Stop making sense: focus on sounds to help learn a language, study suggests
Summary
A study shows that people who learn foreign languages well focus on hearing sounds rather than memorizing words and grammar. Researchers found that learners with better hearing skills pick up new language sounds faster and more accurately because their brains treat these sounds like new noises instead of using native language patterns.Key Facts
- The study involved 67 Japanese learners of English and tested their ability to hear small changes in pitch, length, and tone in sounds.
- Brain scans showed learners with better hearing skills used brain areas that process sounds, not the usual language areas relying on native language habits.
- Learners with high auditory precision mastered pronunciation faster and more accurately.
- Those with lower auditory precision relied more on their native language sound patterns, making learning harder.
- The study suggests focusing on listening skills more than grammar or vocabulary in language teaching.
- British people are not naturally worse at languages; limited exposure and teaching methods are bigger problems.
- Improving learners’ ability to hear language sounds can help especially when exposure to the foreign language is limited.
- Experts say natural exposure and listening are crucial to learning languages well.
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