From the moment when we hold
that baby, we know she would grow and someday she would surpass us perhaps in
both intellectual and physical appearance. But, do we ever pay attention to how
their brains grow? –The hidden gem that keeps on growing … Arguable, it is the
most important organ in our body. Without it, we can’t communicate/socialize or
even making sense of anything.
Now thru MRI scans, Scientist
can analyze how a brain is developing from the day we are born up until we are
turning into a young adult.—Twenty one and counting …
| Image courtesy of pbs.org |
Have you ever wondered why
kids can learn new languages so fast and they could master many different
languages at young age? In fact in elementary/middle school, I was able to
speak five different languages fluently. And I didn’t have any problem
switching between one language to another in the blink of eyes. Then in my high
school year, I learned another language and managed to speak it fluently. While
I was in College and thru my young adult time, I added three more languages
under my belts. At one point of my life, I was able to speak 10 languages –Not
perfect but I could carry conversation in those languages.
Now as I aged and didn’t have
much time to practice. I started to lose the speaking part even though I could
still make out some of them thru listening. –Some I managed to totally lost
them. Ever wonder why?
According to Scientists, the
area of the brain controlling language development is still immature at the age
of 6 years old and will continue to grow through age 10. –This is why learning
new language is much easier during our young age, as we get older, they have
eliminating the redundant neural links. --cited from
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/15/health/20080915-brain-development.html
I love this little visit and
learn about our own brains. Only if we stop learning then our brain will stop
growing.
If you enjoy my blogs, would
you come 'Like' me on my FB fan page: https://www.facebook.com/AngelJourneyofLife
--Thank you!
Keep on exercising your brain
so it would never stop growing ...
Until next stop,
Journey of Life
The human brain is really amazing!! I always love when I see small children speaking multiple languages since I did not learn more languages. I hope to learn some, but know that since my brain is not as malleable as it was in my youth that it will be harder.
ReplyDeleteIt is! Tell you when I was at my young adult age, It took me a lot longer to learn Japanese and i was never near the level of that I would have when I was at younger age.
DeleteBut going back to http://journeyofmylifendestiny.blogspot.com/2012/05/10000-hour-rule.html --I believe you could!
The human brain represents a remarkable adaptation. Virtually ALL learning - and not just languages - is easier before the age of 10, and even easier before the age of five. I suspect it's an evolutionary change that enhances survival to grow neural connections rapidly at a young age, and then to preserve the ones we need/use most at maturity.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, one of the blogs I read each day is by a former SJ Mercury-News writer called Joanne Jacobs (JoanneJacobs.COM). Today, she posted a comment about a charter school in the LAUSD in Southern California.
http://www.joannejacobs.com/2012/05/teaching-in-3-languages-but-not-well/
Apparently, a school there is attempting instruction in three languages (English, Spanish, and a pre-Columbian Indian language from Mexico). The problem is, they are not teaching particularly well in any of them.
There was a famous baseball player at the time of the second world war named Moe Berg. He was a Princeton University graduate, and could speak, read, and write in a dozen languages. He had a brief, unspectacular professional baseball career, and one of his teammates remarked that Berg "could read in six languages, but could not hit in any of them."
Interesting. I have bookmarked Joanne's blog so i could read it often as well. Thanks for the tip.
DeleteI got my source from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/15/health/20080915-brain-development.html and It was fascinating to learn how our brains grow and doesn't even stop until twenty some years later.
I wonder why the school failed, my suspect would be that in order to fully learn one language on all aspects of reading/writing/speaking level. We need to let them sink it then gradually add on one. --I also read it somewhere that kids who are bilingual tend to speak later than others monolingual kids.
Do you think the brain needs to take its course before next language comes in?
As to why this particular school failed, I strongly suspect it had nothing at all to do with the use of three languages, and everything to do with an implicit pedagogical model that I accompanied it. A lot of times, "progressive" approaches to education include not demanding excellence from students (to praise one student is effectively to criticise another). Lower expectations beget lower results.
DeleteVery true! --Sometimes we need to set a bar higher so they know they would have to aim it higher.
DeleteI have to agree the human brain is awesome. It amazes me what children are able to learn at such a young age.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and for hopping with us in our blog hop!!
Cheers, Jenn.
Indeed and thanks for your visit Jenn. Thank you for taking me with you on your blog hop :-)
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