1. Do you think language learning is more important for young people than it is for older people?
It certainly seems more important that young people become multi-lingual, because they will live in an increasingly international world. Advances in technology have brought different parts of the world closer together, and we can now talk to someone on the opposite side of the globe instantaneously via the internet or on the phone. Older people grew up in a different time, where many of us didn’t look beyond our own front door. Local communities were strong, and were often all that people knew. With an increasingly integrated global economy, language learning is no longer a luxury but maybe a necessity to succeed.
2. Who do you think is more willing to learn a foreign language, young people or old people?
I’d say that younger people are definitely more willing to learn a foreign language. They are less set in their ways than old people, who grew up in a very different environment where they probably didn’t know many foreigners. Young people are much more likely to be interested in different countries’ cultures and ways of life, and so they are more likely to learn a foreign language. It’s also easier for young people to pick up new skills, as their brains are still adaptable to new ideas and information. Many old people who say that would like to learn a foreign language say that it is ‘too late’ for them now and that they’re ‘past it’.
3. Who do you think is more enthusiastic about learning a foreign language, children or people older than children?
Children can be more enthusiastic if they have a reason to be interested in the foreign language. For instance, if they enjoy foreign cartoons or movies then they may want to learn the language too. However, if a child doesn’t see a reason to learn something then they probably won’t. Adults are more mature and better at seeing the big picture. They can plan for the long term and may be enthused to learn a language for their career or personal fulfillment. Children tend to get enthusiastic only if they have a direct contact with the foreign language.
4. Who do you think finds it easier to learn a foreign language, children or adults?
Studies have shown that it’s a lot easier for children to learn a foreign language. Their brain is still able to shape itself to new information easily and is much more adaptable than an adult brain, no-matter how intelligent the adult is. Children growing up in a foreign country often take new a new language like a duck to water. They learn it just as they learn their native tongue, and this often gives them perfect pronunciation.
