The long-held idea that language learning is better before adulthood is up for debate. Adults have a number of advantages when it comes to learning a second language, and it comes with major benefits.

In this encore episode, Short Wave host Emily Kwong dissects the "critical period hypothesis," a theory which linguists have been debating for decades — with the help of Sarah Frances Phillips, a Ph.D ...

Contrary to conventional thinking, it's never too late to learn a new language. Use these tips to get started. For more than two years, Dulcie Shoener of Milwaukee has done daily German lessons on her ...

Parents often hear the warning: “If your child doesn’t learn a second language early, they’ll never be fluent.” Adults, meanwhile, are told: “It’s just too late for you to learn now.” These claims are ...

There’s a common assumption that if someone starts learning a language when they are very young, they will quickly become ...

Learning Japanese as an adult can feel difficult, but adults have advantages. Here are five science-backed ways to learn ...

Learning a new language is not a skill reserved for translators. Although the US Department of Labor has estimated a steadily rising 42 percent increase in demand for interpreters, it turns out that ...

But an in-depth look at the science behind how language is developed reveals an interesting parallel between the science of reading and second language learning. In fact, the science of reading can ...

A new study suggests that everyday multilingual habits—from chatting with neighbors to revisiting a childhood language—may help preserve memory, attention, and brain flexibility as we age. An ...

The focus of this section is on strategies to support resettled refugees’ acquisition of the language of the receiving community (often referred to as the target language). Some of the principles and ...

We turned to the experts to find out the benefits of learning a new language at every age.