Good Language Learners Are Born, Not Made?

Abstract

Learners who attempt to learn a foreign language vary dramatically in their rates of acquisition and in their ultimate attainment. Many of us believe that some learners have certain innate characteristics which could lead to more successful language learning. There is some evidence in the research literature which seems to suggest that some individuals have the ‘aptitude’ for learning foreign language successfully. This article discusses the aptitude factor in influencing success in language learning and how far it can be trained so as to facilitate successful foreign language learning outcomes.