It is a widely documented fact that young children possess great learning abilities. Thanks to this, they have an advantage over us from the very beginning. The conclusion is that we all have the right to complain that we were not raised by an Italian dad, an English mum in the middle of France (easy to impress others by being trilingual, right?).
Still, don’t put off your dream of learning another language. You may not become an Italian, English and French expert in one day, but with the right approach and dedication you will be able to master a language you do not know, no doubt. Above all, you need the right attitude.
1. You can change your expectations
If your adventure with a foreign language begins later than in childhood, achieving the perfect accent is not a realistic plan. On the other hand, who needs a perfect accent? The concept of fluency in language is understood differently by different people. Besides, who said that the purpose of learning a language is to deceive others that you are native Italian, English or French? The essence of learning a language is the ability to communicate with people from other countries, so take it easy and set yourself more realistic goals and ambitions.
Instead of “I want to blend in with the crowd of Italians and never – ever ! – be accused of being a foreigner, set a different goal for yourself: ” I want to be as fluent in the language as in high school”, “I want to be able to talk freely with the locals on vacation.” For adults, these are very realistic goals!
2. You can do what you like
Now that we have established what would be your success in learning the language, let’s compare the examples of two learners: a six-year-old whose parents enrolled in weekend English lessons, and an adult learning after working hours. Who do you think will go further after a year of study? Judging from the fact that children’s minds are sponges, most would bet on a six-year-old when it comes to absorbing knowledge. After all, for such people, learning comes like a piece of cake, right?
Others, knowing from experience that motivation and determination are the main factors of success, would bet on an adult. They would have strong arguments for this. Just think. A woman comes to class because she cares about studying. She paid for the course with her own money and devoted a lot of free time to research. He has a clearly set goal (see point 1) and knows what to do to achieve it. This keeps her committed to in-class and out-of-class learning – and surprises herself when the one-year course is about to end.
The advantage of an adult over a child in language learning is not a question of neurology, but of attitude – and it is quite likely variant. Regardless of how easy it is for young children to learn, they are creatures who easily lose focus on their studies, need breaks for sweets and have a rather low reputation for diligent students. On the other hand, motivated adults? Definitely!
3. You are more financially stable
Of all language learners, the more mature ones tend to have more freedom and choice when it comes to financial stability. It’s no secret that spending time abroad and immersing yourself in a different cultural and linguistic reality has a salutary effect on learning. Adults can often afford this injection of linguistic knowledge.
Whether you are retired, on vacation or on a study leave, staying and studying abroad significantly helps you master the language. Similarly to the example from the previous point, the experience of a language adventure here is your personal choice (not your parents’!), So we bet that it will bring measurable benefits.
4. You can benefit from the experience gained
As an adult, you are already fluent in one language: your own. Over the years of speaking, writing and listening in your mother tongue, you have built up quite an impressive body of knowledge about how your language works (although you may not be fully aware of it). This knowledge base is a great reference for learning another language, especially if it comes from a similar family (Russian? Czech?) Or has certain common points (European languages take a handful of Greek and Latin).
As an adult you can use your mother tongue as a benchmark by comparing one language to another and looking for common grammar and vocabulary. As for the differences in languages, it is much easier for an adult mind to analyze them thoroughly, and this is a very useful thing in learning languages.
5. You have years of learning experience
This is not the end of the experience from the previous point. As an adult, you have a whole bag of learning experiences at your disposal, and here we come back to your school and study experience. Just think: you’ve probably mastered all the useful learning strategies back then, let alone years of learning outside of school: from changing tires, gardening, running a business, arguing with your boss, to raising your kids. You could easily write an essay titled: “Learning was easiest for me when …”.
Awareness of your personal thinking and learning strategies is technically called metacognition. This is a great tool you can use when you try to learn a language. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to do this, from weekly classes to foreign language courses (or an intensive course that lets you learn a new language in one year – yes, you can). While your young child does not yet know the best strategy to use in learning a new subject, you have all the benefits of your previous learning experiences at your disposal, so you can choose the method that works best for you.
6. You have perspective
Not only do you have all the motivation and learning skills that young children lack, you also have the right point of view. You know life is a journey and learning a new language is just one way – perhaps the best way – to get to know the world and make this journey more interesting. Learning a language is a window to a new culture, a new perspective on life. It gives you the chance to bond with completely new people from all the fascinating places in our world. Language learning is a tool that does not have to be in perfect shape to be able to reap the benefits of a foreign language.
