It is difficult to define exactly what a "good language learner" is. Researchers in SLA have been attempting to explain why some learners are more successful than others despite the fact that everyone is able to successfully acquire their L1 and achieve fluency. This is because while any type of language acquisition is a complex process, SLA is influenced by other factors such as age and "motivation", as well as sociocultural influences. However, as Bonnie Norton Pierce and Kelleen Toohey explain, factors beyond "motivation" play a role in SLA; specifically, sociocultural factors and the types of opportunities a learner's community/society offers her/him.
A study called The Good Language Learner, conducted in the mid 1970's, determined that, "adult good language learners appeared to use five significant strategies: (a) taking an active approach to the task of language learning, (b) recognizing and exploiting the systematic nature of language, (c) using the language they were learning for communication and interaction, (d) managing their own affective difficulties with language learning, and (e) monitoring their language learning performance.
While these results focus on the input and output of L2, more recent studies have focused on the additional influence of sociocultural factors on language learners; basically, that L2 learners exist within specific historical, social, and cultural contexts which influence how a learner learns an L2 and how successful they are. Learners must have access to various conversations in their communities for learning to take place. As Vygotsky explained, learning is a social process, and while it is possible for some language learners to be successful without large amounts of social interaction in their L2, it is much less likely for a learner to be successful if they do not have the opportunity to speak and access various types of conversation with other speakers.
This can be difficult because not all communities or practices are structured in ways that allow L2 learners to access these opportunities with ease. As Pierce and Toohey saw with the participants in their study, certain social situations are more "inviting" to L2 learners, while others are not. For example, Eva worked at a fast food restaurant called Munchies where her limited English and immigrant status landed her a job cleaning the store which allowed her very little access to the conversations and interactions that would have allowed her to explore her L2 capabilities. However, while she did not have this opportunity at work, she took advantage of monthly employee outings to speak to her co-workers in a different environment, enabling them to see her in a different light than they once had and enhancing her ability to engage them in conversation in the work place.
Through Eva, we see that her success was a combination of structures already in place, but also her own attempts to take advantage of opportunities when they arose. This is because of the effect "social identity" has on language learning. As Pierce and Toohey explain, social identity is not a unidimensional aspect of an individual; it is dynamic and multifaceted. Eva's social identity evolved over the course of her time in the United States and learning English. She began to view herself as a "multicultural citizen with power" rather than an "illegitimate speaker of English".
The issue of power that enabled Eva to take more control in her own L2 interactions is an important issue that can play a large role in a learner's ability to learn an L2. Power dynamics play a large role in social interactions, though we often do not notice it. Unfortunately, those who are listening do not always regard those who are speaking as "worthy to speak". All too often, L2 learners are dismissed, whether verbally or nonverbally, directly or indirectly, because of their L2 status, immigrant status, or other perceived statuses. This can make it difficult for an L2 learner to insert themselves into conversations where they may not be welcome or respected. Therefore, although a learner may be highly "motivated" or "invested" in learning an L2, they may not always have the opportunity to explore this because of power imbalances in their communities or society.
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