After failing or just barely passing every Spanish or French class you’ve ever taken, there’s probably been a point in your life where you’ve given up. If since that point you’ve been having a nagging feeling to try again, then I’m here to tell you that you should listen to that feeling. An earlier article on Cudoo ‘Why You Should Learn an Additional Language‘ tells us some of the benefits that neuro-linguistic experts have discovered after years of research on the impact of language on the brain. In the article, things like improving your memory, boosting your brainpower, slowing down the aging of the brain and improving your networking skills.
You too can tap into these benefits no matter how old you are! You may have some of the fears listed here or you might be telling yourself that you’re just too old; don’t pay them heed. A study conducted by researchers at Penn State University shows that there are benefits to learning a language at any age, all of the same benefits you would get if you learned a language at 6 or at 20, you can get at 60 or 80. In the study, the researchers monitored the brain activity of 39 volunteers of varying ages over a six-week period with half of them taking language lessons and the other half acting as control subjects.
Their brain activity was measured using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) scans once before the study experiment began and another six weeks later. By the end of the study, the team observed several structural and functional changes in the group that had taken the language lessons that were absent in the control group. They found that those that learned fast already had better-connected brains before the experiments, an observation that another study conducted by the University of Washington agrees with.
This could be a sign that the individuals were already engaging in activities that challenged their brains because they also found that those who did undergo the language lessons built more connections in their brain network, which translates to a better, more efficient brain. The density of the gray matter of their brain matter increased and so did the strength of their white matter. If you ask me, these are great things because while there’s a general belief and (truth) that it is much harder to learn a new language after a certain age, it is mostly true because of mental blocks like the fears adults have that children don’t.
Children definitely have some advantages over adults. They are cute, they are way friendlier and ready to communicate, they couldn’t give two flying monkeys about making funny sounds when talking (which makes them extra cuter) and they are creatures highly capable of imitation as a learning and survival strategy. Friends, we may not be as cute as they are but please don’t give up.
We can make up for what we lack in the cute department by rising above our social fears. As adults, we have the advantage of cognitive maturity; we have a much better understanding of our own first language and all the gears, nuts and bolts like grammar and syntax. Our understanding of these aspects of our language allows us to better pick up on these same concepts in other languages. The understanding of these concepts, by and large, is important in more aspects of language than just speaking.
As adults, we can likely learn to read and write better than children can. We can even learn to understand the language just as quickly as they can because of our understanding of the structure and grammar. Take advantage of these benefits, break away from your fear of interacting and being wrong. Be fruitful and multiply your languages!
Ginika
Latest posts by Ginika (see all)
- Rise of the Droids – Why ‘Bots” are Taking Over the World - December 20, 2016
- What is Diwali? Spotlight on the Festival of Light - October 26, 2016
- Why It Is Never Too Late To Learn A Second Language - September 5, 2016