Older students are often afraid to risk making errors in front of their peers. This inhibits participation and motivation, both key factors in second language learning. Middle Year Students Middle year students need above all else to feel secure and confident. When involved in learning a second language, these students are painfully aware of the gap between what they would like to express and their level of competence in the new language. Thought processes and language patterns are complex and cannot be adequately expressed with a very limited vocabulary.
Younger students have fewer language needs.
Their sentence patterns are much simpler and the gap between what they would like to say and their ability to say it is smaller. Middle year students have long been able to express themselves well both orally and in writing. The second language classroom then tends to become a situation where the students lose this ability to communicate freely. The resulting insecurity is difficult for these students to accept. In addition, reading materials written at an elementary language level that are of interest to these students are difficult to find or to prepare.