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Science, Notebook, 2004 The Washington Post Company

Monday, June 14, 2004 Page !0"

Bilingualism's Brain Benefits#y Shanka$ %edantam

#i&ingua& speake$s a$e bette$ ab&e to dea& 'ith dist$actions than those 'ho speak on&y a sing&e

&anguage, and that may he&p o((set age)$e&ated dec&ines in menta& pe$(o$mance, $esea$che$s say*

+n studies conducted in Canada, +ndia and ong -ong, psycho&ogists dete$mined that indi.idua&s 'ho

spoke t'o &anguages 'ith e/ua& p$o(iciency and used both e/ua&&y did bette$ than mono&ingua&

.o&untee$s on tests that measu$ed ho' /uick&y they cou&d pe$(o$m 'hi&e dist$acted*

The bi&ingua& ad.antage 'as g$eate$ (o$ o&de$ pa$ticipants, the $esea$che$s '$ote yeste$day in the

ou$na& Psycho&ogy and !ging, adding that bi&ingua&ism appea$s to o((set age)$e&ated &osses in

ce$tain menta& p$ocesses*

esea$che$s used the Simon task, a test used to measu$e menta& abi&ities that a$e kno'n to dec&ine 'ith

age* Test take$s sa' a $ed o$ a b&ue s/ua$e (&ash on a compute$ sc$een and 'e$e to&d to dep$ess one o$

the othe$ o( the t'o shi(t keys depending on 'hich co&o$ appea$ed* !s p$e.ious $esea$ch has (ound,

pe$(o$mance s&o'ed 'hen the co&o$ed s/ua$es mo.ed ($om thei$ o$igina& positions*Th$ee e3pe$iments sho'ed that bi&ingua& speake$s o( Cantonese and ng&ish, Tami& and ng&ish o$

5$ench and ng&ish consistent&y outpe$(o$med ng&ish)on&y speake$s, said the $esea$che$s at 6o$k

7ni.e$sity and the otman esea$ch +nstitute in To$onto, and 8a&housie 7ni.e$sity in a&i(a3, No.a

Scotia*

The team, &ed by &&en #ia&ystok at 6o$k 7ni.e$sity, hypothesi9ed that the abi&ity to ho&d t'o

&anguages in the mind at the same time, 'ithout a&&o'ing 'o$ds and g$amma$ ($om one to s&ip into the

othe$, might account (o$ the g$eate$ cont$o& needed to pe$(o$m 'e&& on the Simon task* !n a&te$nate

hypothesis is that bi&ingua&s ha.e supe$io$ 'o$king memo$ies (o$ sto$ing and p$ocessing in(o$mation*

Why bilingual is bettermagazine article | Published in TES Newspaper on 18 May, !!1By: Colin Baker

+n the past it 'as thought to be a disad.antage to be to$n bet'een t'o &anguages* No' chi&d$en a$e

encou$aged to be bi&ingua&* Co&in #ake$ e3p&ains 'hy*

Why is bi&ingua&ism impo$tant (o$ chi&d$en: #eing bi&ingua&, mu&ti&ingua& o$ mono&ingua& is &ike&y to

a((ect a chi&d;s identity, thinking, net'o$ks o( ($iends and ac/uaintances, schoo&ing and emp&oyment* +t

may e.en he&p to dete$mine 'hom they ma$$y* #i&ingua&ism inc$eases oppo$tunities and choices and

o((e$s a host o( possib&e ad.antages< Communication 'ith the 'ho&e (ami&y and the communityo$ (ou$? &anguages 'ith ease* +n the #as/ue count$y &ea$ning #as/ue, Spanish and ng&ish

has a&so become inc$easing&y common*

mp&oyment< #i&ingua&s a$e inc$easing&y needed in the $etai& secto$, tou$ism, t$anspo$t, pub&ic

$e&ations, banking, administ$ation, t$ans&ation, sec$eta$ia& 'o$k, ma$keting and sa&es, the &a' and

teaching* #eing bi&ingua& does not gua$antee a mea& ticket but it gi.es a pe$son a .a&uab&e ski&& 'hen

ob)seeking*

5o$ much o( the past centu$y, bi&ingua&ism 'as seen as a potentia& de(icit ) in thinking, cha$acte$

