The Neuroscience of Language Learning

Dr Matt Davis, Medical Research Council, Cognition and Brain Science Unit, University of Cambridge, "Language Learning and the Brain"

Understand how the brain processes and learns language

MRI of brain structure 3-D pictures of the brain

Bigger brain when you are bilingual: more grey matter.

Young brains learn better: study of immigrants in the US on native Korean. Below ten years: those Korean have no foreign accent. Those you arrive after will have a foreign accent.

Need for live-interaction (not that good with just audio and videos) (Mandarin exposure)

Initial learning has limited capacity: the brain struggling when given too much information.

Words in the brain (lexicon):

when we say "kick" "run" "pick" "throw" same parts of the brain are used as when we are moving our body!

Day 1 training 30 novel words, 30 familiar words.

Day 2 scanning learned with sleep. Sleep is an important part of the learning process.

Hippocampus outline: good activity there when you are a good learner.

You need to sleep well and be well nourished.

Hippocampus as a cognitive map John O'Keefe (Nobel prize)

Brain activity during sleep contributes to language learning.

Grammar is key to productive use of language.

Research about the bilingual brain: when words compete.
Two languages compete in the brain but gives protection against Alzheimer's Disease.
Testing enhances learning... (my comments: makes me think about Memrise when you are tested on the words you cannot remember rather than being testing again and again on words you already know)

Facts:
1. Bilinguals have bigger brains (in places)
2. Young brains learn better
3. Initial learning has limited capacity
4. Word meaning is grounded in sensory and motor systems
5. Language learning continues after class
6. Brain activity during sleep contributes to learning
7. language use becomes more productive after sleep
8. Words in L1 and L2 are not stored separately in the brain
9. Bilingualism brings benefits
10. Testing enhances learning

Outcomes (from Véronique Davis, Tutor in French at Oxford University Language Centre)

This lecture was highly interesting and the findings of Matt Davis could be used

1. To inform timetabling

2. To establish a testing routine (according to his research, tests have to be repeated in order to be efficient)

3. To teach grammar by giving many examples rather than explaining and giving rules