“Becoming Fluent: How Cognitive Science Can Help Adults Learn a Foreign Language” by Richard Roberts and Roger Kreuz on Audible is ostensibly a guide filled with cognitive insights into the adult language learning process. But if you are eager to transform your linguistic capabilities, be warned: the Audible version is marred by an unpleasant mechanical voice, making the physical book a far superior option. Better yet, ditch the guide entirely and dive straight into learning the language — far more efficient than wading through what amounts to a collection of rather trite observations. Here’s a summarized rundown of these groundbreaking ‘discoveries’:
Adults in the Lead: Turns out, adults have advantages over kids in language learning. Who knew? Except maybe anyone who’s ever appreciated the depth of their own life experiences.
Strategic Mastery: Adults use smart strategies to learn. Groundbreaking stuff — if you’ve never heard of something called ‘memory’ before.
Brain Gymnastics: Apparently, understanding how your brain works helps with learning. This stunning revelation might just be the next big thing in education.
Mindset Gym: Adopting a growth mindset can actually help. Shocking, I know, considering no one’s ever talked about mindsets before these guys.
Anxiety, the Party Pooper: Adults get anxious about learning. The solution? Just don’t worry! As if decades of personal insecurities can be swiped away like a bad dating app match.
Cultural Safari: Learning about culture is part of learning a language. Insightful, if you’ve lived your entire life in a bubble.
Practice Makes Less Imperfect: Practice isn’t just practicing; it’s about getting feedback too. It’s almost like these authors have discovered the essence of learning itself.
Tech to the Rescue: Modern technology is the superhero cape in your closet you forgot you had. Apps and online platforms can catapult your language learning from zero to hero, all with the swipe of a finger. A novel idea in the age of smartphones and the internet.
Motivation Station: Setting goals in language learning is like setting waypoints in a video game; they guide you through the labyrinth of syntax and semantics so you can eventually slay the dragon of incomprehensibility.
Bilingual Brain Buffet: Speaking two languages isn’t just cool; it’s like having a VIP pass to the brain buffet, offering you first dibs on cognitive treats and slowing down the brain’s aging process — talk about a two-for-one special.
To summarize: bilinguals are smarter than monolinguals, multilinguals are superior to all. Authors conveniently failed to mention that Papua New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse country in the world, with approximately 840 languages spoken in a country that total a mere 9.4 million inhabitants. They must be the smartest!
If you are struggling with new language learning — microdosing could be a great way to enhance your cognitive flexibility, creativity, and emotional insight, which aids in learning new skills, including language. While some people swear by LSD or magic shroom microdosing, my go-to is a pretty amanita muscaria — gentle, energetic and fun to learn any new skills with!