(o$mation and not &east in schoo&ing* +n the past t'o decades, the dominant inte$nationa& .ie' is thatbi&ingua&ism has many de(inite bene(its< communication, cu&tu$a&, cogniti.e, cha$acte$, cu$$icu&um***

and cash*

! @i(e Changing 3pe$ience !'aits 6ou< Being Bilingual Protects Against Some Age-

related Cognitive Changes, Says New ResearchJune 2004 by !me$ican Psycho&ogica& !ssociation

W!S+NATBN )) Most 'i&& ag$ee that t'o heads a$e bette$ than one in so&.ing p$ob&ems* The same

&ogic may be t$ue (o$ &anguage and $etaining cogniti.e p$ocesses as 'e age* #eing (&uent in t'o

&anguages seems to p$e.ent some o( the cogniti.e dec&ine seen in same)age mono&ingua& speaking

pe$sons, acco$ding to the (indings o( a study appea$ing in this month;s ou$na& o( Psycho&ogy and!ging*

+t is estab&ished that &ea$ned kno'&edge and habitua& p$ocedu$es >c$ysta&&i9ed inte&&igence? ho&d up

'e&& as peop&e age, said &ead autho$ &&en #ia&ystok, Ph*8*, o( 6o$k 7ni.e$sity, but abi&ities that

depend on keeping one;s attention on a task >(&uid inte&&igence? actua&&y dec&ine as peop&e get o&de$*

#ut in he$ study, #ia&ystok (ound that those 'ho ha.e been bi&ingua& most o( thei$ &i(e 'e$e bette$ ab&e

to manage thei$ attention to comp&e3 set o( $apid&y changing task demands as measu$ed by an

e3pe$imenta& task The Simon Task that pu$pose&y dist$acts the test take$s*

Th$ee studies compa$ed the pe$(o$mance o( a tota& o( 104 mono&ingua& and bi&ingua& midd&e)aged >D0)

EF yea$ o&ds? and E0 o&de$ adu&ts >G0)HH yea$ o&ds? on the Simon Task* The Simon task measu$es

$eaction time 'ithout the subects ha.ing to be (ami&ia$ 'ith the content, and it measu$es aspects o(

cogniti.e p$ocessing that dec&ine 'ith age, acco$ding to the study* The subects 'atched (&ashing

s/ua$es on a compute$ sc$een and 'e$e inst$ucted to p$ess a pa$ticu&a$ co&o$ key 'hen they sa' as/ua$e in a ce$tain &ocation o( the sc$een* a&( o( the s/ua$es 'e$e p$esented on the same side o( the

sc$een 'he$e the co$$ect key 'as &ocated Icong$uent t$ia&s and the othe$ ha&( o( the s/ua$es 'e$e on

the opposite side o( sc$een 'he$e the co$$ect key 'as &ocated Iincong$uent t$ia&s*

5u$the$mo$e, to dete$mine i( speed 'as a (acto$ in $esponding co$$ect&y in these tasks, a set o(

conditions that inc$eased the numbe$ o( di((e$ent stimu&i ($om t'o to (ou$ (&ashing s/ua$es 'as used*

The bi&ingua&s $esponded (aste$, said the autho$s, e.en 'hen these stimu&i 'e$e p$esented in the cente$

o( the sc$een and in.o&.ed no inte$(e$ence ($om incong$uent spatia& position in(o$mation* ! cont$o&

condition 'as used that p$esented t'o stimu&i >(&ashing s/ua$es? in the cente$ o( the sc$een that

p$oduced no di((e$ence in $eaction time, said the autho$s, thus $u&ing out an o.e$a&& speed ad.antage as

the e3p&anation (o$ pe$(o$mance di((e$ences bet'een the bi&ingua& and mono&ingua& g$oups*

+n a&& th$ee studies, mono&ingua& and bi&ingua& adu&ts 'ho 'e$e matched on backg$ound e3pe$iences

and cogniti.e measu$es pe$(o$med di((e$ent&y on the Simon task* #oth younge$ and o&de$ bi&ingua&s'e$e (aste$ than subects 'ho spoke one &anguage in both the cong$uent and incong$uent t$ia&s but a&so

