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Have you ever felt like you're too old to learn a new language?

Oh, for sure. I bet a lot of our listeners feel the same way, especially when it comes to learning English.

Yeah, I hear that all the time. It's a super common fear, but the real question is, is it actually true?

I have always thought the older you are, the tougher it gets to learn something new, like a language.

You'd be surprised. Age isn't nearly as big of a deal as people think when it comes to learning languages.

Is that for real?

For real.Unfortunately, a lot of folks think age is this huge roadblock, and that belief stops them from even trying.

Dang, sounds like we've got a myth to bust today.

You know it. Let's get into why age should never stop you from learning English.

So, you're saying we're never too old to learn English?

That's exactly what I'm saying. Honestly, no one's ever too old to learn anything. Unless we're talking about like Olympic gymnastics.

Huh, fair. But how do you know older people are still learning? I don't really see them in classrooms.

Yeah, not in traditional classrooms. But take a peek at online platforms. They're packed with older learners.

Really?

Totally. A study on Coursera showed that people aged 35 to 44 made up 22% of users. 45 to 54 were 10%. 55 to 64 were 5%. And even folks over 65 made up 3%.

Huh? 3% doesn't sound like a lot.

It might sound small, but that still adds up to millions of older learners around the world.

Wow. Okay, that is a lot. But I still don't know if older folks are into learning languages. Like, if I were my mom, I'd probably sign up for a gardening class over French.

Why is that?

Well, learning a whole new language feels way harder than learning something in your own language. Like, it's a whole different system and your brain just doesn't soak it up the same when you're older.

Bold assumption there, Leo. So, I'm wrong.

Kind of. Yeah. Duolingo's 2023 language report actually says that older learners stick with it way longer. Boomers have the longest streaks of any generation.

No way. So, it's not just students grinding out streaks between classes.

Nope. Nearly 30% of users aged 60 and up have streaks that last over a year. That's serious dedication.

That's actually amazing. So, learning a language at any age is getting more popular. But why do people still say age is this massive barrier?

Glad that you asked this question. It's mostly a mental block. People assume their brains can't keep up or they're scared of looking silly.

I mean, I get that. It took me forever to get my grandma to use Facebook. She was really worried she'd make a fool of herself trying to figure out all that young people stuff.

Okay, that's fair. But again, age itself isn't the problem.

Then why do so many people think it is?

Well, back in the 1960s, a German linguist and neurologist named Eric Lennenberg came up with something called the critical period hypothesis.

Sounds serious. What was it about?

He suggested there's this window in childhood when learning a language is easiest. And while that's partially true, people took it to mean after that window closes, learning a language is impossible or not worth the effort.

So, did anyone push back on that?

Oh, yeah. It's been debated for decades. But the damage was done. People latched on to it and it stuck.

So, if I fail at learning a language, I can't just blame my age.

Sorry. Nope. If you're struggling, age isn't the enemy. It's usually your mindset or method.

I don't know. I still feel like my brain's in top shape as a teenager. After that, it's all downhill to potato mode.

That's not a fact. That's a myth you've been telling yourself.

Okay. So, what is the fact?

The fact is adults still have a ton of brain power. Neuroscience studies show that our brains keep their neuroplasticity well into old age.

Neuro what now?

Neuroplasticity. It means your brain can still rewire itself and make new connections.

Can you say that in regular human speech?

Sure. Basically, your brain can keep learning new stuff. Language is included no matter your age.

So age doesn't shut our brains down.

Nope. It just changes how we learn. And actually, adults have some serious advantages.

Like what?

Well, adults are better at understanding grammar, analyzing patterns, and connecting new concepts to things they already know.