Benefits of Bilingualism Bilingualism is an important attribute for people to have, it has many advantages, though it’s viewed negatively by some people throughout the world. The United States is a very monolingual society, when it should value its diversity and variety of our cultures, and promote bilingualism. However, it’s constantly trying to force people into adopting the mainstream culture. If society stops valuing assimilation, and starts becoming more acceptive of other cultures, it will become more productive and the people will become more comfortable members. Bilingualism is one of these ways to become a more productive society; t provokes the learning and understanding of a new language and culture apart from the mainstream. …show more content…
Most children have the capacity to learn another language, which can be a very useful tool in other aspects of life. Researchers point out several advantages to being bilingual including: learning new words easily, using information in different ways, being able to categorize words, problem solving, improved listening skills, and better connections with others (The Advantages of Being Bilingual). Studies done have shown that children, adults, as well as older adults who are bilingual and use both languages on an everyday basis show higher levels of regulation in their cognitive processes, for example a stronger memory and problem solving abilities. (DeDonno, p. …show more content…
For example, how speaking more than one language opens a person to many different cultures and languages apart from their own and promotes a learning and understanding of different ways of life (Schwartz) However, the parts that can be measured are still very valuable, for example, the way students score on tests. Studies have shown that bilingual children have tend score higher on Piagetian, meta-linguistic, concept formation, and creative cognitive tasks. For example, it has been shown that bilinguals have scored better than monolinguals on specific cognitive and meta-linguistic projects and tasks (Garcia, 28). It can be easily seen that bilingualism doesn’t just have intellectual advantages, but can also have a strong influence over the spread of knowledge of different cultures, which is equally
Learning new languages and cultures enhance the brain, but getting rid of them erases the soul. Bilingualism is an abstracted, virtually undefined word that seems to be stirring up complex discussions amongst various people. One example of the debating participants is Martin Espada with his essay, The New Bathroom Policy at English High School. He believes that the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking societies should coexist in harmony. Another example is Richard Rodriguez with his story, Hunger of Memory. He sees Spanish and English as two divergent worlds that shouldn’t interact. I believe that people should learn multiple views on bilingualism so we, as a whole, can figure out our difference and embrace, not erase, them.
Mental flexibility is superior in bilingual children since learning two language forces their minds to process two language systems at one time. Bilingualism promotes divergent (a divergent thinker is someone who thinks of many possible solutions to a problem) and creative thinking (Baker, 144-145). This increase of creative thinking gives a wider variety of associations (Baker, 145-146). Bilingualism is also associated with increased meta-cognitive flexibility and better performance on certain perpetual tasks, such as recognizing a perpetual object “embedded” in a visual background or classification tasks (Marian, et al.,1). Their divergent thinking helps relevant aspects of a problem may become more salient to bilingual children since their experiences with two language systems and cultures enable them to incorporate different perspectives to the solution (Bialystok, 2001 pg. 204). Bilingualism promotes divergent thinking that is caused by greater cognitive flexibility.
Currently in the United States, about one in four, or twenty-six percent, of American adults can speak a language other than English (McComb). To be bilingual means to possess the ability to speak two languages, and a society that implements a bilingual approach is one that adapts means of everyday life, ranging from street signs to education, to the inevitabilities of more than one language. The United States is in debate on whether or not to adopt Spanish in conjunction with all English communication. In my opinion, to assume a bilingual society would create a separation in our country with two competing languages. There are multiple perspectives on the issue and to accurately form an opinion requires consideration of numerous aspects. The decision to undertake Spanish alongside English in all facets in the United States should be constructed on bilingual history, statistics, legal implications, supportive and defensive arguments, education dynamics, cultural factors, and the necessary provisions to our current society needed to implement such a system.
In Richard Rodriguez’s memoir he explains how children who speak another language, excluding english, do not receive the best education, as in today, being a bilingual speaker is an academic enrichment (Potowski). In today’s time, language is an advantage for both children and adults. It is an advantage for children because they can communicate with more people and can be more open-minded towards different people and would grow up with better communication skills. Bilingualism at a young age also has many advantages for children's
Bilingual education allows for an emotionally safe transition. This program lets children communicate in their native tongue, while being exposed to a new language. It's hard enough to be "the new kid" in school. It is easy to imagine the difficulty children have not being able to communicate with anyone and not understanding what is going on around them. Many argue that children will use the bilingual classroom as a crutch and will never learn English because of it. In actuality, it has been proven that children learn English faster if they are taught in their native language first. The goal of bilingual education is for students to learn while not falling behind. Without bilingual education programs, children come i...
