Is There Any Involvement of IQ Toward Language Acquisition?

         

pic by google

What comes to your mind when you hear about IQ? Brain ability? knowledge capacity? Intelligence probability? Well, it is normal that people usually relate and define the IQ with the capability of someone to know something. As its definition, IQ is a short for Intelligence quotient. As I search on Wikipedia, IQ is defined as a total score derived from one of several standardized tests designed to assess human intelligence. Wikipedia also added that “IQ scores are used for educational placement, assessment of intellectual disability, and evaluating job applicants. Even when students improve their scores on standardized tests, they don't always improve their cognitive abilities, such as memory, attention and speed. In research contexts they have been studied as predictors of job performance, and income”.

 From that explanation, I tend to take a conclusion that the level of intelligence will determine whether you are so good at comprehending something or you seems have a difficulties with it. Since that IQ is usually determine someone cleverness toward particular subject matters, I realize that it is reasonable if the language acquisition is also among one of those subjects. I agree that IQ is clearly affects your ability in term of acquiring language.

I have observed that someone with a high score of IQ usually learn anything faster than other with a low score of IQ. Language is also included. I personally compared myself with my friend whom I spend most of my time with. Her IQ test score was greater than mine (we took an IQ test together at the same time). linked with the IQ score, she proved it in the contextual activities, I saw her progress in mastering English is more likely faster that my progress; she grasped the materials taught in class more rapidly that I did, she memorized new vocabulary easily, and she is adapted pronouncing new words so quickly rather than me. So I took a conclusion that by having a good score of IQ means that you have more probability to learn the language quicker. 

Pic by google

In contrast, someone with a low level of IQ tend to face more difficulties in learning the language comparing with others. I’ll give you another example; you may compare a students from the medical faculty and students from social faculty. Believe it or not, studies show that students from medical faculty are having a higher score of IQ rather than social faculty students. It means that their chances to learn and understand English are possibly bigger than the one with low score of IQ.

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So if you are so good with English now. You need to be grateful because maybe you are included to people with a high IQ. But if you think learning English is so complicated, maybe factor such low level of IQ is one of the reason why it is so hard for you to understand English. But don’t worry; if you are included to people with a low level of IQ there are other ways to improve your language ability. Even though IQ is crucial, there are still other conditions which may help people struggling with their language acquisition. I’ll share those tips later on here ^__^

Watching Television (pic by google)

I bet everyone all agree that ‘entertainment’ has been almost a primer necessity for people in this modern era. Related to this matter, recently I see that television is one of the prototypes of entertainment source which is considered essential. It is proven by almost all of the family in the city has one in their home (either my family…). I see that television offers and comprises all type of things to entertain. I put the example such day time dramas, is kind of things in TV which are enjoyed by lots of people during afternoon break.  I know that there are so many people believe that watching a daytime television drama is worthy. My brother, too, he enjoyed this thing so much. Nevertheless, I’m personally included the one who disagree with that opinion for some reasons.

            

Spending time with friends (pic by google)

Most people—mostly middle-aged people I guess, lol…—who like to spend their time watching daytime drama claim that it is a good idea to restrain their weariness after working all day long. This form of entertainment fits nicely during the break time because most of daytime dramas are not provided in long duration (Lindsay Patton-Carson). However, even though watching daytime drama only takes a little time, I’m still thinking that it is considered worthless due to the fact that daytime drama provide only a low quality entertaining things with lots of exaggerate scene on it. I realize that there are still other valuable things which can be done during daytime. Spending time with friend is considered as another way to release the stress too. Instead of watching a drama with full of bad content, talking with a friend can change the whole moods to be better. Barbara Fredrickson, PhD, author of Positivity believes that speaking is another quick way to break into a smile, any form of it will releases endorphins—hormones of positive emotion—and elevates the mood. 

Napping (pic by google)

Another beneficial thing to do during short daytime break is napping, this one is my favorite activity, yaayy :D.  Imagine after suffering from full time in a college/school, doing abundance activities, ended up with numerous tasks to do later at night. Don’t you think napping is the best and simple routine to restrain all the stressful activities during the day? (Of course if you have a short time during afternoon). The health website ‘treehugger.com’ writes on its page that there are lots of positive effects to health such as provides a memory boost, calms the nerves, and lowers the blood pressure.

Television Advertisement (pic by google)

Other reason stated by people who use to watch drama during daytime is that is usually accompanied with several advertisements. So while they watch drama, they can get other information simultaneously (Brenda Palmer). Nonetheless, I realize that statement is completely disregarding the fact that the advertisements which are rolled up during daytime drama can drive people to buy things that they will not buy. I’ve tried watching drama during daytime for several times and personally I’ve got a huge temptation to purchase lots of things from the advertisement served on TV that made me interested. It is like my heart whispered itself, “Omg I haven’t tried that make up yet, I need to have one later!” or “that sausage looks delicious, I shall try it tomorrow”. See? The power of advertisement :’D. I see the article from famous website ‘personalexcellence.co’ wrote that many advertisements have subliminal message to drive its viewer to purchase something which actually not a primary needs. So, I think watching drama during daytime indirectly leads people to wasting money (I’ve experienced it myself:’D).

