How Does Language Change Your Brain?

Have you ever wondered if individuals who speak more than one language see the world in a different way than monolingual speakers do? If you answered yes to this question, then I will hopefully give you many reasons why languages not only change your brain, but also change your perspectives on life. The video that I attached down below answers one of the most interesting, and relevant questions about language learning: How does language change your brain?

Some of the most fascinating facts that were presented in the video were that whenever you speak more than one language, specific parts of your brain will get bigger. That is to say that you brain grows in size for every language that you learn. For anyone who falls into this category, he/she has improved cognitive function, better concentration, and attention span than monolingual speakers, showing that speaking more than one language is good for your brain. In my opinion, this is the case because your brain has to be comfortable getting out of its comfort zone whenever it encounters something that is unfamiliar. It has to think really hard, and make connections with patterns, and ideas that it has already learnt. Studies have also shown that children who learn more than one language at an early age have better cognitive function as an adult, which helps slow down brain aging. You are less likely to have diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and have a healthier brain.

What exactly can be shaped by language? Culture is a huge component, because it is with what you grow up, and with what you are surrounded. It teaches you what is culturally appropriate, and what you should do in many different situations through the use of language to express these ideas. If you grow up in a household where more than one language is spoken, or speak more than one language, you know that languages differ in what they convey. Languages determine how you think about what is around you. They help shape your world, and make images in your head vivid, rich, and colorful. The man in the video also says that we ascribe ideas of words based on our own language, which is very true. For example, some English speakers have a harder time understanding the concept that most languages have feminine and masculine words, and, sometimes, neuter words. I have always associated objects as masculine, feminine, or neuter, and see my world through those lenses.

My favorite part about this video is when he says that languages are a “prism in which we see the world.” Because of my ability to speak many languages, I dream in them, am more culturally aware, am less sensitive to talking about concepts that would be seen as uncomfortable or not culturally appropriate in our culture, and, best of all, have expanded the size of my brain in the process. It would be interesting to see which parts of my brain have changed over time, and how they have affected my ability to retain grammar, and words in more than just my mother tongue. Do you fit into this category? If so, have you noticed having the benefits stated above? Feel free to think about these questions. 

How to Improve Your Listening Comprehension Skills in a Language

One of the most difficult roadblocks that many language learners have is knowing how to effectively improve their listening comprehension skills. Understanding audio input, whether it be listening to podcasts, videos, watching movies, or talking to native speakers, is one of the most important foundational elements that will help you start thinking in, and understanding the basics, and the complexities of a language.

Why are listening comprehension skills so important? The answer is simple. If you do not understand the majority of what you hear, all of the words that you will hear will sound foreign to you. In other words, your brain will block any words that it does not understand, making it difficult to make substantial progress. Luckily, it is easy, and not time-consuming to learn how to become a good listener. As the video above says, the most important factor is consistency, as well as quality of audio input. You cannot expect to do well in your high-school language class, or in your independent study if you only work on grammar, writing, and reading skills. What make languages a real experience is that you can use them to communicate with others, and to express your thoughts, opinions, and ideas.

Below, I will give you a few tips on how you can start improving your listening comprehension skills:

1. Listen to audio input as frequently as possible

Consistency, and repetition is key when starting off learning a language, or when you want to significantly improve your comfort level when speaking in, or understanding a language. Despite all of the commitments that we have, I recommend to listen to audio input every day for at least 5-10 minutes a day, especially when you are a beginner. Even if you are learning a language that is distantly related to your native language, you will slowly start to pick up words that you learn, or infer what words mean (especially if they sound similar to words with which you are comfortable in another language).

2. Listen to YouTubers

YouTube is a free website that has videos on virtually any topic. What is great about it is that there are YouTubers from most countries around the world, giving you endless possibilities of finding videos about topics in which you are interested (Feel free to read my post titled: “Listen to YouTubers in Your Target Language” if you want to read more about how I use YouTube to improve multiple languages at a time, and to get suggestions of some of my favorite YouTubers in several languages if you want to read more).

3. Buy podcasts, and/or download applications

Most of you probably own electronic devices, as well as smartphones, which allows you to download podcasts, and applications that pertain to language learning. Some of my favorite applications are: Duolingo (Feel free to read my post titled “Review of Duolingo (Application)” if you want to read more), Lingvist, and news applications in my target languages. All you have to do is type the name of your target language in the search button, and read reviews of several applications that could help you improve your listening skills. You can also search for names of good applications for specific languages on Google, or watch reviews of podcasts, or of applications on YouTube.

4. Watch Your Favorite Television Series, or Movies in Your Target Language

Another easy way to improve your comprehension skills is by watching your favorite television series, and movies produced in countries of your target language. I would recommend watching them in their original language, avoiding putting subtitles in your native language when possible. If you do this, you will give yourself an immersion experience, and will be able to focus on comprehending words, and overall main ideas, instead of obsessing over understanding every word. I have found that it has been more rewarding watching television series, and movies in their original language, because they have taught me a lot about other countries’ cultures, as well as idiomatic expressions, and vocabulary. If you did not feel that you are not comfortable enough with your language to do this, I would recommend watching them in their original language with subtitles in the original language, so that you can follow along with what the characters are saying.

I hope that you learned that what is most important about improving your listening comprehension skills is being consistent, and finding resources that are authentic in the original languages, or that are specifically designed for language learners.