Ever wondered why it was always easier learning a new language as a child instead of being an adult. Well, let’s start of by talking about what language is, language is a system of communication using sounds or symbols that enables us to express our feelings, thoughts, ideas, and experiences. There is many languages out there and probably new ones coming or so many languages we don’t even know about.

First, let’s start talking about the beginning of language. In 1986 savage-Rumbaugh, Rumbaugh, & McDonald were the first ones figure out the ability to use language, whether it was an animal or human. Even today we are still learning the ability to use language. Language can either be verbal or nonverbal, some examples would be a paper like this one for instance or dancing around to a song that you like. Language allows us to create new ideas and ways to communicate those ideas or feelings about something. Like with speaking Spanish, when I took a Spanish class a couple years ago there was different ways to express how I felt. When I met my friend Antonio and he is Italian, I learned that he talks while using his hands.

But there was always a question that I never understood, why is learning a new language at a younger age was easier then learning at an older age? According to oncology nurse, Suzanne Robin in her article “Why Is It Easier for a Child to Learn a New Language Than an Adult” she lists several reasons as to why children learn languages so easily. She describes about how younger kids are not that self-conscious when it comes to making mistakes or mispronouncing a word like an older adult is. She also talks about how after the age of eleven the brain is responsible for language acquisition to stop growing rapidly which makes it more difficult to learn or study a new language. But even at a younger age and learning another language you can lose their first language unless they are able to maintain both languages.

I know when I took a French class in eighth grade, I struggled learning a little bit, although some of the words were similar to English. But when I was learning Spanish, it was a lot more easier just for the fact that it is so similar to English that it came easier to me than the French language. While my boyfriends first language was Spanish and moved to Pennsylvania, he had a harder time learning English and he would talk to me about how the words were not so similar but because he learned at the age of six and while he was learning English, he was not able to maintain his Spanish. Now my boyfriend is now twenty-two he knows very little Spanish but is very good at speaking Spanish. SO, just because it was easier for someone to learn a language does not mean it is easier for someone else or the other way around.

In conclusion the answer to my question is that younger kids have the ability to learn these languages easier because the language acquisition is growing very rapidly and slows down the older you get. While language is just a word, language itself is beautiful and unique. It is easier for us to express our feelings whether it’s a song or someone just talks about their feelings, or simply just a picture.

Sharon Perkins. 26 September,2017. Why Is it Easier for a Child to Learn a New Language Than an Adult?https://howtoadult.com/easier-child-learn-new-language-adult-15590.html

Goldstein, E. B. (2011). Cognitive psychology: connecting mind, research, and everyday experience. Cengage Learning.

In lesson eight we talked about long term memory encoding and retrieval, and the levels of processing. Me and my brother when we were younger we had to see a therapist but for different reasons, but his was more important than mine was. He had a small problem of needing to put everything in his mouth and had to put his hands over his ears when he heard something whether it was fireworks or someone yelling.

When the therapist came to the house to talk to my brother he would give my brother a new chewing plastic straw which seemed to help his addiction to eat everything on that. The therapist would check on his levels of processing by showing him a few words on a piece of paper or an image on the note card also known as a visual imagery since he was still young his self-reflecting effect was not that strong enough. We would have homework assignments with my brother to help strengthen his memories and his retrieval cues so could remember something faster with words and places.

The therapist would make little tests to see if there would be any process to what we were teaching him. While it was helping it was strengthening his hippocampus or the synapse in the brain. Which made his process more better because he was seeing the therapist he was able to experience new things and I am glad to say that my brother is no longer chewing and eating everything anymore but he has trouble still by chewing on his collar of his shirt which makes my mouth feel weird. It also made it seem like it was a synaptic consolidation with a small time frame and maybe that is just because it was the help of the therapist or maybe he was getting older and realized that he should not be eating everything .

Goldstein, E. B. (2011). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research and everyday experience (4th ed.). Wadsworth, Inc.

In lesson two we discussed the functions of the hindbrain and midbrain. We learned how different parts of the brain are responsible for our basic functions. Today I would like to discuss some of the short and long term affects of a concussion in a temporal lobe and how different parts of the body may react to the trauma.

A few years ago my brother was involved in a bicycle accident. His immediate symptoms were a lack of memory of what had happened. Accompanied by a lump on the back of the head. Since the hippocampus (located in the temporal lobe) stores recent events in short term memory, I can conclude that the concussion must have affected that area.

As time went on my brother started to feel depressed and showed symptoms of anxiety. Some may argue that since these symptoms were not immediate that they are unrelated. However, after reading research of what parts of the brain are implicated in depression I found that the hippocampus is directly responsible for memory as well as emotion. So the fact that he had a lack of short term memory and later experienced depression are in fact linked together through the hippocampus.

In present day, my brother’s depression and anxiety are treated through medication which reduces the structural shrinkage processes in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. In past studies it was thought that damage to the hippocampus could not be repaired. But in 2017 an article published by Science Daily titled “New Functions of Hippocampus Unveiled” has claimed evidence showing proper medication and exercise can significantly improve memory skills and stop further shrinking of the hippocampus.

So in closing, we can determine there is a lot to consider about how a concussion can affect our daily lives. We have learned that there are treatments available for people struggling with it’s complications although most damage to the brain is still considered to be unrepairable. however, the future is looking positive for victims as scientists discover more about the brain and how to treat the many symptoms of concussions.

Goldstein, E. B. (2011). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research and everyday experience (4th ed.). Wadsworth, Inc.

Science Daily (2017). New Functions of Hippocampus unveiled.

The Guardian, Melissa Davey (2015). Chronic depression shrinks brains memory and emotions