The Learning Strategy of the Total Physical Response: Some Age Differences

There is a common belief that children are better able than adults to learn a foreign language. This belief may be an illusion if children living in a foreign country learn the new language through play activity while their parents try to learn independently of physical behavior. Using Russian, this study compared the listening comprehension of 8-, 10and 14-year-old children, and college adults when each S was in physical action during retention tests. The results showed that (a) the adults were superior to the children of any age group at p < .0005; (b) the youngest children, the 8-year-olds, had the poorest retention; and (c) the 10and 14-year-old children were intermediate between the adults and the 8-year-olds.