The Multilingual Mind | Alexa Pearce | TEDxNYU

Alexa is a children's book author having written, illustrated, and self-published her first picture book, "Hannah's Hats", when she was a Freshman at NYU. In her talk, Alexa explores and shares her passion for multilingualism, it's benefits, and more.
Alexa Pearce is a Junior from Little Rock, Arkansas. She is an avid Francophile, an expert scone baker, a wannabe runner, and fair-weather football fan. She's always loved children's literature; she wrote, illustrated, and self-published her first picture book, Hanna's Hats, when she was a Freshman at NYU. Inspired by the multilingualism pervasive in the NYU community, Alexa set out to research bilingual children's literature during her sophomore year, receiving a DURF grant from NYU along the way. Her research led her to develop a new kind of bilingual children's book utilizing the theory in bilingual pedagogy called "translanguaging," which gives young students learning multiple languages at once the freedom to experiment with mixing languages, as fluent bilingual speakers often do conversationally.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@kittyzmoney4813]

I love my current German teacher. He switches between German and English and uses his hands with both to tell stories with language and hand gestures. It makes it easy to connect words.

[@kittyzmoney4813]

Also, outside of school I listen to different German songs and German versions of English song and read German books.

[@timkilam8140]

The problem in America is that students are taught to memorize and conjugate words and build up their vocabulary, but never once do they practice speaking the foreign language with their peers and students. It is similar to learning martial arts, you can learn all the forms and techniques your masters teach you, but it's during the sparring drills and tournaments in which you demonstrate your fighting skills. If you're learning a new language, you must speak it, however broken it may sound to the listener, in order to develop confidence but more importantly, learn from your mistakes! There is no secret formula, humans have been learning each other's languages since the birth of civilization itself.

[@aoeu256]

You can read articles on wikipedia in one language, then use another language to review articles (with pop-up dictionaries). The language change option is on the left.

[@aitanasbooknook1304]

Revolutionary! Great idea to help people become bilinguals and multilingual individuals

[@lightriver7860]

Switching from language to language for multilinguals is not like a light switch. They co-exist. For example, I listened to your video in english, was thinking in Mandarin, and I often put on Spanish subtitles on TED to practice my spanish. However this only started recently and has never happened as a kid or teenager for me (also because thsoe languages were very different), yet i know plenty who did mix up the grammar and vocab. You might want to be careful with mixing languages in Children's books for children who are not raised in multi lingual environments. Especially when the languages you choose are similar.

[@nierelucena7208]

Currently doing a research about translanguaging. This video really help me .

[@Applelion1]

I’m a Japanese/English bilingual and am currently learning Korean by studying a Korean textbook written in Japanese and watching Korean videos with English subtitles

[@smitmahajani7663]

Yes, multi-lingual people can think in multiple languages, but it depends on how you view "thinking in different languages". My mother tongue is Marathi, but I grew up in a state which speaks Gujarati (both of these are Western Indian languages). I also learnt Hindi, English and Gujarati (for a few years), in school, and I can speak a bit of German (coz I'm in Germany right now) and Bengali (coz of my friends in college). When I watch a video/read texts in any these languages, I start thinking in those languages in that time. However, when I'm talking to myself, my "mind voice" is usually Hindi, even though it's not my mother tongue. English too sometimes. I guess it's because these two languages are more common in India, and are in most cases, used as the common language b/w two Indians who can't understand each other otherwise. Even in Germany, many people talk in English and the Indians here coming from different states, talk in Hindi or English, just like in India. So I guess that's the reason in my opinion. But ofc it differs from person to person.

[@mikaexploring2685]

My first language is English, second language is French, my native language is Kannada (a South Indian language.. And I also understand some of the other South Indian languages) I also know Hindi and am currently learning Spanish and Japanese..

[@grim524]

I'm learning Spanish now and I try to bypass mentally translating into English whenever I can. I use a picture dictionary so I can associate objects directly with their Spanish words. I think the key is to eventually learn to think in the other language.

