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second language learner who is motivated to become a part of the
society of the target language is more apt to listen carefully and
utilize the language he or she hears in the environment for future
linguistic interaction with native speakers. According to Krashen
(1978), motivational variables play a large part in how the learner
makes use of informal language contexts. The integrative motive is
weakest where there are political feelings of ill will toward speakers
of the target language, or there are perceived expressions of contempt
from native speakers of the language toward those who are learning it.
In developing the Acculturation Model, Schumann (1978) presents
a taxonomy of nine factors which influence second language acquisition.
The strongest influence in learning a language is the desire for social
integration. Comparing second language acquisition for children,
adolescents, and adults, Schumann finds that the participant who
remains the most psychologically and socially distant from mainstream
culture in the English-speaking environment acquires the least amount
of English. A corollary of Schumann's hypothesis is that acculturation
is the major causal variable in second language acquisition; all other
variables are minor intervening ones. In typical educational institu
tions where very few variables such as use of text, teacher, or treatment,
can be controlled, the variables are so weak that they exert very little
effect on total second language learning. The desire for motivational
integration, to be associated with the native speakers, or the wish to
avoid contact with people of the target language,provides the impetus
for inhibiting or facilitating language learning. This force interacts
with the cognitive processes and strategies which the learner employs
in utilizing language input.