A New Language As An Adult

Adults have less free brain space. Youth has all of these free brain cells that haven't been weighted down yet.

There's something called the Critical Period Hypothesis, but it hasn't been proven. It claims that kids' brains are hardwired to learn languages, but that the brain's ability to acquire languages begins to weaken after puberty. I don't believe it, actually.

Here's the thing, as I see it. Kids don't have to work. They've got nothing to do for the first 4~5 years of life but eat, sleep, etc, and acquire a mother tongue. From school age onward, we've got to learn and do a bunch of other stuff and don't have all day every day to commit to language acquisition.

Also, young kids acquiring their native language are immersed in it. People talk baby talk to them so that they can understand. No so with adults. Adults tend to try to learn (rather than acquire) foreign/second languages from books and audio recordings, all the while living in a culture in which the target language isn't the standard medium of communication. It's not the same. The brain isn't wired to acquire a language efficiently or accurately that way.

Google up Stephen Krashen's Second Language Acquisition Theory for more details.

Can they master any languages?
I think in puberty it's difficult to master any languages. How solve this problem?

I didn't find it that hard to master a new language as an adult. There were two keys for me... one is to get the chance to be immersed, and the second is a love for word play in any language which makes learning a new language fun.

There are many people who do this.

I think adult more difficult than children in mastering any languages. How?

Not every young person is good in learning a new language - if they all were good there would not be any bad grades in school.
Children learn faster I think simply because they are not afraid of making mistakes when talking.
Grown ups are often too fixated on handling a new language perfectly.
I know people - especially men - who can read and write a new language very well, but do not really dare tto speak.
On the other hand I know weomen who can speak without comma and end make mistakes and just love their new ability.
How good you are at learning a new language depends on you and your personality.
Not everybody speak their own language well and make it pleasure to listen too.

Yes. It's ok.
Most times I have seen references to these studies they do them in closed or overly academic environments, which prove nothing more than “children learn better in this environment under these exact criteria”. Exposing both adults and children to the same environment is wasteful because adults and children learn and think differently. Even when an efficient immersion environment is applied, it’s still not a good gauge because children and adults immerse too differently, and even as individuals will have too vastly different outcomes.
Right? Are teenage language exchange programs useful? Why? / Why not?

Teenage language programs useful or not?
I must admit I have no idea.
I think one should learn a new language correct . just as you learn your own language. Teeenage language you use as a young adult and it sounds rediculius when a grown up in the 30 or 40 use it. And one has to be able to use is correct, the same as slang
If you use it wrong you can make some real bad mistakes, which I know too well.

I once had to each a mother and child because they were going to move abroad.
I got a children´s book with lots of picture based on grammar for kids. It was fun, plenty of words and short sentences. The kid loved it and as he had fun the mother learned on his level and at home she conturnied on her level.
Both were happy.
The Word Detective

Yes, like introducing new words. It’s important for children to be continually exposed to lots of different words in lots of different contexts. This helps them learn the meaning and function of words in their world.
In addition, there is one of the first signs of impending adolescence is the desire to put space between you and your parents’ generation, and the fastest way to do that is through the art of language.Teenagers develop their own idioms and expressions that make adults scratch their heads, trying to figure out what the slang means (and if it’s something they should be upset about.)

I learned my second language, Spanish, while spending a summer in Guatemala. I had training (the schools there feature one-on-one tutoring for 5 hours a day) which helped a lot. But it also helped that I was in a place where most people don't speak my first language, I did everything... shopping, banking, living in Spanish. I picked up a functional use of the language pretty quickly.

The other key for me was to have fun with it. I took every opportunity I could get to speak my new language. I made friends, went dancing, watched futbol... all in Spanish and made it a game for me to engage. It is funny moving from academic Spanish to colloquial Spanish. In Guatamala they have an entire new set of pronouns and verb endings that are used when talking to friends (i.e. "vos"). That colloquial form isn't taught in textbooks, but very important hanging out with friends.

I think making the effort to forget about being uncomfortable and just speaking in the new language is a key. If you have an outgoing personality, I think it helps.

Teenagers have their own lingo and I am so glad that my daughter only touched it on the surface. I always corrected her when she used the word "like" five times in a single sentence and she gave up shortly thereafter.

I think the best way to learn another language as an adult is through immersion in the country of your new language. Even 6 weeks will bring far better results than studying it for 6 months.

I learned English (British English) in school for many years, yet I learned far more my first year in the United States than in all of my previous school years.

It is a wonderful way to learn a language by being in the country where it is spoken.
Unfortunataly almost everybody has to learn it in a classroom compeeting with several others, maybe having a teacher who is not too fair
Remember one of our German teachers who gave grades according to the income of the fathers. Tell you there were lots of unfair grades. It is strange I have never met a Scandinavian who liked their German teacher if that person was of German nationality.

Yes, I'm sure about your opinion.
Actually, environment is more important for second language learning.
What methods do you use to remember vocabulary better?

This isn't true. Most people don't have to learn a language in a classroom (and even if you are in a classroom you don't have to learn).

We are talking about Adults. Most adults have options. Many of us can choose to travel, and those who don't can put themselves into situations (which may involve classes) where they are exposed to a new language.

I made a large notebook of all I learned, still have it.

I was understood on my trips, better or best on the last one. I was approached by italian tourists (the black suit I wore, older woman) and we all cracked up when I tried to answer, but at least I could give them, italians, directions.

I also remember being on the train to Piacenza (me going to Cremona) with a crowd of a religious group of women who asked me advice re where to stay in Firenze. Gadzooks, they had no idea. I forget what I said, probably re inquiring at the stazione, a matter of the lame trying to help the halt, maybe a dozen women, if I remember, from Mexico. I slightly understand spanish if spoken slow like a snail, which would be unusual.

So, what, even increments of language can help.

Some students may have very different cultural perceptions in the classroom as far as learning a second language is concerned. Cultural differences in communication styles and preferences are also significant. For example, a study looked at Japanese ESL students and British teachers and found that the Japanese learners did not see classroom discussion and interaction as important but placed a heavy emphasis on teacher directed lectures.

Oh, I see.
If We often communicate to other people with new language, so our skill will be increase. Right?
Have you ever tried learning a new language from a textbook with audio tapes?

Yes, early on, some damned class effort, I guess they were videos, at ucla extension. Or more likely that was German in the regular german class, I forget by now, that was 1960.

I learned a great deal in my extention classes on italian. The teacher and I got to be friends because she liked my essays, however italian messy. I miss her.

I don't know if you know about this, but some universities have adult night classes. I took seven quarters. All that only helped me. There were opportunities for conversation gatherings but as I remember it, that cost more money, and I've always been on the edge re that.

It might depend in part on where one lives, opportunities, and lack of them.