[@myselfme767]

You're gonna start thinking in the language when you're fluent enough. It happens automatically.,

[@joyisrawrsome]

they should do this in textbooks then maybe people would really study them

[@merrillt8387]

I agree with this idea a pool or something but I guess it's kind of like a bunch of open boxes bc they're different. I'd never speak in Spanish with my mother or French with my best friend but with my friends, family and teachers that speak more I pull more. But if I know someone only speaks one I only speak that one with them. Personally I don't think about it much unless I can only use one and need a word but can only find it in a language I'm not speaking at the moment.

[@MALIRIPPA]

I speak three languages fluently, English danish and Somali, but I also think in those languages depending on who I am speaking with, and where I am like during this video I’m thinking in English, people can’t relate because they always think in their mother tongue, but I was raised with all 3 languages and I think that’s why, my mother speak five languages and my brothers speak 3 and 4 I think it’s important to learn languages at a young age, like being raised with parents that speak different languages, it comes more naturally, but I don’t think I would ever think in Spanish even if I learned it lol but who knows

[@multiyapples]

very interesting. I went to school with her in middle school. I want to learn Dutch

[@emilymcleod5118]

multiyapples she was my babysitter her mom is bffs with my mom

[@lyrafoxx7397]

My main language is English and I'm taking French in university. I'm also trying to learn Gaelic, Gaelige and Welsh on the side.

[@oc6171]

Lyra Foxx good luck learning them! Not many people are interested in learning those 3, but they're beautiful languages so enjoy yourself. :)

[@morgosphere9194]

Pob lwc!

[@antaramusica]

Gaelic is an awesome language

[@PewPewPlasmagun]

Pob lwc i chi. Bydd yr iaith gymraeg yn fwy. Diolch am dy gyfer ti.

[@emilymcleod5118]

She was my babysitter I swear to god I'm not Kidding

[@harlemshook]

She has come a long way since then

[@5pid3rman80]

I'm currently learning multiple languages, and I must say, it's easier now as an adult than it was as a child, because language association solidifies the target language to the original. It's weird, though, you said your friend grew up in Hong Kong... but they generally speak Cantonese in Hong Kong, not Mandarin... great idea for the book, though

[@allynated]

5pid3rman80 I agree although the ideal was when we were younger since we have more neuroplasticity. anyway I'm learning multiple too! what languages are you learning?

[@5pid3rman80]

Alaica Mae Ranchez hey, I'm learning Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Portuguese... I'm at varying levels in these languages... and am probably a little addicted to learning new ones...:) you?

[@allynated]

5pid3rman80 Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Korean and starting out on Hebrew! haha same here all in various levels 😊

[@5pid3rman80]

Alaica Mae Ranchez that's awesome! Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, and Korean are on my list... maybe next year :)

[@allynated]

Just starting out on The Aleph Bet. Greek and Arabic !!! Cooooool, have you yet to try Vietnamese?

[@monghi9194]

*its benefits :)

[@camiladavila4664]

I speak Spanish, English and French, my mother tongue is Spanish 💞

[@cheikhtv3840]

I speak french, English, arabic and wolof

[@coumbakhoule3603]

Facts Facts Senegalese?

[@cheikhtv3840]

Coumba Khoule yes

[@roaklarson9699]

what is wolof?

[@khadijazegmiri1828]

Me too plus hindu and urdu and turkish

[@mashalike7530]

@LQMY

[@mashalike7530]

about money in life of woman @LQMY

[@mayh2610]

She is not speaking, she is shouting, my ears are hurting and I learned nothing.

[@RicoLamar987]

Suite mates....i think she means "roommates" 😂😂😂...these people

[@merrillt8387]

RicoLamar987 suite mates are groups of roommates who live in the same suite. So someone who is in room A would be suite mates with someone in room B. Typically there are three rooms that share a common living room type area, sometimes a kitchen and bathroom as well. This depends on your college/ university

[@breadfan1071]

please stand still for more than 5 sec, its like you're running from the camera.

[@an-internet-user6398]

OMG what a terrible speaker !! shouting all the time in high pitch ... very annoying and repelling

[@brandonyuen9120]

lol