Brains learn new languages by hearing sounds, not memorizing words
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Researchers at UCL Institute of Education in London and Tohoku University in Japan studied 67 Japanese people to understand how their brains processed unfamiliar English sounds.
The team found that people skilled at language learning perceived foreign speech as acoustic signals rather than words. This ability allowed them to overcome ingrained patterns from their native language.
Kazuya Saito-van Poeteren, a professor at UCL Institute of Education, explained that learners with strong auditory skills can make progress with limited exposure, while others require much more practice to master new sounds. Previous language learning research largely focused on factors like age and exposure time, but this study suggests those don’t fully explain why some people achieve native-like fluency while others retain a noticeable accent.
Saito-van Poeteren recommends that language instruction shift away from repetitive practice and toward developing students’ listening skills based on their individual auditory abilities.
