Introduction

Researchers are paying significant attention to lifelong language learners (e.g. De Bot & Makoni, 2005; Gabrys-Barker et al., 2016; Martinez, 2012). The term ‘third-age language learners’, which might seem a little more precise than ‘lifelong language learners’, is now gaining currency as well. In general, the term ‘third agers’ refers to healthy, motivated individuals who are retired, i.e. no longer working full-time.

This chapter addresses a topic that is dear to my heart, mind, and aging body: a developmental perspective on third-age language learning. I have repeatedly taught university courses on life-span human development, or developmental psychology. It is exciting to unite my psychological background with my applied linguistics experience when examining third-age language learning. The first section of the chapter introduces ‘third age’ and related concepts. The second section offers research findings about physical, cognitive, emotional, and cultural issues relevant to the third age. Three broad ways to encourage and aid older language learners are the focus of the third section. The fourth section discusses the role of organizations (educational institutions and group living facilities) in teaching languages to third agers and some techniques that could be used. The chapter has a personal postscript containing hopeful ideas and poetry linked to third-age language learning.

Introducing the Third Age

This introductory section discusses labels and concepts, age-grading of the third age, gifts of the third age and third age=golden age (?).

Labels and concepts

The concept of ‘third age’ emerged from a hypothesized sequence of three stages that can be summarized by the acronym ‘EER’: education (first age), employment (second age) and retirement (third age) (Moen, 2011).