As infants we can acquire one or more tongues almost without effort. But how about in our teens? Twenties? Forties? Or even our eighties? In fact, we are never too old to learn a new language!
Lingo Flamingo is a social enterprise that promotes the health benefits of language learning. It runs language classes for the general public at its Glasgow school, and at care homes and older adult communities across Scotland. Its learners range in age from 18 to 102!
Earlier this year I decided to enrol on a course run by Lingo Flamingo and Open University Scotland. It was billed as a “learning course for carers and care professionals [that aims] to make language learning accessible to senior learners in any care setting to enhance their well-being while tackling social isolation.”
I’m not a carer myself, but for the last few years I have volunteered for a local befriending charity. I visit an elderly man who speaks three languages fluently, yet his ability to use his “newer” languages has been affected by age and dementia. So, I had a personal interest in the topic of language and age. And naturally, the course as a great CPD opportunity too.
On starting the course I had a couple of important decisions to make. I’d be planning and teaching actual language lessons to senior learners, so 1) What language would I teach? and 2) How would I find a student?
The first was the easier decision. Lingo Flamingo teaches European languages, those being the languages most familiar to elderly students and often associated with positive memories of foreign holidays.
But I translate into English from Japanese, which is the only foreign language I know. So, I contacted a care home in my town to ask if anyone would like four one-to-one Japanese lessons. (I took care to specify that the lessons would be fun and that no prior experience of Japanese learning was necessary!)
“Multisensory” learning
Before too long, I received a reply from the care home’s activities adviser. She had a student who was interested, an 89-year-old lady called Rita.
I wondered why my prospective student had decided to learn Japanese. I imagined Rita as a life-long linguist. Perhaps she already knew a couple of foreign languages and was keen to add another. Or perhaps she had some special interest in Japan, had lived there, or been on holiday there?
But when I turned up for our first lesson, I discovered that Rita’s most recent language learning experience was over 70 years ago while at school! She’d never been to Japan and had no special interest in the country. She just wanted to try something new.
Lingo Flamingo’s teaching methods strongly emphasise “multisensory learning.” For example, it’s easier to remember a song than a passage of text, not to mention more fun. And singing is a great way to practice pronunciation. At the end of each lesson, Rita and I listened to a Japanese song, picked out the odd Japanese word and discussed the lyrics.
A lesson on Japanese cooking
Multisensory learning also covers movement and touch. For a lesson with Rita on Japanese food, I brought in some mysterious Japanese kitchen utensils from home: among other items, a sushi mat, chopstick rest and a bamboo tea whisk. Somehow, even holding and manipulating an item stimulates our ability to learn.
(Incidentally, in Japan it’s well known how foreign-born sumo wrestlers are quickly become fluent in Japanese. Alongside total immersion in the Japanese-language environment of the sumo stable, constant physical activity as they hear and speak Japanese may well be a factor. The first word sumo wrestlers learn is said to be “itai,” which means “it hurts.”)
Other multisensory learning involves the use of photos, video content and even aromatherapy oils. Interestingly, research tells us that citrusy and minty smells are good for concentration… a handy tip for translators, as well as language learners.
During our lessons together, Rita and I covered everything from Japanese greetings and the proper angle for bowing (15 degrees for a casual greeting vs 90 degrees when you meet the emperor) to animal names and sounds in Japanese. She was a delightful and enthusiastic student.
Cognitive reserve
As well as practical techniques for foreign language teaching, Lingo Flamingo’s course covered the latest research into the benefits of language learning.
A key term in this respect is “cognitive reserve.” Studies have shown that the mental exertion required to speak more than one language strengthens the brain and makes it more resilient. That’s why bilingual people tend to recover more quickly from strokes and why the symptoms of dementia are delayed by as many as several years. The latter is particularly remarkable when compared to the limited-at-best efficacy of current medical treatments for dementia.
Although starting language lessons as an older person won’t provide the same cognitive reserve as being bilingual from youth, Lingo Flamingo has found plenty of beneficial effects to even occasional language learning – not least stimulation, fun and social interaction.
The charity offers its language lessons to everyone, regardless of age or ability. In classes of students with dementia, previously withdrawn learners often come out of their shell, surprising and delighting carers and relatives. There are ways even for people who are non-verbal to participate and have fun.
Not only do these language lessons challenge the common preconception that language learning is only for the young, they challenge the idea that the experience of people with dementia is only one of “losing” ability. Elderly students, including those with dementia, enjoy learning something new, spend time in a fun environment with others, and receive a certificate at the end of their course.
Scotland’s “1+2 Approach”
Perhaps it’s not so surprising that Lingo Flamingo was established in Scotland, where the government actively promotes language learning. The Scottish “1+2 Approach” policy aims to ensure that every child has a chance to learn a first modern language from around 4 or 5 years old, and a second from 9 to 10 years old. It’s quite a contrast to England where Cambridge University researchers found that less than 1% of secondary schools have school-wide policies on language learning. Of course, Scotland has a distinctive multilingual heritage of Scots and Scots Gaelic.
Lastly, if you are interested in Lingo Flamingo’s work, please contact the charity using the links below. I also highly recommend the course both as a CPD activity and as a fun way to acquire some new language-related life skills!
Glasgow-based Charity Lingo Flamingo https://www.lingoflamingo.co.uk/
Learning Languages with Senior Learners – Lingo Flamingo’s course with the Open University https://www.lingoflamingo.co.uk/open-university
(This article was first published in the ITI Bulletin, the Journal of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting)