There are more than 6,500 languages around the world. We can't control where we are born nor what will be our native language. Although, we can choose which we are going to speak as a second language. Speaking more than one language has obvious benefits in today's internationally growing world, and it has become common to know more than one. Being bilingual is a benefit, that one is never too old nor too ahead to experience and learn from
Overall, bilingual educational programs help students transition into a new environment, understand the interactions around them, and learn more. In conclusion, bilingual educational programs enhance the quality of life for those who make America their home. Works Cited Are People Who Speak More Than One Language Smarter? | Health | Learning English. " News | English | English.
Learning multiple languages opens doors for people not only in their local communities, but on a global scale. It has also been proven to advance cognition by improving conflict management, executive controls, and sound recognition. Students who are bilingual have two active languages in their minds and create flexible minds by constantly processing and translating in both languages. These mental activities are displayed to be beneficial through impressive academics. For these reasons, bilingual education in the United States is critical. Language is the single most important asset in human civilization. Prior to it, cave men communicated through grunts and images. Not only does language tie people together, but it also has an impact on one’s mentality and personal
Bilingual programs build on students’ prior education, what W. E. Lambert (1975) called an ‘additive’ bilingual education. On the other hand, ‘subtractive’ bilingual education is when one language is substituted for another, as found in assimilative approaches, resulting in the students struggling to become literate in either language (Nieto). In 1998, achievement test scores from San Francisco and San Jose showed that students who completed a bilingual education generally performed better than native English-speaking children in reading, math, language, and spelling (Asimov, 1998). Bilingual programs also motivate students to remain in school and decrease the dropout rate, they make school more meaningful, and the generally make the students’ school experience more enjoyable (Nieto). Bilingual education can strengthen relationships between peers and family members, resulting in more communication at home than there would be if the student was only taught in English and lost their native language (Nieto). Native-language use at home can increase family relationships which has shown to lower rates of substance use, juvenile delinquency, and alcohol use (August, et al). Bilingual approaches improve cognitive flexibility. Students that are learning in both their native language and in English not only learn the English language, but they become more adaptable and are more
...thousands of years. Generally, bilingual education can mean any use of two languages in school, by teachers, students, or both – for a variety of social and pedagogical purposes. It also refers to the different approaches in the classroom that use the native languages of English language learners (ELLs) for instruction. These approaches include teaching English, fostering academic achievement, acculturating immigrants to a new society, and preserving a minority group’s linguistic and cultural heritage. Building on, rather than just discarding the students’ native-language skills, create a stronger foundation for success in English and academics. Also, if students learn languages at a younger age, it will be easier to remember and learn them, rather than if they were older. It helps to learn another language for students, and can later be useful in the future.
There is a “CORELATION” between the effects of “BILINGUALISM AND THE COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN”.
First benefit is a better achievement in school and academically. Studies show that bilingual children have better reading and writing skills, also easily can learn third language. Carey Myles says: "Bilingualism has been linked to a variety of positive cognitive benefits, including early reading, improved problem-solving skills, and higher scores on the SATs, including the math section." Myles also claims that bilingual children have been shown to demonstrate "better listening perception" and that they "recognize that language is symbolic and are more skilled in communication” (2003). Also,research found that bilingual kids are able to better concentrate, stay focused on a subject in a classroom. Because this is an important factor, these children have a greater readiness and success in school. (Lust, B., 2006).
The development of the brain of a bilingual individual is better than a monolingual individual. Few years ago, researchers from the University of Washington (as cited in Klass, 2011, para 4.) found that the brains of bilingual infants (from families where two languages were spoken) are able to discriminate the different of the phonetic sound of the languages they usually heard when they grew up than monolingual infants in where their brains were adapted to only identify their mother tongue only. Dr. Patricia Kuhl, one of the members of this research team thus believe that bilingual education can shape infants’ brains and keep them ready for future challenges. Concurrently, a renowned psychologist, Dr. Ellen...
As time goes by and as the global community develops, the world grows more and more international, making second or third language acquisition become necessary to the majority. With the growing importance of multiple language ability, more and more parents think of bilingual or multilingual education, which means acquisitions of two or more languages, for their kids. In fact, we do have many reasons showing why multilingual education is important and beneficial, such as aspects of interpersonal relationship, employment, brain health, and so on.
When students are taught more in different ways, they can educationally benefit their cognitive abilities, involving the brain with “mathematics, problem solving, logic and memory”, can be improved to create an overall better student. Even learning another language at an earlier age can contribute to __________. Learning another language will be easier. Not only educationally, but tremendous health benefits can occur with the use of bilingual education.