Candidly Canada: Learning foreign languages requires innovation
After taking two years of French – three semesters in the States and one in Canada – I would’ve expected myself to be at least familiar with the language. However, when people say it’s harder for adults than kids to learn a new language, they weren’t “kidding.”
With more than two years of a foreign language, I’ve experienced a variety of teaching styles and techniques to understand conjugations, grammar and vocabulary. Some has stuck, but very often, it doesn’t.
To utilize the benefits of learning another language, higher education should continue improving upon students’ learning styles and maturing minds.
Ironically, a major setback for older students is their advanced cognitive function. An experiment conducted by LiveScience found that adult learners actually try too hard when learning a language. Children use their procedural memory, the one humans use to pick up habits and skills, without the distraction of declarative memory system, the one for facts and vocabulary.
Adult students have more complex systems that might distract them from picking up a second language as easily as their first. Much more research is needed to understand how adults learn a language, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from pursuing knowledge.
Choosing to study abroad in Canada was a strategic means for me to pursue the French language further. That goal ended up being much harder to accomplish than originally anticipated.
When abroad, I expected to come back to the States with major improvement in my French. However, my French class wasn’t helpful. Even for reviewed information, I had difficulty being a passive student in a lecture hall watching the professor write sentences on the board.
No matter the age, memorization of grammar, vocabulary and conjugation has proven to be ineffective in long-term comprehension. The Washington Post reports a wide variety of research showing students not mastering languages by hard study and memorization. People acquire language when they understand what instructors tell them and what they read, allowing students to absorb the grammar and vocabulary of the second language.
USD’s department of modern languages & linguistics, over my time fulfilling my graduation requirements, has been very forward-thinking when teaching students. Rather than a passive lecture with occasional individual work, USD professors have found progress in one-on-one discussions and work with other students.
Additionally, classes are small enough that they often work together to write on the board and even relate back relevant topics using vocabulary words.
Some experts even go on to distinguish between language learning and true fluency. The British Council says the biggest mistake education makes with language is trying to teach languages in the same way we teach science, history and mathematics.
To create an environment nurturing fluency, classrooms should be comfortable places that don’t force students to use a second language perfectly. Instructors should also respect the natural order of acquiring more subtle parts of language like nit-picky grammar rules after general concepts. The content and intent of a student should be the priority.
As with any subject, everyone learns differently. A cookie-cutter system isn’t effective for true understanding. According to The Guardian, linguists find greater success in teaching foreign languages through task-based learning.
This technique focuses on providing realistic context to language beyond memorization that emphasizes language as a means of communication. While the grammar establishes the groundwork for fluency, interaction between others and with communicative platforms truly develops it.
With the evolution of English alone, teaching and learning any language should be an ever-evolving process reflecting the current setting. The complexities of a maturing mind might feel like an obstacle blocking the path, but it’s important to continue trying to take language away from strict textbooks and take it back to its roots: human communication.
If you’re a USD student traveling abroad and would like to contribute to The Volante, please contact us at [email protected].
