Introduction
Several factors, including age, student personality, teaching strategies, learning environment, and motivation, influence the acquisition of a second language. Age is one of the critical determinants of learning a new language and varies based on young children, youths, and adults. Some of the components that can help identify how age affects the capability of learning a new language include cognitive ability, regional brain volume loss, and relative maintenance and use of the L1 vs. the L2 networks (Birdsong, 2018). The factors mentioned above help in understanding that young people can learn a new language more quickly because their brains are naturally more absorbent and adaptable to new information.
This research will analyze the extent to which age is a significant factor in learning a new language. It will incorporate studies on understanding language acquisition, the extent to which age is a significant factor in linguistics, and the impact of children’s brains on learning foreign languages. The study will further investigate whether adults can still learn a new language and identify some of the trends that affect language acquisition (Hiver et al., 2021). The research will also identify some of the similarities and differences between various research articles that analyze the relationship between age and language.
Research Questions
The research questions for this study comprise:
- To what extent is age an important factor?
- How does the brain of a child work? Why is it so much easier for them to acquire new languages?
- Is age the be-all and end-all factor, or is there room for adults to fully acquire languages as well?
The research questions are derived from two major hypotheses related to the study’s primary objective. The first hypothesis for this study is to identify the role of age in second language acquisition. The second hypothesis identifies the appropriate age for learning a second language.
Background
Some notable research findings for this study included an extensive study of children aged 4 to 9 years, which showed that the functional connectivity of language-related areas increases. They have demonstrated that the functional connection between the left pars triangularis and left IPL, extending to the left STSP, grows with age and is related to children’s language development. (Qi et al., 2021). As children grow, they develop skills in learning a new language by understanding different vocabulary and grammatical issues.
Second language acquisition (L2) refers to the process by which individuals learn a new language, which can be achieved through listening, studying, and interacting with native speakers of that language. Learning a second language is important, as it helps people advance in their careers, improve their memory and cognitive functions, and enhance their understanding of their native language (Gass et al., 2020). Findings from studies on second language anxiety suggest that learning a second language is essential, as it enables individuals to acquire new knowledge and skills (Teimouri et al., 2019). Therefore, it is vital to learn a second language, as it benefits individuals, nations, international bodies, and businesses alike.
Age Factor of Language Learning
The role of age in learning foreign languages is diverse and has highlighted the need for further studies. Children who start learning a new language at a young age have the highest probability of gaining fluency in pronunciation, grammar, and the use of a diversified vocabulary compared to adults (Gilkerson et al., 2018). Despite adults being in a position where they understand most new languages at a higher speed, young children can master a foreign language for the rest of their lives.
To understand the extent to which age is a significant factor in second language acquisition, intensive research is conducted by reviewing several studies. Across the sources, it is evident that learning a new language at a young age is beneficial for individuals. In early childhood, becoming bilingual is often an unconscious event, just like learning to walk and ride a bicycle.
Different aspects of language, such as intonation and pronunciation, can be easily acquired at an early age due to the neuromuscular mechanisms that are active in children up to the age of 12 years (Qi et al., 2021). Young children also have greater imitation capabilities due to their fluency in pronouncing key words in a foreign language. The ability to understand a new language in young people starts to diminish as they age.
Young children are also able to learn a new language more quickly due to their flexibility and adaptability. They are more flexible than adults, making them more curious about learning new things without the anxiety of not making any mistakes. Children can easily handle the challenges associated with learning a new language, such as replacing missing vocabulary with nonverbal means of communication (Hartshorne et al., 2018). Another reason children find it easy to learn a new language is that they don’t have preconceived notions about a foreign civilization in their minds. Most of them don’t understand whether it is a language from a different ethnic group, and this hinders their adaptability.
Age also affects the extent to which an individual can learn a new language, influenced by factors such as time, learning and memory capacity, and openness to learning. Young children have more time to learn a new language since they are not engaged in other activities, which can consume a significant portion of their time (Hartshorne et al., 2018). Their memory is still fresh enough to grasp new ideas from different sources. Furthermore, the memory capacity of children enables them to learn new languages more quickly. However, parents need to moderate the new languages their children learn by establishing a language program that helps moderate their learning ability.
