By Geralde Vincent-Bancroft
Learning a new language as an adult can feel like an uphill battle. Despite our mature brains and life experience, we often find ourselves struggling to achieve the effortless fluency that toddlers seem to master with ease. But what if we could tap into the same mechanisms that babies use to learn languages? Recent research suggests that adults can indeed learn a language like a baby—by focusing on listening and immersion rather than jumping straight into reading and writing.
The Baby Approach to Language Learning
Babies begin their language journey long before they utter their first words. From the womb, they tune into the rhythm and melody of speech, absorbing the sounds of their native language. After birth, they spend months listening to and parsing speech into chunks, gradually associating these sounds with objects and actions in their environment. It takes over a year of listening and observing before they start speaking, and even longer before they learn to read and write.
In contrast, adults often approach language learning in reverse. We start with vocabulary lists, grammar rules, and written texts, attempting to pronounce words before we’ve even grasped the language’s overall sound and rhythm. This traditional method may actually hinder our ability to develop natural fluency.
Tuning Into a New Language
A recent study conducted by researchers at Charles University and Palacky University Olomouc sheds light on how adults can adopt a more baby-like approach to language learning. The study involved 174 Czech adults who were exposed to five minutes of Māori, a language they had never heard before. Participants were then tested on their ability to distinguish Māori from another unfamiliar language, Malay, based solely on the rhythm and melody of the speech.
Remarkably, even this brief exposure was enough for participants to pick up on the melodic and rhythmic patterns of Māori, demonstrating that the adult brain retains the ability to learn language in a way similar to infants. However, the study also revealed a critical insight: adults who listened to the language without any written aids performed better than those who read subtitles during the exposure phase. This suggests that focusing on auditory input, rather than written text, is key to developing an ear for a new language.
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The study’s findings align with earlier research showing that written language can interfere with how learners perceive and produce speech sounds. For example, Italian learners of English often struggle with double letters, while Spanish speakers may confuse words like “sheep” and “ship” due to differences in how vowels are pronounced in their native language.
By focusing on the melody and rhythm of speech, rather than the written form, adults can better mimic the natural language acquisition process of babies. This approach not only improves pronunciation but also enhances overall fluency, including grammar and vocabulary usage.
Practical Tips for Learning Like a Baby
So, how can adults apply these insights to their own language-learning journey? Here are some practical tips:
- Immerse Yourself in Listening
Start by exposing yourself to the sounds of the language through conversations, podcasts, music, and native speech. Avoid relying on written materials in the early stages.
- Delay Reading and Writing
Resist the urge to dive into textbooks or vocabulary lists. Focus on auditory input until you’ve developed a feel for the language’s rhythm and melody.
- Engage in Active Listening
Pay attention to the intonation, stress, and flow of speech. Try to mimic these patterns, even if you don’t understand the words yet.
- Use Visual and Contextual Cues Babies learn by associating sounds with objects and actions. Similarly, you can use images, gestures, and real-life contexts to reinforce your understanding.
- Practice Without Pressure
Babies spend months listening before they start speaking. Give yourself the same grace to absorb the language without the pressure to perform immediately.
- Avoid Over-Reliance on Subtitles
While subtitles can be helpful later on, they may distract you from focusing on the auditory aspects of the language in the beginning.
Implications for Language Teaching
The findings have significant implications for language education. Traditional methods often prioritize reading and writing, but a shift toward immersive listening experiences could accelerate spoken proficiency. Language teachers might consider incorporating more auditory-focused activities, such as listening to native speakers or engaging in conversational practice, before introducing written materials.
Final Thoughts
Learning a language like a baby doesn’t mean starting from scratch; it means rethinking our approach. By prioritizing listening and immersion, adults can tap into the natural language-learning mechanisms that we all possess. So, the next time you embark on a language-learning journey, take a cue from the youngest linguists among us: listen, absorb, and let the rhythm of the language guide you.
This approach not only makes language learning more intuitive but also more enjoyable. After all, who wouldn’t want to learn like a baby—curious, playful, and unburdened by the fear of making mistakes?