Language Development in Teenagers

The intense period of language development takes place in early childhood; children reach several milestones in the acquisition of language from birth until the age of six. Current research shows that teenagers continue to develop language skills, but at a different pace.

Changes in the Teenage Brain

• According to the article "Teenage Brain; a Work in Progress" published by the National Institute of Mental Health, researchers have discovered that the teenage brain experiences structural changes; there is a second spurt of gray matter overproduction (neurons and connections) between the ages of 11 and 12. There is also a growth spurt in white matter (a layer that envelops nerve fibers) which happens between the ages of 6 and 13 in areas of the brain that specialize in language. This growth drops after 12 years of age (the end of the critical period for learning languages).

Language Acquisition

• The article "Language Acquisition" published by the University of Delaware explains that acquisition is the process by which children naturally learn their native language. Different theories try to explain how children acquire language. For example, the innate hypothesis suggests that children are born ready for language; the acquisition is rapid for two years after children learn their first words. The critical-age hypothesis suggests that the ability to learn the native language develops from birth to puberty; this is a fixed period after which children cannot acquire more syntax (arrangement of the words) or morphology (construction of the word).

Language Learning

• The article "Language Acquisition" published by the University of Delaware explains that language learning is the conscious knowledge of a language (knowing the rules). The article "Improving Reading for Children and Teens" published by the Child Development Institute explains that reading, for example, is a learning process that does not happen automatically, but must be learned.

Language Development

• The article "Language Development in Adolescents" published by Georgia State University explains that the development of language is almost complete for teenagers. Only small changes occur at this age; for example, adolescents learn to use more complex grammatical structures and to change their language style according to the situation. The article claims that at this point, the critical period to learn a second language has been missed. Learning is possible through immersion, but complete fluency is only reached when language is learned at an early age.

Second Language for Teens

• The article "Second Language Learning and the Schooling of Immigrant Teenagers: Focus on Prevailing Misconceptions" published by Stanford University explains that teenagers are better learners of a second language that children or adults; they have well developed cognitive base and learning skills. However, teenagers are expected to speak with more sophistication than children. In order to become proficient in a second language, teenagers need to be exposed to a second language and make an effort to learn it. The amount of time this takes is not predictable.