A recent study examined 33 participants in a one-week Scottish Gaelic course and 34 control participants to understand the impact of short intensive language courses on attentional functions. At the end of the course, significant improvement in attention switching was observed in the language group, while the control group showed no such improvement. This effect was consistent across participants of varying ages. Furthermore, those who continued practicing Gaelic for five or more hours per week after the course displayed continued improvement, while those practicing four hours or fewer showed mixed results. These findings suggest that short-term intensive language learning can enhance attentional functions across age groups and that continuous practice can maintain these benefits. Additionally, research indicates that learning a new language has various cognitive advantages, such as improved attention, creativity, and potential benefits against neurological disorders.
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