I have been promising something special the last few weeks...at last it's done and ready for sharing. i hope you like it
1 - YOUTH
Ask anyone you encounter, or even what you believe personally, whether children are more apt to learning languages than adults and the answer is more often than not “absolutely”. Everyone wanting to learn a foreign language always says, at one time or another, “how I wish I had learnt this when I was young”. Even people who had language instruction in their school years murmur the same phrase - wishing they had put more time into the study. Why does the world believe that children are linguistic geniuses?
To back this up, Patricia K. Kuhl (a professor of the Institute for Brain and Learning Sciences at the University of Washington) states that there is a 'critical period' for children to learn a language. She is not alone. Most opinions on the topic tend to vary but, most agree that younger than 13 is the optimum time for second language acquisition. Professor Kuhl states that after the age of 7, the rate of language acquisition declines.
Could this be a false assumption? There are no conclusive facts which state the best time for Second Language Acquisition (S.L.A.) nor are there any conclusions about the differences between adult and child S.L.A., only that it is easier and, therefore, better to learn as a child.
THE RESEARCH
Researchers in various institutes across the globe have done some interesting studies and the results are rather telling. A study done with orphans being placed in homes found that if the child was not placed in foster care by the time they were 15 months old, they developed linguistically at a statistically staggered rate compared to their peers with families. Another study found that Chinese children adopted by French Canadian families developed much slower linguistically than their French Canadian peers and would not be able to master the language if not adopted within a similar time-frame.
Three more studies were done concerning phonology and sounds within the brain. The first was with adults but the insight is crucial nonetheless. Researchers proposed that the brain groups languages according to sounds, therefore, bilingualism is not a strain as the brain naturally distinguishes the differences. The sound of Spanish is distinct to that of Mandarin, even to the untrained ear. The second study found that children only developed the ability to comprehend intonation and sentence rhythm between the ages of 7 to 10 years. Before this time,the brain of a child does not have the physical capacity to understand it. The final study states that infants have a preference to hear their mother tongue and show brain activity suggesting they 'reject' other sound groups.
THE IMPLICATIONS
The development of language in children is directly connected to the development of the brain in two ways: initial exposure to the world and biological maturation. The studies done on adopted children's language abilities suggest that the brain does have a critical period for initial introduction of sounds – approximately 15 months. This explains the results in Canada and the lag in the development of the orphans. Also, it suggests that the 7 year critical period is vastly overestimated. The brain only developing intonation capacity after 7 years suggests that the years before this point are to establish a type of reference bank of sounds connected with context. The final study suggests that children specialise in that which was introduced during this critical period.
2 - THE STATE OF EDUCATION
If anyone wants to start learning a language, they either go to an institute or get some sort of home CD set. Either option follows certain ideas such as translating back to your language is a bad idea, grammar is extremely helpful, the materials are often graded to suit the levels (easy materials for lower levels, etc.) and the institutes require teachers to follow certain procedures. Is the current state counter-productive?
The criteria is also consistent regardless of learners. The vocabulary might change to suit a topic more engaging for the learner but that's about the extent of the variety. The system centres around the principle that grammar and vocabulary are equal to language.
THE RESEARCH
Giacomo Rizolatti found that primates (humans too) have 'mirror neurons' meaning the same part of the brain fires up whether we do the action or see the action. Giving weight to the phrase 'monkey see monkey do'. Another conclusion from multiple studies and something which is established as fact, is that the different hemispheres of the brain are responsible for different things. Where grammar and vocabulary are governed by the left, intonation and pragmatics (reading between the lines) are controlled by the right.
A study was done with first language Chinese speakers recently, who were also fluent English speakers. Researchers found that the subjects translated items back to their first language without choice and that translation was unconscious/ instantaneous. The final study was mentioned previously with the brain's ability to group languages according to sounds, therefore, resulting in little danger of confusing languages.
