Can Adults Learn Languages?
A It is a common belief that only children can learn a new language well, and that adults who begin late will always struggle. Many adults give up for this reason. Yet research on language learning gives a more mixed picture. Adults and children have different strengths, and the best results come from using the strengths that suit the age of the learner.
B In the early stages, adults often learn faster than children. They already know how language works, so they can use rules, compare the new language with their own and study with a clear plan. A child, by contrast, learns mostly from listening and imitating, which takes longer. In classroom studies of beginners, adults usually reach a basic level of grammar and vocabulary sooner.
C Children do have a clear advantage in one area, which is pronunciation. Those who start before their teens are much more likely to speak with an accent that sounds like a native speaker. Scientists think that the brain is more flexible in the early years for the sounds of a language. However, a perfect accent is not necessary for clear and confident communication, and many adult learners speak very well with a light accent.
D Time is the factor that matters most. Learners who spend many hours using the language, and not only studying it, make the best progress. Living in a place where the language is spoken gives a large amount of daily practice, but this is not the only way. Learners who talk with speakers online, watch films with subtitles in the new language, and write short messages each day can build practice into an ordinary week.
E Motivation is the second key factor. People who need a language for a job, for study abroad or to speak with family tend to continue longer than those who learn only because it seems useful. Short, regular sessions are more effective than rare long ones. Ten minutes every day usually gives a better result than three hours once a week, because the brain keeps what it meets often.
F Language learning apps can help with vocabulary and with the habit of daily practice, but few learners become fluent with an app alone. Speaking with real people is the part that apps cannot replace, because conversation requires quick responses to unexpected questions. Teachers advise using an app for revision while arranging regular conversation with another person, whether in class or in a group.