Learning & Acquiring Languages

There is much scientific research on how we learn languages, which now gives us greater understanding of the role of 'acquiring language' in relation to learning language.

Infants and young children can be very good at acquiring languages when they are used in the home, and this is one reason why people sometimes think that we learn languages best when we are very young.

Older children and adults tend to be taught languages, usually in language learning classrooms. Successful language learning can be achieved when people have the opportunity to receive instruction, and at the same time experience real-life situations in which they can acquire the language.

Natural Ways of Picking up Languages

Even though there may be differences in how the brain works as a child grows older and becomes an adult, a key issue in 'picking up' languages relates to the opportunities we have for learning languages. This is where CLIL can be of interest. One reason why very young children seem so good at picking up language is often to do with the naturalness of the environment around them. A language classroom, where learners go through the often difficult process of sorting out sounds, structures, grammar or vocabulary is rarely natural.

The language classroom is essential for the learner to understand the 'nuts and bolts' of language - the architectural plans. But there is rarely enough time in the classroom for the language teacher to go beyond this essential part of the learning process. Learners need time to build things with the nuts and bolts - to build the house which they see in theory on paper.

What CLIL can offer to youngsters of any age, is a more natural situation for language development which builds on other forms of learning. This natural use of language can boost a youngster's motivation and hunger towards learning languages. It is this naturalness which appears to be one of the major platforms for CLIL’s importance and success in relation to both language and other subject learning.

Derived: Marsh & Langé, Using Languages to Learn and Learning to Use Languages. TIE-CLIL:Milan