It’s the day before a test, and you’re poring through pages of vocab, trying your best to connect it all back to the language you know. It might be tiring or overwhelming work, and that’s completely understandable. But you can take comfort in knowing that you’re actively expanding and reshaping your brain!

Each student at Cathedral is required to take at least two years of a foreign language (Spanish, French, Mandarin, Latin, or ASL). By completing your language requirement, you’re setting your brain up for a lifetime of learning and success. Learning a new language has the power to activate and strengthen your brain, even when most of it has developed. And by engaging with languages from around the world, you are becoming a more open-minded, well-rounded citizen.

Breaking down your brain

January encompassed our unit on the nervous system in my Anatomy and Physiology Honors class, with Mrs. Groenke. I learned, among other things, about specialized regions of the brain, each running specific functions that we carry out each day.

PsyPost explains which of these light up when you’re learning a language. Your left frontal lobe (at the front of your brain, and aptly named) contains a special region called Broca’s area; this is the “speaking center” of the brain, storing grammar and language comprehension skills. Farther back in your brain is Wernicke’s area, part of your temporal lobe, which makes sense of all the words you’re hearing, and stores your vocabulary. And the hippocampus, also in your temporal lobe, is dedicated to memory.

All of these regions receive increases in blood flow as you work to learn a new language. Eventually, as the language becomes more natural to you, brain activity goes back to normal, as it would when you use your native language.

But what are all these lobes made of? The brain is organized into two types of matter: grey matter and white matter. The grey matter is the neuron material associated with learning, movement, emotions, and memory. On the other hand, the white matter is the fatty substance that covers your brain’s axons – the sections of your neurons that transport signals.

How your mind is changing forever

By learning a language, you are protecting both your grey and your white matter. This means your neurons will stay sharper for longer, and strengthened connections between your neurons will help your brain stay efficient as you keep growing up. “Learning a new language can be immensely helpful for cognitive health, particularly as we age,” explains Dr. Roy Hamilton, a trustee of the McKnight Brain Research Foundation. “This is because language learning engages a wide range of complex cognitive abilities, including memory, attention, and problem-solving, which can help to create and strengthen connections in the brain.” You’re flexing the figurative muscles that will let your cognition thrive for the rest of your life.

Sra. Stephenson teaches Spanish 3, Spanish 3 Honors, and AP Spanish at Cathedral. During the second semester of her classes, she normally sees everything “click” for students: they find the ability to produce the language with ease. “It enhances problem solving skills… their memory improves, and they’re able to recall more information,” she shares.

90% of studies examined in one analysis found that learning a language leads to improvements in other academic subjects, too. It jogs memory, boosts concentration, and sparks creativity. It’s also connected to a delayed onset of degenerative brain diseases.

Language learning is even proven to expand parts of your brain! You are literally changing the structure of your mind as you work through vocabulary or memorize grammar conventions.

Beyond your brain: how language learning fosters cultural collaboration

Immersive language learning environments let you practice a language surrounded by likeminded individuals – and they build your perception of the world. “We should try to exchange ideas in multiple languages to build better communication skills, but also to understand the world better — to widen views about other people and about the future society,” Kuniyoshi L. Sakai, a professor and neuroscientist at the University of Tokyo, advocates.

“I do not buy into the ‘they speak English everywhere’ mentality,” Katarina Guettlein, a University of Denver graduate, shares with UD’s magazine. She learned Italian in college and studied abroad in Torino, Italy; she got the opportunity to be “immersed in a culture that adores art and history.”

Some report that they don’t feel the need to learn a language, because they don’t plan to travel outside of the United States. But especially with the fight against COVID-19 in recent years, we’ve seen how important international collaboration is. Language learning is a vehicle for us to both literally speak with each other, and for us to get out of our ‘bubbles’, sympathizing more with each other. This vehicle deserves to be valued.

“Language study at the university level could lead to an increased tolerance of the different cultural norms represented in American society,” argues Amy Thompson, a professor of applied linguistics at the University of South Florida. By building this habit as a society, we’re preventing patterns of miscommunication and cultural rejection. So, by getting invested in the language you’re learning, you’re normalizing a better society.

Plus, Cathedral’s language classes also offer cultural immersion opportunities for students! Quinn Suzuki ‘27 is in her third year of Chinese classes. Every Lunar New Year, Mrs. Liu teaches her class to make dumplings. “They are made to represent money or wealth,” Quinn explains. “We were able to bring them home to share with our friends or family. Mrs. Liu gives us a memorable teaching experience and a fun way to incorporate a delicious food through this tradition.” Quinn has also gotten the chance to learn about new historical sites, like the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, through her Chinese classes.

Words of encouragement for language learners

None of our classes are meant to be easy; that said, language learning puts us in a uniquely difficult position. We are asked to depart from what we’re comfortable with, leaving behind the structures of our native language for a moment. The brain is highly ‘plastic’ (this is called neuroplasticity) in infants and young children; by the time we reach adolescence and adulthood, it’s harder to acquire new skills.

Language classes also tend to rely on memorization, focusing heavily on drilling in vocabulary. But some people’s brains just prefer other methods. Not everyone has the time or place to practice their native language outside of class, either. And especially in a classroom environment, standing on uncertain ground in front of everybody can induce plenty of anxiety (after several years of Spanish classes where speaking was, by far, the most challenging thing, I understand this). New learners might default to feeling embarrassed about their slips.

If that sounds familiar to you, you’re not alone at all! What may help you is remembering that you are actively becoming a more flexible and adaptable person because of the challenges you’re facing. By working on your new language, you’re developing a “tolerance of ambiguity”: as time passes on, you’ll feel more equipped to deal with challenges and uncertain situations, and your anxieties will subside (with respect to language learning, and in general).

For students who struggle with memory-based learning, Sra. Stephenson recommends immersing yourself in movies, television shows, and media in the language you’re working on. You can find plenty of shows geared toward teenage students in your new language, so that you can catch on to the plot quickly – and then start filling in gaps in the language. Learning can be as vivid and engaging as your favorite movie! (One thing I’ve started doing is turning on Spanish captions while I watch my favorite show in English, so I can start to form new connections between words.)

“My advice to another student who is starting to learn another language is to incorporate it into your everyday tasks,” Quinn shares. “Even if it is just going over vocabulary in your head, it is important to keep it fresh in your mind everyday. Sometimes when I am doing a daily task, I try to see if I can translate my actions into Chinese, to try and practice the language as much as I can.” There are countless innovative ways to strengthen your language skills – just find the small opportunities throughout your day!

And if you feel nervous or insecure about starting to practice a new language, know that you are in no way alone! But take comfort in knowing that you will start to feel better with every sentence and session. You are setting yourself up for a healthier life, and that you are uniting with new learners around the world to create a better one.