Kids do NOT learn languages faster than adults. That's a MYTH - Dr. Karen Lichtman episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 14, 2025 · 1H 24M

Kids do NOT learn languages faster than adults. That's a MYTH - Dr. Karen Lichtman

from Teacher Talking Time · host teachertalkingtime

Want to move away from 1:1 and build your teaching business? Book a free 1:1 with us to see if we can help. "There's this myth that kids learn faster than adults. Research shows it's not true; adults are actually better language learners" - Dr. Karen Lichtman.  Dr. Karen Lichtman recently moved to Binghamton University after ten years training language teachers at Northern Illinois University.  Her research focuses on instructed second language acquisition, including age differences in language learning and implicit vs. explicit language teaching. Karen presents nationally and internationally to audiences of teachers and researchers.   In this episode, we dive into: the bad teaching that exists and how to address it the myth of children learning faster than adults why adults make better language learners why easier materials is almost always better designing a beginner course from scratch balancing implicit & explicit teaching addressing skeptical teachers the role of TPRS in language learning (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling)    FOR MORE FROM KAREN LICHTMAN: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Her website  3. Her publications  4. Her book "Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS): An Input-Based Approach to Second Language Instruction."   Support Teacher Talking Time: Do you help students prepare for the TOEFL test? Check out My Speaking Score - an AI platform with data-driven feedback to help students get 26 on TOEFL speaking. Trusted by over 100,000 TOEFL test takers. My Speaking Score: https://www.myspeakingscore.com/   RESOURCES TO HELP YOU: 1. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.  2. Subscribe to the LYE YouTube Channel 3. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP  4. Download our free guides for teacherpreneurs.  5. Connect with us on our Substack.

Want to move away from 1:1 and build your teaching business? Book a free 1:1 with us to see if we can help. "There's this myth that kids learn faster than adults. Research shows it's not true; adults are actually better language learners" - Dr. Karen Lichtman.  Dr. Karen Lichtman recently moved to Binghamton University after ten years training language teachers at Northern Illinois University.  Her research focuses on instructed second language acquisition, including age differences in language learning and implicit vs. explicit language teaching. Karen presents nationally and internationally to audiences of teachers and researchers.   In this episode, we dive into: the bad teaching that exists and how to address it the myth of children learning faster than adults why adults make better language learners why easier materials is almost always better designing a beginner course from scratch balancing implicit & explicit teaching addressing skeptical teachers the role of TPRS in language learning (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling)    FOR MORE FROM KAREN LICHTMAN: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Her website  3. Her publications  4. Her book "Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS): An Input-Based Approach to Second Language Instruction."   Support Teacher Talking Time: Do you help students prepare for the TOEFL test? Check out My Speaking Score - an AI platform with data-driven feedback to help students get 26 on TOEFL speaking. Trusted by over 100,000 TOEFL test takers. My Speaking Score: https://www.myspeakingscore.com/   RESOURCES TO HELP YOU: 1. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.  2. Subscribe to the LYE YouTube Channel 3. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP  4. Download our free guides for teacherpreneurs.  5. Connect with us on our Substack.

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Kids do NOT learn languages faster than adults. That's a MYTH - Dr. Karen Lichtman

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This episode was published on October 14, 2025.

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Want to move away from 1:1 and build your teaching business? Book a free 1:1 with us to see if we can help. "There's this myth that kids learn faster than adults. Research shows it's not true; adults are actually better language learners" - Dr....

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