Full Description
Language Learning Later in Life explores how acquiring a new language can promote healthy aging. Authored by leading experts in applied linguistics, education, and aging studies, this comprehensive volume investigates the profound cognitive and psychosocial benefits of language learning for older adults, set against the urgent realities of a rapidly aging global population.
Through a blend of empirical research, qualitative analyses, and compelling case studies, the book reveals how language learning can stimulate memory, enhance cognitive function, and foster motivation and resilience. It also delves into the social rewards of language acquisition, from increased participation and intercultural engagement to combating loneliness and reducing isolation. Addressing critical challenges such as neurodegenerative diseases and depression, Language Learning Later in Life champions proactive strategies for healthy aging, offering practical guidance on effective teaching methodologies and illuminating the unique learning journeys of older adults.
A vital resource for researchers, educators, and policymakers, this book demonstrates how lifelong language learning can enrich lives and promote well-being among an aging society.
Contents
Contributors
Introduction
Jodi Emma Wainwright and Ursula Stickler
1. The Individual and Collective Experience of Flow in the Older Adult EFL Classroom
Agata Słowik-Krogulec and Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak
2. Later-Life Language Learners' Vicarious Participation in Recorded Online Tutorials
Christine Pleines
3. Language Learning Strategies of Multilingual Learners Aged 50-65 in Spain
Violetta Dmitrenko
4. What Helps and What Hinders Later Life Language Learning - The Students' Perspective
Sylwia Niewczas and Magdalena Smoleń-Wawrzusiszyn
5. Digital Support for Language Learning Later in Life
Jodi Emma Wainwright
6. Learning an Additional Language in the Third Age: Comparing a Monolingual and a Multilingual Approach
Helga Donnerer and Karen Roehr-Brackin
7. Older Scholars' Motivation for Lifelong Learning of Languages
Katarzyna Morena
8. Teaching English to Older Adults in Argentina
Marina Gonzàlez, Mariana Spina, and Claudio Juin
Concluding Remarks
Jodi Emma Wainwright and Ursula Stickler
Acknowledgments
Index
