Helen Abadzi
Helen Abadzi is a Greek psychologist and polyglot of 19 languages. After 27 years as an education specialist at the World Bank, she teaches at the University of Texas at Arlington, USA. To improve the outcomes of education investments she regularly monitors research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.
Helen Abadzi is a Greek psychologist and polyglot of 19 languages. After 27 years as an education specialist at the World Bank, she teaches at the University of Texas at Arlington. To improve the outcomes of education investments she regularly monitors research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. She synthesizes findings into applications and policy implications. At age 72, she is focuses on the mental benefits of lifelong language competencies.
Language maintenance through the lifespan
Maintaining language throughout life: Advice from an aging “hyperpolyglot” Everyone admires the people who learn 15, 20, 30 languages. They tend to be male, young, well-traveled, who learn fast and exude self-confidence. But how sustainable is the performance in multiple languages over the years? Forgetting is akin to a dirty word. Yet, in order to claim that we speak certain languages we must deal with forgetting. This is particularly important past the twenties, when the ability for easy memorization gradually declines. And the task becomes quite complex when large numbers of languages must be maintained. In old age these matter because they help retain brain functions. What is lost and what is gained over the decades? There is memory research and practical ways to put it to use. The presentation will introduce some memory concepts and suggest a roadmap to maintain and retain multiple languages throughout life.