Adults and children are different in many ways, including the ways they learn a new language. Children certainly have their pros and cons and so do adults. Adults, relative to children, have different advantages and disadvantages in learning a new language.
So, what advantages and disadvantages do adults have, relative to children, when learning a new language? Please support your answer with facts and little bit of personal experience if necessary but no opinions please.
Adults don't tend to have any particular disadvantage, children just have an advantage
Children have a lot of time to learn, they can start hearing (not essentially learning) inside the womb itself. They are constantly hearing the language pretty much their entire childhood which makes them acquire language much easier than an adult taking a class.[1]
Additionally, children which do know language, probably don't speak the same as you do. They do not need to learn the language to the complexity that adults do. This means they can learn more sounds and words quicker which is why babies start talking in words, and not complete sentences. [2]
It is still being considered whether children's developing brains have to do with their quick accusation of learning. Rather than re-explaining what has already been explained, this video does a great job of explaining why children learn language quicker than adults
Pros of learning as an Adults
Cons of learning as Adults
This article gives an explanation as follows,
While the image-recall technique has proved highly successful, recent research has shown that this language learning method works best for children, primarily because at a young age the mind is like a "sponge" soaking up images and their associated words. However, the research suggests that teenagers and adults learn far better by using their own language as a tool for learning. And also suggests that adults require a diverse approach to learning to ensure stimulate and optimize the learning process.