THE IMPLICATIONS
If we need to see to learn, then graded materials are useless. Also grammar and vocabulary without context is useless. Banning translation from the learning process is also folly. Mimicry will lead to a learner passing as a native speaker on content alone. Mimicry also means that translation occurs not from the first language (L1) to the second language (L2), but rather through the context. The brain then stores two groups of words connected with one context and the speaker then can choose either grouping of sounds to communicate.
Learning in this manner works in accordance with the brain's functioning. Context rich learning environments also teach realistic grammar, common vocabulary and appropriate register. Both hemispheres are engaged and a more holistic learning experience is nurtured. Surely, if we work in accordance with the natural functioning, we can cut down acquisition time and increase the accuracy. Learners will sound much more natural and native.
3 - THE RIGID MINDSET
The current understanding of language function within the brain is extremely cloudy. It is indeed a soft science and therefore difficult to get a straight answer. We are constantly looking for the right area of the brain to isolate/ something within the physical structure which answers the question of where in the brain is the area for language.
Psychiatrist Norman Doige talks about how adults brains are rigid, whilst a child's is flexible. Many agree with him without thinking about what this means. Does it mean 'over-learnt habits' inhibit new learning or does it mean a more efficient mind?
RESEARCH
Various studies done over many years show insightful results indeed. Scientists found areas which are usually connected with language perception and comprehension (Wernicke's area and Broca's area) but with exceptional cases where damage to these areas did not affect the patient. A study done in Canada showed how the blind use the visual cortex to process sound. Neurologist Ted Lowenkopf has been researching 'foreign accent syndrome' for many years now, where patients language production is affected but not their language reception/ comprehension. Also, the Pre-frontal cortex in humans has been found to be bigger than any other mammal/ primate.
IMPLICATIONS
The studies have shown that the brain separates language comprehension/ formation with actual production (i.e. actually vocalising the language). Scientists have tried to narrow it down, yet each time can find cases where the brain could function without the area being studied. Is it not better to consider the brain as a muscle which needs all aspects to function well, but can still function without one particular area?
The 'rigidity' of adult brains is a misunderstanding. The adult brain is fully matured and able to perform various jobs that immature brains could not do. Brain rigidity depends on whether you think the organisation and presentation of information bears relevance on the acquisition of it. All these studies support a theory of how the brain works known as 'connectionism'. What changes need to be made to the adult classroom if this is so?
CHILD VS ADULT
children:
characteristics
- brain not biologically mature
- no 'database' of sounds connected with contexts
- limited language capacity (complex sentences/ intonation)
- better retention of material
Proposed hypothesis
Children first establish a reference bank of sounds, forming preferences to certain groups and resisting others. Then they add contexts to the process and connect context with sound. Languages introduced prior to the '15 month critical period' and reinforced thereafter help the child to establish a bilingual 'database'. Type 1 bilingualism if you will.
Adults:
characteristics
- brain biologically mature
- pre-existing database of sounds and contexts
- full language capacity in mother tongue
- poor retention of material
proposed hypothesis
Adults are already proficient in a language. Starting by making a reference base of sounds/ groups of words, adults need only connect new language to pre-existing contexts. Very seldom does an adult have to learn a new context. This means that adults with more experience should learn faster. The key to this, however, is memory retention. Adults have to filter out vast amounts of information due to the nature of life. Choosing what to learn. Adults learning a language with a fully mature brain and honed discipline through years of study/ work should be more efficient language learners. Any learner studying a language after the '15 month critical period' develops type 2 bilingualism.
IMPLICATIONS
combining memory techniques with a more accurate/ organic/ context orientated presentation of language would show adults for the linguistic geniuses they are. Global language education is in need of an update and the model of language too.
- the end of the article -
after writing this, i saw two more studies which i would've included too.
the first is that a researcher in Israel did studies that adults learn faster and are better than children. The research, however, was a grammar point and therefore there was little context for the children, and ergo proves that adults learn grammar better. it was a good and bad one in my opinion.
the second is one done to show that biologically, humans have the tools for advanced processing, the key to language learning (my words of course, but read the article and see if you agree.)
hopefully that will tide you over until Sunday :) leave comments and tell me what you think.
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