The Role of Brain Development in Language Learning
The human brain is another crucial factor in acquiring a second language. Before puberty, the brain and language acquisition in children’s proficiency in a second language are primarily developed in an innate manner, much like the acquisition of their first language. In the context of psychology, to gain a fun understanding of a new language, one needs to be able to remember words, learn the sound system, familiarize oneself with grammar, and identify possible ways to communicate (Birdsong, 2018).
Therefore, the brain plays a vital role in ensuring that the distinct elements of language are well captured and applied. From the studies, it is evident that in children who learn a second language early, their brains store it alongside their native language. In contrast, for adult learners, it is stored separately. (Birdsong, 2018) This indicates that the structures involved in language acquisition are not fixed but rather subject to change throughout an individual’s lifespan.
The ability to learn a new language depends on the brain’s transitions, which are influenced by age as a key factor in language acquisition. As a human being grows, they reach a point when the brain becomes fixed and filled with a lot of information. Neuroplasticity generally decreases as people age, making it easier for young children to become fluent in a second language than for adults.
However, adults should not stop learning new languages, as the brain still has the capacity to learn them. The linkage between neuroplasticity and learning a new language helps clear the human brain’s evolution throughout its entire life. However, it reaches the age at which human beings can control what can be absorbed in their mind, hence limiting the adoption of a new language.
Learning a Language in the Adult Age
In support of the second hypothesis of the study, various studies have presented conversions. Hartshorne’s (2018) research on the critical period for language acquisition helps determine the role played by age in L2 acquisition. It is challenging for individuals who learn a second language at a young age to distinguish themselves from native speakers (Hartshorne et al., 2018). However, those who begin to learn a new language in adulthood are prone to making conspicuous grammatical errors and struggle with key pronunciation (Kidd et al., 2018).
Allowing children to be exposed to a new language while still providing them with more time for studying and understanding the values of native speakers (Hartshorne et al., 2018). Hartshorne et al.’s (2018) research and findings showed that it took ten years for children aged 15 to learn and fully understand a foreign language. However, for those who start learning at the age of 5 years, it takes less than five years to gain proficiency in communicating using the L2. Therefore, those who are exposed to a new language at a young age can understand it better (Hartshorne et al., 2018).
Children need to be introduced to a second language efficiently at a young age, which will enhance their understanding of foreign vocabulary and language. According to Birdsong (2018), the connection between the brain and age influences an individual’s ability to learn a new language. At a young age, children can be shaped to grasp the concepts of a foreign language. The early development of children is crucial for acquiring new ideas and concepts.
Birdsong (2018) used bilingual infants to analyze how they can resemble monolingual children. The study’s findings show that the phonetic discrimination in both languages of English-French bilingual children matched that of monolingual infants between the ages of 10 and 12 months, and this ability persisted for several months beyond that. The decline in the attainment of a second language should be equated to the maturity of an individual. This is because the brain’s ability to hold onto memory and absorb new ideas declines with age.
According to a study conducted by Qi et al. (2021), the key role played by age in language development is related to the individual’s brain. Findings from the study indicate that age is associated with a gradual increase in brain activation among individuals (Hiver et al., 2021). Studies have shown that early language acquisition is significantly influenced by the left superior temporal cortex, which is known to be involved in combining semantic and syntactic information to form the overall meaning of a sentence (Qi et al., 2021). Therefore, based on neuroanatomical studies, the structural networks of the brain become distinct and mature with age, thereby making children more adept at learning a second language.
Early language exposure is critical for children; therefore, parents need to do it with care to ensure that their children learn the best second language. The findings from Gilkerson et al. (2018), which involved children aged 14-26 months, showed that those exposed to more adult words could use the vocabulary more frequently. Arguably, there was considerable struggle in pronunciation and vocabulary usage among children who encountered a limited number of new words (Wilkerson et al., 2018).
