I think this is a common misconception. Children also find it difficult, but they have a decade to figure it out while adults usually only give themselves a few years. Even at the end of that decade, many children still have problems reading and writing well into adulthood.
As adults, we can learn so much faster than kids precisely because we already know how to read and write conceptually. If you can read effortlessly in your native language, you will not be satisfied with your progress in another language until you can read at the same level. What often holds adults back is embarrassment and how that affects our ego. If we could let go and just engage without overthinking it, adults absolutely could pick up languages much faster than kids.
Children also have no choice than to be immersed around the clock. And they have very patient teachers who are elated about every new word they master and who will stubbornly correct them if they get something wrong.
Most adult learners can't do full immersion or underestimate its importance and don't commit even if they get the opportunity.
My impression is mostly the same, but to add to the point about embarassment, native speakers will often not correct adults making mistakes in their language (and avoid showing that a mistake was made) while the same person would correct a mistake for a child.
Children also get exposed to much simpler language and get to learn a language more bottom up.
Also somehow my impression is that pronunciation/accent really is harder to adopt as an adult than as a child.
If we truly listen to the pronunciation of small children they often substitute easier sounds for difficult ones for many years. We just expect that from children so it seems normal.
Yes, this is also true. I have some strategies when I speak with others in trying to repeat their answer back to them, but with the correct grammar/vocabulary and then answer their question and I'm pretty sure I picked this up from volunteers at a language meetup who did it to me. It not only provides feedback to the learner, it also helps to confirm that you're both on the same page with the information that was spoken.
Generally, this works well for kids and adults without being demeaning but it's also important that everyone understands their role in the situation beforehand if possible.
Regarding accent, I think it really is a matter of practice and will. I agree that it's harder as an adult, but we shouldn't allow people to use that as an excuse if they want their accent to improve. By no means is that a requirement, but it is something you should ask your adult friends if they are learning your native language. Though, I would argue this is probably not even worth it unless they are at a B1-B2 level. If they come from a similar language family (germanic, latin, etc) as you, then perhaps working on their accent at the beginning will prove fruitful, but otherwise, it's probably a lot of new sounds that they need to learn how to even say "correctly" before they can start adjusting how their mouth moves. For me, I've found that mouth training a little easier when I'm not spending 10 seconds formulating a reply in my head.
As adults, we can learn so much faster than kids precisely because we already know how to read and write conceptually. If you can read effortlessly in your native language, you will not be satisfied with your progress in another language until you can read at the same level. What often holds adults back is embarrassment and how that affects our ego. If we could let go and just engage without overthinking it, adults absolutely could pick up languages much faster than kids.