Learning foreign languages: Is it harder after 40?

False. It is true that the issue of age in language learning has always sparked debate. But how are we of the opinion that the older we get, the less intellectually agile and able to memorise we become? Especially considering that there is no evidence that the age of the arteries is crucial – in fact, quite the contrary. “According to several studies, it appears that the synapses, the neural connections in the human brain, are not fixed and immutable. In addition, it has been observed that, throughout life, they reorganise and modify as needed, especially as a result of learning, says Charles Menneron, English Language Coach in Paris. This means that, thanks to the plasticity of the brain, the more you learn, the more we can learn. “And thus, learning is a unique way to prevent brain deterioration and maintain good general health. Delaying the negative effects of ageing is another reason why a large proportion of adults invest in learning a foreign language. Of course, everybody talks about the benefits of being able to work or travel, but it is true: many say they want to remedy their problems of memorisation by putting themselves through a strenuous language course.

False perception? Not really, of course. There are certainly periods of great brain plasticity in life, notably up to 5 years (and puberty), where the human being has the ability to integrate an optimal language like a sponge. After which, with some exceptions confirming the rule, it is supposedly impossible to become fully bilingual… But really, after this course of childhood, everyone is on equal footing! Certainly, 6 -11 year olds have more power to appropriate pronunciation and vocabulary. But adults, teens, juniors just like seniors, they have an advantage – “Because they have already acquired the mechanisms of their own language, adults master syntax and grammar faster.

They also have more extra-linguistic knowledge, multiple knowledge about the world which definitely helps to understand the new language better,” says Martine Kervran, Associate Professor of English and English trainer at the IUFM in the UK. Not bad as a bonus. Especially since we often have another ace up our sleeve – motivation.”With the vast majority of my students, tired of the traditional methods of learning a language, the first thing to do is to learn by reviving their interest,” commented Charles Menneron. Or as the psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan says, we are at the age where we know our own desires…

Read the rest of  our report:

Speaking a foreign language: Is it a gift?
What is the best method to learn a foreign language?
Should we spend time learning a foreign language?
Learning foreign languages: Your stories

 

Stephanie Torre