Furthermore, the suitable age to introduce children to new languages is at two years. At this age, children develop cognitive skills that enable them to understand and use different words and vocabulary (Gilkerson et al., 2018). The language skills in children may also vary depending on the environment in which they live. The ability for second language development is higher in urban centers than in rural areas.
Technology and Modern Language Learning
The relationship between age and the acquisition of a second language is influenced by trends associated with new technology. According to Bailey et al. (2020), technology has enhanced the motivation of young people to learn a new language. Technology is closely associated with young generations, thereby confirming the hypothesis that age affects the adaptability to new languages (Hiver et al., 2021).
Language education has advanced with technology, whereby learners can study new languages online (Kidd et al., 2018). This may involve getting access to videos that demonstrate the pronunciation of the foreign language’s key vocabulary. The use of technology in learning a second language has advanced significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (Bailey et al., 2020).
Studying online satisfies learners as they have the opportunity to interact with a diverse vocabulary of the foreign language, thereby making it possible for them to master key terms (Bailey et al., 2020). The study’s findings show that through online education, young people have developed their writing skills, grammar, and pronunciation of the secondary language.
Conclusion
From the collection of different studies reviewed in the paper, it is evident that age plays a vital role in the acquisition of a second language. Age, being the determining factor in how people learn a new language, is composed of components such as cognitive abilities, the brain, and the individual’s memory. Age is diverse, ranging from young children to adults. Narrowing down to factors influencing the impact of age on L2, such as brain and memory capacity, it is evident that young children have the highest probability of learning a new language more quickly.
Several studies cited in this paper share a common theme: age is a significant determinant of second language acquisition. The sources reveal that young children have a good memory that can help them master a new language. Furthermore, the brain’s memory deteriorates with the maturity of an individual, hence exposing adults to a high chance of making grammatical errors when learning a new language. Moreover, trends in the acquisition of new languages have been enhanced through the adoption of new technology in schools.
Students can study online and understand a new language faster than older people. However, there is tension surrounding the research topic, as some argue that young children should not be introduced to a second language at a young age, as it may cause their native language to fade. Contraversion exists when other research paper shows that adults have more developed brains than children, hence making it possible for them to learn a new language.
References
Bailey, D., Almusharraf, N., & Hatcher, R. (2020). Finding satisfaction: intrinsic motivation for synchronous and asynchronous communication in the online language learning context. Education and Information Technologies. Web.
Birdsong, D. (2018). Plasticity, Variability, and Age in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism. Frontiers in Psychology, p. 9. Web.
Gass, S., Loewen, S., & Plonsky, L. (2020). Coming of age: the past, present, and future of quantitative SLA research. Language Teaching, 1–14. Web.
Gilkerson, J., Richards, J. A., Warren, S. F., Oller, D. K., Russo, R., & Vohr, B. (2018). Language Experience in the Second Year of Life and Language Outcomes in Late Childhood. Pediatrics, 142(4). Web.
Hartshorne, J. K., Tenenbaum, J. B., & Pinker, S. (2018). A critical period for second language acquisition: Evidence from 2/3 million English speakers. Cognition, 177(1), 263–277. Web.
Hiver, P., Al-Hoorie, A. H., Vitta, J. P., & Wu, J. (2021). Engagement in language learning: A systematic review of 20 years of research methods and definitions. Language Teaching Research, 136216882110012. Web.
Kidd, E., Donnelly, S., & Christiansen, M. H. (2018). Individual Differences in Language Acquisition and Processing. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 22(2), 154–169. Web.
Qi, T., Schaadt, G., & Friederici, A. D. (2021). Associated functional network development and language abilities in children. NeuroImage, 242, 118452. Web.
Teimouri, Y., Goetze, J., & Plonsky, L. (2019). SECOND LANGUAGE ANXIETY AND ACHIEVEMENT. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 41(2), 1–25. Web.
Yule, G. (2022). The Study of Language. In Google Books. Cambridge University Press. Web.