TITLE

Why It’s So Hard to Learn Another Language After Childhood

DESCRIPTION

“The study, published in the journal Cognition,(click to go to the Cognition reference itself) found that it’s “nearly impossible” for language learners to reach native-level fluency if they start learning a second tongue after age 10 — though that doesn’t seem to be because language skills go downhill at this age.”  The Time article discusses new ways that researchers are using to research the issues of learning a new language at various ages.   “The study used a unique method to reach that new finding. To compile the large and diverse group of people required for a language acquisition study, the researchers created a user-friendly grammar quiz intended to go viral. The 10-minute quiz, called “Which English?,”(click to go to the quiz itself) hooked people by guessing their native language, dialect and home country based on their responses to English grammar questions.”  Have fun with the quiz:  is it accurate?

This article should be read in the context the chapters on cognition and learning as well as human development and language.

SOURCE

Time, May 2, 2018, by Jamie Ducharme

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://time.com/5261446/language-critical-period-age/

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/y285mf7a

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•Begin with a discussion of the textbook chapter on language acquisition.

•What is the current view that Psychologists have found in general in terms of the development of language?

•Next, read the Time article:  Do the students agree with the findings?  If the class has students from other countries, ask about their experiences learning English.

•Have the students (on their own) take the “Which English?” quiz.  Are the results accurate?  Is this a reasonable research method?