Learning a new language isn’t an easy task especially as your cognitive skills and memory decline with age. Study shows that being bilingual keeps your brain younger and delays the onset of Alzheimer’s by five years. But for some, taking the plunge to learn a new language later in life is more about finding confidence and making social connections.
78-year-old William Wei first came across English as a junior high school student in Taiwan many years ago. Even though he’s lived in both New Zealand and Australia, speaking the language has always been a struggle.
Since his wife passed away, William’s had to confront the reality of communicating in English on his own.
Realising his English wasn’t good enough; William decided to join the English conversation classes run by Brisbane’s Sunnybank Uniting Church just over a year ago.
With regular conversation practices, and hours of self-study each day for over a year, William is now a very different person.
Annita Esposito has lived in Brisbane for 42 years. She came to Australia after meeting her husband in Italy. With extended family living close by, Annita never had to learn much English.
It wasn’t until her failed attempt to communicate with an Italian pharmacist that sparked her interest to learn the language in her late fifties. She’s now able to socialise in English and even fill out basic paper work without having to rely on others.
As for GP Dr Marlies Dowland, she’s always found the French language attractive.
Even though as a young girl in Holland, she studied French an hour a week for over five years, she’s never been able to hold a proper conversation.
She decided to take lessons again at Alliance Francais at 68.
Three years on, Dr Dowland, says learning a foreign language isn’t just good for the brain, it also makes life much more interesting.
