Education in a Non-Native Language: The Effects of Age and Emotion on Learning and Reasoning

Abstract

Abstract Many researchers in education, psychology, and linguistics have focused on challenges that nonnative language students (NNLS) experience during their academic trajectory. They have focused on education policies that may impede the learning process, lack of language proficiency, social contexts (immigration, socio-economic status, inadequate learning environments), or negative emotions, but there is no account that has brought together all these potential factors that may impact learning in a second language (SL). In this review paper, all these burdensome challenges are explored. I started by presenting 1) a brief overview of education in a non-native language (NNL), including methods of bilingual instructions, 2) English language learning, including challenges faced by NNLS in acquiring the NNL before attending college, 3) policies in education affecting NNLS, 4) age of second language acquisition (SLA) in NNLS, including certain critical period hypotheses and language components and skills, 5) social contexts affecting NNLS, including socio-economic and socio-emotional factors, and 6) the impacts of emotion on NLLS' learning and reasoning. Finally, I propose some solutions that can help eradicate challenges faced by NNLS and enhance their learning conditions and outcomes. Strengths, weaknesses, and limitations are discussed, but I conclude that these findings could inspire further research on education in a NNL. Key words: education, non-native language students, age, language acquisition, social contexts, social emotional, learning, reasoning.