NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

How does age affect language learning after puberty?

1. It becomes easier for individuals to learn a language

2. It remains the same as learning before puberty

3. It generally becomes more difficult

4. It leads to faster acquisition of native proficiency

The correct answer is: It generally becomes more difficult

After puberty, language learning typically becomes more challenging due to several factors related to cognitive development and neuroplasticity. Before puberty, children experience heightened neuroplasticity, which allows them to absorb new languages more effortlessly. This period is characterized by an ability to imitate sounds and speech patterns easily, often leading to more native-like pronunciation. As individuals enter adolescence, significant changes occur in the brain, impacting the way they process languages. The critical period hypothesis suggests that there is a window of time during which language acquisition occurs most easily and naturally. Once this window closes, individuals often find it more difficult to achieve the same level of fluency and native-like proficiency as they age. Additionally, older language learners may rely more on analytical skills and conscious learning strategies rather than the immersive and intuitive methods typically utilized by younger learners. This shift can lead to slower language acquisition rates and difficulties in mastering grammar and pronunciation nuances. The combination of these cognitive developments and changes in learning approaches typically results in increased difficulty in learning new languages after puberty.