BILINGUALISM BENEFITS

INDEX

BILINGUALISM BENEFITS

Introduction

1.What is Bilingualism?

  1.2   Where and when this ability is used?

  2. What are the benefits of be bilingual?

  2.1 Cognitive benefits

  2.2 Social – Emotional benefits

  2.3 Learning Benefits

  2.4 Global benefits

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

1.1 What is Bilingualism?

According to Grosjean, "bilinguals are those who use two or more languages (or dialects) in their everyday lives" (Colin Baker,4).

The use of this ability depends on the context and the situation. And, its focus is related on when or where the children will use it.(Colin Baker, 5)

1.2 Where and when this ability is used?

The first concept that we can see is: in the Nuclear Family; here is when the children start to learn both languages. For example, the mom can be an American citizen and the father can be a Mexican citizen, so the child starts listening to her mom say a little words in English and his father pronounce others words in Spanish. (Coling, 5) I think, that this is the first way to start to be bilingual.

Another context is in the school; it exists a lot of cases here in México, for example, that in private schools, the student speaks two languages, or one more than the other one, so, if the teacher knows both languages, he or she can easily communicate with the child and understand him quickly. (Coling, 5)

When the child grows up, he or she can have friends of different groups, curricular activities, countries, etc. so, they can use their languages to communicate with them; These friends can be bilinguals too but not because they born with partners that speak different languages, but because they learned the language later in schools where teach different languages (like English, French, German, etc.)  Almost, it can be use in Churches, if the family assist to a congregation. (Coling, 5)

A giant disadvantage would be that in the community where the child is, can be monolingual, (that is when it is speaks just one language) so, it could be difficult to develop the other  language that the child has learned because the community does not speak the language. (Coling,5)

2. What are the benefits of be bilingual?

I think people are affraid because it exists different ideas that does not have any foundations. For example: “Bilingualism slows down the child’s general development”, “Bilingualism leads to language confusion”, “and “Bilingualism is useful only if both language are widely spoken”.

To prove that these ideas are incorrect, let’s see the different kind of benefits which can be applied to bilingual children according to different authors.

These benefits were shared with families to find ways to support children´s home languages and encourage families to keep their language strong by Head Start, who serves children who are dual language learners.

2.1 COGNITIVE BENEFITS

As we know, the cognitive development has continued actively since the major stimulation from Piaget. (Kathleen R. Gibson,253)

Cognitive Development is defined by Birch as “the study of the psychological changes that take place between birth and old age”. (Lisa Oakley,1)

The word “cognitive” came from the Latin cognoscere, which means “to know”.  Cognitive activities involved the brain processes like thinking and knowing. All these processes have been studied in how they develop in children and youngsters and how the information become efficient and effective; these include how we acquired, processed and organized the information that we obtain daily.  (Lisa Oakley,2)

According to Zelasko and Antunez, with the Cognitive Benefits, bilinguals switch their two languages. Their brains are more active and flexible that the monolinguals, because since they learned how to speak to languages, their brains star to think quickly and faster. (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

Researches for different authors stablished that bilinguals have a better time in:

• -       According to Zelasko and Antunez, bilinguals understanding math concepts and solving word problems more easily. (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)
• -       Kessler and Quinn stablished that they developing strong thinking skills. (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)
• -       Bialystok and Majumder believed that they use more the logic and almost that they have the skills more emphasized on focusing, remembering, and making decisions. (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)
• -       For Jessner, they can easily learned other languages that the monolinguals. (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

2.2 SOCIAL- EMOTIONAL BENEFITS

What is socio-emotional development?

Children through their social-emotional health, understand who are they, what are they feeling, and what they expect from their environment. These concepts help the child to has confidence and empathy, develop meaningful, make friends and have good partnerships.The socio-emotional development covers various areas such as cognitive, motor and language. And all these develop how the child feels about himself and how he wants to express their ideas and emotions to others.(http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/social--emotional/what-is-social-emotional.html) 

Socio- Emotional Benefit:

Bilingual children can make a perfect relationships with their:

•  whole family, 

• culture, and 

• clanship 

Zelasko and Antunez said: "These are essential concepts for develop the identity of the child. Bilingual children are also able to make new friends and create strong relationships in their second language—an important personal skill in our increasingly diverse society". (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

2.3 LEARNING BENEFITS

According to Zelasko and Antunez: Mother tongue is related with the domain of bilingual children to be prepared and successful for school.(http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

Diaz said that because bilingual children are capable to change two languages, they expand different ways in thinking. The skills that they have achieved (through languages), help to have an abstract thought. (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

According to Páez and Rinaldi, those children who learn how to read in their first language, have created a solid base to they learn a second language. They can read easily in the other language, thanks of their previous knowledge. 

(http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

Kovács and Mehler say that current researches show that, a great benefit that appears at the age of 7 months, is that bilingual children are better in avoid insignificant information. (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

2.4 GLOBAL BENEFITS

Zelasko and Antunez say that most of the adults know two or more languages in the world. An they refer that, in our society exist a lot of advantages for bilingual adults; because it demands people who can talk and understand more than two languages, they have more advantages and opportunities than monolinguals.(http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

Head Start contributes the following positive points:

Bilinguals have distinct opportunities in:

- Participate in different ways in the world,

- Have information about more places,

- And, have the chance to know other cultures.

(http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf)

 

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I think, having or being a bilingual person, brings many benefits. It is a good choice to be born with two languages because the child develops better her/his cognitive, and learning process; but if you learn a second language at an advanced age, can bring you better opportunities for employment and personal needs.

Do not miss the opportunity to acquire a new language, it's an excellent option to understand the world in which we live.

Sources:
Baker,Colin. Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 2001.
R. Gibson, Kathleen. Brain Maduration and Cognitive Dvelopment. 1991.
Oakley, Lisa. Cognitive Development. 2004.
The National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness. http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/fcp/docs/benefits-of-being-bilingual.pdf .