Cognitive Spanish for Seniors. A popular proverb suggests that older individuals may struggle to acquire new skills, including learning new languages. However, recent research on Neuroplasticity from Edinburgh University reveals that bilingualism can significantly enhance cognitive abilities in individuals aged 50 and above. Lead researcher Thomas Bak highlights that acquiring a second language later in life can promote greater brain flexibility and efficiency. Engaging in regular mental exercises, such as learning a new word daily, reinforces focus and memory retention.
Similar to physical exercise benefiting the body, cognitive learning stimulates the brain, improving its capacity to process information. Moreover, switching between languages can mitigate cognitive decline and potentially delay the onset of conditions like memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and depression. Therefore, embracing the adage of ‘teaching an old dog new tricks’ proves beneficial for maintaining overall health and well-being. Although there’s no cure for diseases like Alzheimer’s, it’s crucial to offer better tools and services to support seniors in managing cognitive decline and provide assistance to caregivers. This rationale inspired the creation of Cognitive Spanish for Seniors, a programme tailored for individuals aged 50 and above, though open to learners of all ages sharing similar objectives.
Benefits of the programme include keeping the brain healthy, fostering new social connections, maintaining an active social life to alleviate feelings of loneliness, boosting self-esteem, and experiencing mood elevation through the release of endorphins. Participants can also enjoy the fun and happiness of learning while practicing Spanish with new friends or exchanging letters with loved ones in Spanish, reminiscent of times gone by. Additionally, face-to-face lessons are available in Gran Canaria upon request. At Mixitup Academy, our mission is to enrich the lives of seniors by providing inspiring learning experiences that encourage them to embrace life to the fullest, echoing the sentiment that ‘Age is a state of mind‘.
Course content includes:
- Guess the word in Spanish. You´ll have a look at an image and guess simple words in Spanish
- Crosswords. You´ll exercise your memory, finding out the words and learning new vocabulary in Spanish
- Scrambled words game. Rearrange the letters and form a word in Spanish
- Match the words or simple sentences. Match each word/sentence in the left-hand column with the words/sentences in the right-hand column
- Reading. Read a little bit every day and improve your pronunciation in Spanish
- Hidden Words. Can you find the hidden words?
- Spanish podcasts. You´ll listen and try to understand a basic conversation in Spanish
- Spanish… with your hands. We speak, you listen to simple sentences, draw a picture and describe it in 3 words
- Visit Spain with us. We’ll take you in a virtual trip to ‘visit’ our amazing country and to teach you about its culture, customs and gastronomy
Target Audience
This course is designed for BEGINNER – INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 0 – B1