Some people think children are more successful in foreign language studies than adults. Discuss.
Essay – Children are more successful in foreign language studies than adults
Foreign Language Studies Essay
The viewpoint that children are better than adults in learning a foreign language seems correct.
It is an accepted fact that children’s mind is highly receptive. Whatever the topic may be, they have the ability to absorb and memorize it instantaneously. In addition, their mind is always free from any kind of tensions or worries, making an ideal situation for learning. So, there is little to surprise if they learn something faster; be it language, mathematics or science.
However, one cannot deny the fact that adults are more scientific learners than children are. Every adult has some education in their past and it means they have already received a general understanding of the structure of languages. Thus, they use this knowledge as a template for foreign grammar or vocabulary. So, an adult only has to fill the gaps in his already existing knowledge.
In fact, many adults prove themselves as poor learners of new things. This is mainly because their mind is always preoccupied with family related or work-related issues which do not allow them to concentrate. Yet, it seems that adults are more motivated than children are, as the skill, for them, is a tool that can be used to achieve career goals.
Thus, while it would not be a mistake to opine that children are naturally better learners, let us not forget that adults are usually better suited to language studies.