Junkfood ads on TV (pic by google)

The last argument advanced by people who love watching daytime drama is one of good source of health improvement due to several scenes of the drama which often make them burst into laugh, as the famous saying goes ‘laughing is best medicine’ (Wagner). I asked my brother about his perspective towards daytime dramas he enjoyed most and he revealed that it is very amusing yet lifting his mood up. However, I observe that there are also opposite results of watching television drama for health. There are numerous studies that draw direct parallels between excessive daytime drama watching and obesity. “Most people think, 'Well you spend a lot of time sitting around, so you gain weight.' But most of the impact is just because of the marketing and advertising during that time that tends to increase intake of a range of unhealthy food products,” says Steve Gortmaker, a professor of the practice of health sociology in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

pic by google

 To sum up, for me it is a wrong idea to think that watching daytime drama is worthy. Watching it during daytime may boost your mood, but I believe that there are so many positive things which are better to be done more than that. Talking with friend or taking a nap for example, are more valuable and yield a good health improvement. Decreasing the time to watch drama during daytime also made people to avoid seeing the advertisements which waste the time as well as money unconsciously. Another good reason why people should avoid watching drama during daytime is that it may increase the size of waistline gradually, as Professor Steve Gortmaker from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said, people can gain weigh by sitting too much because of watching and also can be tempted by advertisement to buy unhealthy food which leads to obesity. Finally,  I conclude that in my personal  judgment, it is so much better to spending time with other beneficial activities during daytime rather than watching the drama because of its plentiful disadvantages. What about you? :))

Young learners usually have their own reason why they want to learn such a language. I observe that some children tend to go to English course because of parents’ pressure, while others want to learn English because of their school obligation. Nonetheless, I also realize that there are so many children who want to learn English because of their own interest towards this subject. Regarding learning by children's own will, I have no doubt that learning English since young age is not as simple as it sounds. Problems such as their limited brain capacity to absorb the material and their undersized attention span to completely focus on the teacher are the problems that make it is a little bit hard to teach young learner more than adult.

To lessen the problems and difficulties in learning English for young learners, there are several factors which need to put into consideration. My lecturer gives me several factors related to how to be better in learning English, specifically for young learner. And I have found that these factors actually can increase young learners’ interest and boost their comprehension to learn English gradually, so here are the factors to make children learning English better:

1)      Learning Condition

Learning condition is highly affected the ability of young learner to understand the material. Learning condition should be suitable with their interest and style of learning. Some young learners feel comfortable with learning in the class with a quiet atmosphere and with only a few friends along with them. They can fully concentrate with the lesson by studying in a peaceful class; the material given by teacher will be easily absorbed too. Other may prefer to study in a crowded class, or with listening music, etc. In this case, teacher should really put a lot of concern of his/her student condition; teacher should observe what kind of learning environment that his /her students prefer most. By knowing a young learners preference learning condition, teacher can minimize the failure of teaching and make the teaching and learning process more effective.

2)      The amount of Exposure

This factor also can affect the young learners’ ability in English positively. If teacher want the young learners gain knowledge of English faster, the teacher should train and make them practice their English as much as possible. Young learners should face English more often, they need to engage this language in their daily activity, every time they come to the class, they need to learn English more with their friend and family. The conclusion is, if teacher want his/her student master English well, they need to expose English with the student within their daily activities in class in a massive quantity of time.

3)      Opportunity to learn it

Every young learner has different opportunity to learn something. Opportunity here means the chance that they have to master English. So the higher change they have to learn English, the more likely they can master the language. For example, young learners who join an English course usually learn English faster than a young learner who doesn’t follow the course. It is happened because the young learner that taking an English course is not only has a chance to learn English at school but also in another place.

4)      Strong Motivation

Motivation also plays a crucial part in developing young learners’ interest to learn the language. Good teachers can give a wise motivation to increase their students’ interest. By giving a good advice and logic suggestion to learn English, young learners will be more motivated to learn English; as a result, they will comprehend and absorb the material faster and see the language with a happy feeling.

5)      Learner’s attitude toward the language

To master learning English faster, it is a obligation to teacher to always remain his/her young learner student to always put a positive attitude toward the language. Young learners’ attitude of English will determine whether they will learn English successfully or not. If they attitude toward English is negative, they wouldn't really care of it, as the result, they will think that learning English is so difficult and at last they cannot master English properly.

6)      Biological Factor

This factor is related with the theory of ‘critical period’ by dhdf(*I forgot his name :'D). This theory said that during childhood time, someone can learn and acquire anything easily and faster more than adult. So, young learners actually tend to be easier to learn English more than if they grew up. The conclusion is, if teacher want his/her student to learn English better, teach them properly since young age. They will be master the English faster at this golden age.