Have you reached retirement and are you planning to take the opportunity to start learning a foreign language? This is indeed the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in this new rewarding adventure. At retirement, you have time to immerse yourself in a language and its culture, to practice and to progress more quickly. In addition, learning a foreign language has been proven to be ideal for boosting memory, exercising the brain and boosting self-esteem. Here are our tips for doing just that.
Learning a foreign language after retirement, is it possible?
Yes, learning a foreign language after 60 is quite possible, because age is no barrier to learning. It is even an excellent activity, because in addition to its interest and its usefulness, it contributes to the development of the brain and memory. It is also a good way to develop one's autonomy, in particular by learning a language like English which is increasingly present everywhere in our daily lives and spoken all over the world.
For retirees who wish to travel, learning a foreign language is a great plus! It is indeed a way to open up to others, to exchange, to share, but also to better understand what surrounds you, to better navigate, etc.
If all languages can be learned at any age, it is advisable for seniors who have not yet decided on a fixed choice to turn to accessible languages such as English, which is universal, or even Spanish or French. Italian, which are spoken at our borders and in the world and which resemble French.
Be that as it may, among retirees, learning a foreign language responds to three essential motivations, which are brain stimulation, personal development and the possibility of better communicating during trips abroad. .
Why learn a foreign language upon retirement?
Embarking on learning a foreign language is a great challenge taken up by more and more retirees each year. It must be said that starting this original activity at this precise moment in your life has certain advantages.
- Retirees have time :learning a foreign language takes a lot of time, which is not always compatible with a working life, a student or a young parent. However, retirees have more time to devote to this learning, so they can devote themselves to it more regularly, for longer and thus make better progress.
- A way to solicit your memory :learning the vocabulary and syntax of a new language requires memory. It's a good way to exercise your brain, but also auditory memory by listening to sounds, verbal memory by pronunciation and photographic memory when tackling languages like Chinese, Japanese or even Russian.
- The development of social ties :progress in learning a foreign language requires practice, so dialogue with other people, learners or who speak the language.
- Discovering another culture :mastering a language, or at least its basics when visiting a country is an excellent way to communicate with the locals and discover more about their culture. Reading books or watching films in the language also helps to develop one's cultural appetite for the countries that speak it.
- Higher self-esteem :learning a language is a challenge, even a real adventure. When you manage to remember and use a few words well and then form sentences, it is real progress that helps to strengthen self-esteem at an age often considered to be more complex in terms of learning.
- A good way to develop your brain :learning a language requires concentration, creativity, memory and a willingness to communicate. All this mobilizes several areas of the brain, makes them work and dialogue, which is excellent for maintaining cognitive abilities.
How to learn a foreign language after retirement? Our advice
There are many ways to learn foreign languages. It is possible to go through private lessons, online methods or on paper or CD, to enroll in language trips for seniors, to take courses at universities or associations, etc. Everything is possible depending on your desires, the chosen language, your lifestyle and your ability to move freely.
To start learning a foreign language after retirement, here are our main tips:
- Equip yourself :before you start, choose the language that appeals to you the most and equip yourself with dictionaries and various tools to support you in this learning process. From paper media to digital or online resources, choose the solution that best suits you to practice freely and at your ease.
- Practice, practice, practice :you have to dare to start at any age and in order to then progress, it is important to practice. Feel free to chat and even talk alone throughout the day to improve your pronunciation and maintain your memory. Also ask your children or grandchildren if they master this language to work with the family.
- Surround yourself with the right resources to progress :do not hesitate to set up a small space dedicated to this beautiful adventure within your accommodation. Also equip yourself with content and resources to better immerse yourself in the language and its culture, which will help you progress and motivate you to continue. Films, music, books, cultural content... you will find multiple sources online or in stores.
