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Foreign Languages
Foreign Languages
We have many diverse students in our education system, including those who speak multiple languages. The study of language in the brain includes learning more than one language. Research shows increase brain activity in multiple regions of the brain for those who speak more than one language (Friederici, 2017).
Brain Functions in Other Languages
Brain Functions in Other Languages
The Axemaker's Gift states that, "all systems that represent sounds are written horizontally and all that represent images, like the Chinese, are represented vertically" (Burke, 1997, p. 71). Based on our understanding of right and left hemispherical functions, we could infer that pictorial languages process more heavily in the right hemisphere. Brain activity was studied in mono-linguistic speakers of English, German and Chinese. The results concluded:
English speakers had stronger ventral pathways
German speakers had stronger dorsal pathways
Chinese speakers had stronger connections between the right and left hemisphere.
The structure of language determines how our brain comprehends and produces the language. It confirms that there would be increased brain activity in those that speak more than one language, especially extremely structurally different languages.
(Campbell, 2018)
When to learn another language?
When to learn another language?
Learning a foreign language earlier in life is beneficial because it creates strong pathways for syntactic tasks. Studies have shown that people who acquired a foreign language before age three, could not be distinguished from native speakers in the areas of syntax or semantics. However, those who acquired a language after three years of life, could not be distinguished from native speakers in semantical tasks (Campbell, 2018). This again supports the theory that comprehension and syntax are extremely complicated processes within the brain. It is important to note however, that "Second language processing depends on the age of acquisition, the proficiency level, and similarities between the languages." (Friederici, 2017, p. 155)
Strategies for Language Leaners
Strategies for Language Leaners
Sentence stems
Sentence stems
Based on our understanding of the syntactic difficulties that language learners may face, sentence stems are an extremely effective and important strategy to scaffold language production. This strategy allows learners to use semantic knowledge with syntactic support.
(ESC Region 13, 2016, June 24)
Total Physical Response
Total Physical Response
Total Physical Response (TPR) is an effective strategy for language learners in regards to semantics. See it here in action.
(Cambridge University Press ELT, 2010)
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