The Influence of Neuroplasticity on Adult Language Learning: Does Age Matter?

Badaloska, Elena (author), Sicherl, Eva (mentor)

Does getting older close the door on language learning? The present thesis explores the relationship between age and the learning of a foreign language. It involved five adults who spoke Macedonian and were between fifty and sixty years of age. These individuals took the EF Standard English Test in order to evaluate their reading and listening skills, and also carried out separate tasks to assess their visuospatial working memory, selective attention, and processing speed. A bilingual questionnaire was created in order to find out what helped the participants keep going when learning became difficult. The results indicated that each participant had a different profile and that no one cognitive measure could account for their performance in English. The participants found it helpful to repeat unfamiliar material, ask for explanations, compare English structures with those in Macedonian, watch or listen to English-language media, and spend more time on difficult material. Their motivation and personal learning goals also played a role in their continued efforts to learn. Overall, the findings suggest a more detailed understanding of the relationship between age and language learning. Instead of deciding whether or not learning is possible, age seems to influence the way the learning process is experienced. The fact that the participants were able to learn English even though they had difficulties with some aspects of learning shows that, in addition to cognitive abilities, individual experience, motivation, and the way learners adjust their approach may be important.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Keywords: neuroplasticity, adult language learning, second-language acquisition, Critical Period Hypothesis, cognitive ageing, working memory, motivation, attention
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2026
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-190938
• Publication date in RUL: 08.11.2026

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vpliv nevroplastičnosti na učenje jezika pri odraslih: Ali starost igra vlogo?

Abstract

Naloga raziskuje, v kolikšni meri starost omejuje sposobnost učenja tujega jezika. Rezultati raziskave kažejo, da starost vpliva na način učenja, vendar ne preprečuje nadaljnjega učenja. Pri starejših udeležencih so se pokazale razlike v hitrosti priklica besed, sledenju hitremu govoru ter zahtevnosti učnega procesa. Pri učenju so se opirali na predhodne izkušnje, redno vajo in ustrezne učne strategije. V raziskavi je sodelovalo pet odraslih, starih od petdeset do šestdeset let, katerih materni jezik je makedonščina. Znanje angleščine je bilo ocenjeno s preizkusom EF Standard English Test, dodatno pa so opravili naloge za merjenje vidno-prostorskega delovnega spomina, selektivne pozornosti in hitrosti obdelave informacij. Z vprašalnikom so bili raziskani tudi njihovi izzivi, motivacija in strategije pri učenju angleščine. Rezultati niso pokazali enoznačne povezave med posameznimi kognitivnimi sposobnostmi in znanjem angleščine. Pri učenju so uporabljali ponavljanje, primerjanje jezikov, različne vsebine v angleščini ter prilagajanje časa in načinov učenja. Pomembni dejavniki so bili tudi motivacija, predhodne izkušnje in vztrajnost. Rezultati kot celota ne potrjujejo ideje, da obstaja stroga starostna meja, po kateri se drugega jezika ni več mogoče naučiti. Čeprav je lahko učenje pri odraslih počasnejše in zahteva več zavestnega truda, rezultati kažejo, da lahko odrasli pri učenju napredujejo z uporabo ustreznih strategij ter na podlagi svojih izkušenj in motivacije.

• Keywords: Ključne besede: nevroplastičnost, učenje jezikov pri odraslih, usvajanje drugega jezika, hipoteza kritičnega obdobja, kognitivno staranje, delovni spomin, motivacija, pozornost