Everybody has probably wondered about the best age to learn a language. In some cases, it depends on life’s opportunities as education or work promotions. In others, when parents realize which age is the best one, they persuade their kids to study it at certain age. Nevertheless, several theories have demonstrated that there is not a real age to acquire or learn a language.

In general, the key principles of Chomsky’s model of language acquisition estimated that although everyone is born with the capacity to develop and learn any language, children are able to acquire it faster than adults because of Language Acquisition Device (LAD) that is in their brain. It allows them to acquire and produce language. However, this has not been proved. Therefore, we could think children can learn easier than adults because when they communicate they express clearer than adults since they get pronunciation as an advantage. This is only one aspect of language learning process, though. Language acquisition depends on different aspects such as time of interaction when being exposed to the target language, study programs, vocabulary, and so on.

At this point, many language learners wonder about learn a language as they recount their own experiences learning other languages ​​and the aspects of their lives that they are facing. For example, if they need to learn the language as an obligation or not. At the Spanish School Nueva Lengua, students have been sending emails asking about the average age of students to recognize if they can join a group to learn with them. There are certainly a lot of young students in their 20s and 30s (a preferable age for traveling abroad); however, there have been children and older people who have successfully studied spanish.

This is the case of Arthur, a sixty-year-old man who has been interested in to learn Spanish since 31. He is a native English speaker and a beginning student of Spanish. He was able to fulfill his dream of study Spanish at this age because she had the money, the time, and the options to learn whatever she wanted, on her own terms. Regarding the culture, the language and the existence of established language schools, she wanted a genuine experience of Latin America away from other English speakers considering that it could improve her learning process.

However, he faced some challenges in learn spanish in colombia; constantly struggling to have the self-discipline to study on a daily basis, which fails him. It was difficult for him to remember the mechanics of English grammar because he had never studied any other language. Therefore, it was difficult to understand what the teacher was presenting from a grammatical point of view. Although he was tough at first, he did not stop his desire, and he was able to advance in his learning process thanks to his motivation and the commitment of his teachers to focus the lessons on his needs. He showed that he could use what he had learned in the class by meeting Colombians and interacting with them. The lessons focused on activities of daily living and cultural activities. Also, Arthur testified to some of the benefits of traveling at his age. He said there is a level of financial freedom and ability to completely disconnect from previous professional obligations and time constraints. He does not have to consult or compromise as a result of his personal situation.

In summary, their experiences in Colombia have been positive. He has a dentist, a doctor and acquaintances in Bogotá, and he also has to complete his Spanish class. The Colombian people have been courteous, polite and curious about him and why he travels alone “at his age”. Those are just some of the reasons why he wants to return to Colombia.

Don't be afraid of to learn Spanish or another language at any age because it is possible since there is no simple correlation between age and language acquisition in an area other than pronunciation. The languages They are for people of all ages. So, you are invited to come to the Spanish school Nueva Lengua In colombia regardless of your age, just let us know at info@nuevalengua.com

Diana Lozano-Cotes

Spanish teacher in Nueva Lengua Spanish School

Bogota Colombia

This article was originally written in English