my personal competence and limited referenced literatures. There are still other inpidual differences factors that can also affect foreign language teaching remains to be improved and perfected.源/自:751:`论~文'网www.751com.cn

3. Several Factors Affect Foreign Language Teaching 

When it comes to foreign language teaching, many people are familiar with this saying: “even thought language learners are in the same classroom setting, some are more fluently and correctly in foreign language use than others,” Why dose it so? We already know that inpidual differences do play a vital role in the process of second language acquisition, so, it is not difficult to tell that inpidual differences may affect foreign language teaching, too. Inpidual differences also called outside language factors including language aptitude, motivation, learning strategy, age, affection, personality and so on. Those factors all influence language learners from the very beginning to the ultimate language achievement. But, some will ask, “Do some of the factors enjoy much priority than other factors?” There is not any data can testify this argument. Therefore, I merely focus on some of these factors that have gain much attention in second language acquisition research----age, personality, motivation.

4. Age

Age is an imperative factor when it refers to language learners, and foreign language teachers can not neglect it during their teaching work. Because, language teachers must know the age of their students to decide which language competence students can master and than adjust their teaching method in an effective way. Anyway, a theoretical research about age of language learners has its own practical meaning.