Language Magazine – Carol M. Johnson and Doris Chavez-Linville
“This tip is based on the myth that students must begin learning a second language early or they will never master it. Late starters often bring a lot more to the table than younger emergent bilinguals. They already have quite a bit of knowledge in their own language, after all. They may never sound exactly like a native speaker, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of learning and making connections and becoming just as competent in the understanding and use of the language as anyone else. There’s research showing that adults outperform children in initial language learning.1 Long-term, early starters may have a better accent, but early on, late starters seem to do better.” (more)