language-learning
Filtering by topic language-learning(2)Clear all filters
- NewsLanguage Magazine17 Jul 2026
Bilingualism Delays Brain Aging By 6 Years
New research presented at the FENS Forum 2026 shows that speaking multiple languages is linked to younger brain age, with bilingualism delaying brain aging by up to six years. Learning languages at a younger age and achieving fluency are particularly beneficial for slowing cognitive decline.
Original abstract
New research suggests that the more languages people speak, the younger their brains appear. Learning more languages, especially when younger, and achieving fluency in a second language also seem to slow brain aging. The research was presented at the recent Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 by Dr Lucia Amoruso from the Basque […] The post Bilingualism Delays Brain Aging By 6 Years appeared first on Language Magazine .
- PaperTESOL Quarterly10 Jul 2026
The Grit–Goal Relationship in Language Learning as a Dynamic Process: A Goal Self‐Concordance Perspective
Hitoshi Mikami
A mixed-method study applies the goal self-concordance framework to examine how language learning goals aligned with one's sense of self are pursued, adjusted, or abandoned, and how L2 grit relates to these processes. Findings indicate that L2 grit levels do not always correspond to attainment of self-concordant goals, and that considering multiple goal layers is crucial for understanding the grit-goal relationship.
Original abstract
Second language (L2) grit, a noncognitive ability that underlies the pursuit of language goals, has attracted growing scholarly attention. However, the grit–goal relationship—including why certain goals are set and how grittiness relates to their pursuit—remains underexplored, as L2 grit has largely been examined in relation to researcher‐selected proxies of goals. In this context, this mixed method study applied the goal self‐concordance framework (Henry, 2021) to analyze how goals aligned with one's sense of self and future direction are pursued, adjusted, and sometimes abandoned and how L2 grit relates to these processes. Questionnaire and interview data were collected from fourth‐year English majors in Japan ( N = 8) to examine how L2 grit related to their goal development histories. The findings suggest that (a) L2 grit levels do not always correspond to the attainment of self‐concordant goals and (b) attention to multiple layers of goals may be important for understanding which aspects of L2 grit are associated with the pursuit of self‐concordant goals.