Why is it easier for children to learn a foreign language?

Answer 1

Because the natural instinct to acquire language is still there. As we mature the neuroplasticity in our brains decreases. There are many other theories, Chomsky etc

Answer 2

Because a child's brain is more 'tabula rasa' (clean board) than adult's brain is. There are less experiences written in it, and there is considerably easier to find a free space for writing something new there. Consequently, the earlier one starts teaching a child, or even a baby, a foreign language the better. Frankly, I do not understand why so many American doctors support a stupid idea that it is too stressful for a little child.

Answer 3

When puberty begins, human beings turn sort of stupid. But basically I think that children don´t learn a language easily. During childhood we spend most of the daytime using our native language, but after ten years we still don´t know all the words, have problems with spelling, and many children still have incorrect grammar. When an adult person learns a foreign language he/she is supposed to speak almost flawless after more than ten thousand hours of lessons.

Answer 4

1) It helps the child have a growing intelligance in various places in Language and Writing. It is said that kids who study Latin score higher on S.A.T's and in Language Arts.

2) If a child grows up and has to travel (For any reason; Job, money, ect.) and goes to a foreign place where they speak (For example) Spanish. The child will know from past experiences instead of what people are saying.

For example here's a little skit of what could happen if a person who never had studied (Example) Spanish and went to Spain for an important buisness meeting/ect.:

Person: Hello

Spanish Person: (Speaks Spanish)

Person: What?

Spanish Person: (Speaks Spanish)

Person: Can you talk in English?

Spanish Person: (Speaks Spanish)

Person: I really have to go to the bathroom! Where's the nearest public bathroom???

Spanish Person: (Yells in Spanish)

Person: COME ON I REALLY NEED TO PEE

So on and so forth..

Now here's an example of a child who has studied/learned Spanish and went to Spain;

Person; Olah

Spanish Person; Coma Estas?

Person; Asi-Asi

Spanish Person; Me llama Pedro

Person; Me llama John

And it continues...

3) A foriegn langauge could be useful in future experiences, for example if you see a french lady who's trying to tell people that someone's mugging her husband in New York - There's a small chance that anyone's going to understand her. But if a child has learned french then that child can understand this woman and help her out.

4) Foreign langauges may be required in certain schools - So learning a foreign langauge can be useful in education.

5) Going on a plane to a foreign country, the people on the plane usually speak that langauge - So knowing that langauge or even part of it could help.

6) It can be useful to know another langauge if you have to say something personal to someone (Who also knows that langauge) in front of another person (Who DOESNT know that langauge)

If I remember anymore reasons I'll be more then happy to post them!

Answer 5

Because they don't have all the mind games going on in their heads that they can't do something that so many adults have from past learned experiences. Children can do anything they try until an adult tells them they can't or until it hurts them bad enough that they don't want to do that again.

Answer 6

Because a childs' brain is still developing at a rapid speed. It is easier for them to learn and remember things.

Answer 7

That's because their brains are young and is growing and they can grasp the new languages. For adults to learn them just takes longer because their brains are overloaded with alot of information while growing up.

Answer 8

For some reason, it's been determined that English is the hardest language to learn.

Answer 9

Besides the aforementioned reasons, children don't have any kind of prejudice and/or fear at the moment of learning a language.

Answer 10

because the learning synapses that occur in the brain do so more readily and faster in children with developing brains than they do in adults whose brains have basically developed already.