Children are incredible when it comes to language acquisition. Compared to adults, they can master it in a blink of an eye and become perfectly fluent, even when learning a second language. And while adults can learn another language, sure, they will rarely learn it to the extent that they sound like a native. But why is this so? There are several scientific explanations for this phenomenon, and we sat down with some people from MindChamps Australia to discuss the subject.
Natural predisposition
The discussion was long and prolific, so we’ll just summarize the most important conclusions we reached. First and foremost, it’s all about biology. Children are literally made for absorbing information. It is essential for their development. It doesn’t matter what kind of info it is, if they are exposed to it, they WILL pick it up. Now, this term „exposed” is very important here, because children still have to regularly hear the new language in order to master it. It is even possible for children to lose the grasp they have on their first language if they are not using it enough.
So, children have an innate ability to learn, but the way they do it is also quite different than adults. Because of their brain chemistry, the learning process is not a conscious one. While you will have to consciously learn a foreign word’s meaning, grammar rules related to it and much other similar info when you’re an adult, children will do all of that without even thinking about it. They will simply absorb the words and then use them when needed and gradually (but quickly) develop an understanding of the way it should be used.
When is the best time to learn a second language?
There are, however, some other things to take into consideration. Because the children who excel in language acquisition are so young, they will use less complex sentences. Additionally, their ability to think in an abstract way is not fully developed at this stage, so there is generally less to talk about. This means that it’s much easier to fit a new word into the existing lexicon of a child’s mind. In short, when you’re a young child, there is less to say and consider when learning a new language. Essentially, the words’ meaning is all it matters.
This all becomes even more fascinating when you take a look at some scientific facts concerning the age when language is acquired. First of all, learning two languages takes an equal amount of time as learning just one language if the child is at the right age (past their first birthday) exposed to a bilingual environment. You actually don’t have to do much else other than talk to them in two different languages and they will pick both of them up incredibly quickly. The window when the brain is so open to acquiring languages lasts until children are 7 and then starts to slowly close. When they are about 11, and especially after puberty, it becomes much more difficult to learn a new language.
They are simply fearless
One other thing we have to mention here is fear. Yes, it may be surprising, but fear has a great role in how we communicate in a new language. Adults are much more self-conscious and careful not to make a mistake. Young children will not hold back if they don’t know exactly how a certain word is to be used – they will just use it and see where it takes them. That’s why it’s very important to give them feedback in a positive and encouraging way. It will keep them interested and motivated, and they will even put in extra effort to learn new things.
As you can see, second language acquisition in children is quite a complex subject and there are many factors that can influence it. If you’re a parent, you can help your child a lot by simply talking to them in two different languages from a very early age. That way, they will pick both of them completely naturally. According to people from MindChamps, who, mind you, have more than 20 child care centres in Sydney alone, children are simply built for this kind of thing. Their brain is chemically very well adjusted to creating new neural connections, which is the main reason why children can grow, learn and develop so quickly.
So, don’t hesitate and expose your child to a new language early on. They will benefit from that immensely.