The New Scientist reports that, contrary to popular belief, adults can learn languages with the same facility as children. The established view was that children’s brains are more adaptable and able to pick up languages without much conscious thought, what the experts call “procedural” or “implicit memory.” But the latest research shows that it is more a matter of attitude than facility. Sara Ferman of Tel Aviv University points out that we tend not to correct adults when they make a mistake because we don’t want to be insulting. But it is through correction that people learn best…and successfully.
