Is it possible to start learning English after fifty? Of course! Learning a language is an experience that can bring new energy to life. Thanks to the classes, seniors gain a goal, meet new people at their age and do not feel lonely. Where should you start learning English?
It is never too late to learn a language. Especially since it brings only benefits: we gain new competences, train the brain and delay the aging process. Research shows that learning a language can delay dementia by up to 5 years! However, can seniors really learn a foreign language effectively?
Can seniors learn English?
Recent research challenges the belief that the brain loses its plasticity with age. As Dr. Norman Doidge proves in the book "How to Fix a Damaged Brain", the brain can regenerate if we provide it with the right stimulus.
That's why it's worth training him: solve crosswords, puzzles, play chess, read a lot, learn. Set yourself daily challenges, such as remembering a shopping list or phone numbers of people close to us. Thanks to this, we will be able to remember more easily.
Older people often have problems with memory and they digest information more slowly. However, this is not an obstacle to learning a foreign language. You just have to be prepared for the fact that some parts of the material may have to be repeated more often (but it does not have to be the case).
Why is it worth learning English in your 50s?
Learning English can bring a breath of fresh air to a senior's life. These are new duties, goals and tasks to be performed, which will make the retired person's monotonous schedule more attractive. This is new energy - finally, there is something that can only be done for yourself and that makes life joyful. Learning at a language school also means making new friends, expanding the group of friends with people curious about the world.
How to learn English when you are 50?
You can start learning English at home, but it will not be as effective as in a language school. Seniors who have never had contact with English should use the help of native speakers who will teach them phonetics and properpronunciation.
Many language schools organize courses for seniors, during which teachers work with materials prepared especially for the elderly. The texts have larger fonts, the announcers speak slower on the recordings. A glossary has been prepared for each text.
In the classroom, seniors learn words and phrases that will help them in everyday situations (e.g. buying tickets, ordering taxis, asking for directions).
Can I learn English at home?
If we do not have the opportunity to study in a language school (because we lack financial resources or have a problem with moving around the city on our own), we can use tutors. They are qualified teachers, English language students or people who have spent several years abroad and know the language very well. They come home, delivering all the materials necessary for learning the language there. Such tutoring is also much cheaper than a course at a language school.
Online courses - this is a great method of learning, at the beginning of which we will probably need the help of children or grandchildren to buy such a course and learn to navigate the platform. It is worth overcoming the fear barrier and starting learning, because an online course, during which we can use the help of native speakers, can be as effective as learning at a language school. In addition, we set the pace of learning ourselves and rework the material as many times as we need to master it.
Conversations on Skype also bring good results. However, they are recommended for people who have already learned the language and want to refresh it.
Which language tools should you use?
- Flashcards with words - such a gift will surely please every senior, because the flashcards are easy to use
- Books with fairy tales - the ability to read and understand a simple book for children will motivate the senior to continue learning
- Programs on YouTube - on the Internet we will find a mine of films and programs on YouTube that will help you become familiar with the language
- Films in English - films with an English-speaking teacher or with sub titles are a great method to expand your language skills
- Foreign information - it is worth turning on a journal in English to familiarize yourself with the living language
To sum up, there are no contraindications to start learning English in your 50s. It brings a lot of benefits and a lot of fun. And this is what we should associate retirement with - a joyful period in life!