The+Language+Learner


 * ====**Week 3 readings: Prenatal and Neonatal Language Aptitude (BUT how much depends on the individual?!)** //posted by Allyson// ====

Each of the lecture readings for this week [York Study (2010); Yahoo news (2010);Medical News Today(2010)] point to the pivotal role of the early years, indeed even the pre-natal period, when it comes to learning language and subsequently experiencing the multiple benefits of bilingualism later in life. Ellen Bialystok at York University has recently released her findings of another study which indicates that bilingual seniors have an advantage in staving off alzheimers disease. However, we also learn in this course that not all language learners are "created equal" and some have greater aptitude than others. (Have you tried the Language Aptitude Test yet?) So are some of us going to find it easier than others to become bilingual and access these cognitive benefits in our academic journeys (York Study (2010) and then later in our lives as seniors? Consider the graphic below which indicates which variables facilitate language learning, and consider your own position relative to these traits. You may also wish to integrate your score on the language aptitude test. In approximately 250 words, describe what the research shows about YOUR liklihood of experiencing success in language learning. Do the predictions based on research findings align with your actual experience with language learning? Don't forget to include your name with your post.

||