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e3hibited &ess dist$action ($om the incong$uent items $ega$d&ess o( speed* +mpo$tant&y, say the autho$s,

bi&ingua&ism $educed the age)$e&ated inc$ease in the Simon e((ect >dist$actibi&ity?, imp&ying that &i(e)

&ong e3pe$ience o( managing t'o &anguages attenuates the age)$e&ated dec&ine in the e((iciency o(

inhibito$y p$ocessing*

The autho$s p$opose that the abi&ity to attend to a stimu&us 'hi&e igno$ing i$$e&e.ant &ocation

in(o$mation might be the same cogniti.e cont$o& p$ocesses used 'hen using t'o &anguages*

!&& the bi&ingua&s in this study used thei$ t'o &anguages e.e$yday since they 'e$e 10 yea$s o( age* The

autho$s conc&ude that bi&ingua&ism o((e$s 'idesp$ead bene(its ac$oss a $ange o( comp&e3 cogniti.e

tasks*

The $esea$ch 'as ca$$ied out both at 6o$k 7ni.e$sity and at #ayc$est;s otman esea$ch +nstitute,

'he$e 8$* #ia&ystok is a .isiting scientist*

Bilingual Acquisition"y #red $enesee

@anguage ac/uisition is an e.e$yday and yet magica& (eat o( chi&dhood* Within th$ee to (i.e yea$s,

.i$tua&&y a&& chi&d$en become (u&&y competent in at &east one &anguage* We accept this as tota&&y no$ma&*

We se&dom 'o$$y about 'hethe$ o$ not it 'i&& happen e.en though it is the most comp&e3

accomp&ishment o( ea$&y chi&dhood* .en mo$e $ema$kab&e a$e those chi&d$en 'ho simu&taneous&yac/ui$e p$o(iciency in t'o, o$ mo$e, &anguages du$ing the p$eschoo& yea$s* Within the same time ($ame

as it takes mono&ingua& chi&d$en to &ea$n one &anguage, bi&ingua& chi&d$en &ea$n t'o &anguages and

become adept at using them in socia&&y di.e$se and app$op$iate 'ays*

+t is estimated that the$e may be as many chi&d$en 'ho g$o' up &ea$ning t'o &anguages as one*

8espite this, chi&dhood bi&ingua&ism is poo$&y unde$stood by many and $ega$ded 'ith skepticism by

othe$s* #ecause o( &ack o( (ami&ia$ity 'ith o$ kno'&edge about chi&dhood bi&ingua&ism, pa$ents,

educato$s, and ea$&y chi&dhood specia&ists may e3p$ess doubts about chi&dhood bi&ingua&ism and they

may e3pect negati.e conse/uences to $esu&t ($om chi&d$en &ea$ning t'o &anguages du$ing the p$eschoo&

yea$s* Such conce$ns a$e especia&&y common in communities 'he$e most chi&d$en g$o' up

mono&ingua& and, as a $esu&t, adu&t membe$s o( the community come to .ie' mono&ingua&ism as

no$ma& and bi&ingua&ism as abno$ma&*

+n $ecent yea$s, $esea$che$s ha.e been acti.e&y in.o&.ed in studying bi&ingua& ac/uisition and, a&thougha&& the $esea$ch e.idence is not yet in, 'e no' ha.e a mo$e detai&ed desc$iption o( impo$tant aspects o(

bi&ingua& de.e&opment than p$e.ious&y* #i&ingua& ac/uisition is comp&e3* +n compa$ison 'ith

mono&ingua& chi&d$en 'ho usua&&y &ea$n &anguage ($om thei$ pa$ents, bi&ingua& chi&d$en may depend

not on&y on pa$ents but a&so on g$andpa$ents, p&aymates, o$ chi&dca$e and dayca$e 'o$ke$s to &ea$n

thei$ &anguages* #i&ingua& chi&d$en may &ea$n thei$ &anguages p$ima$i&y in the home, &ike mono&ingua&

chi&d$en, o$ in the dayca$e, o$ neighbo$hood* #i&ingua& chi&d$en;s e3posu$e to thei$ &anguages can a&so

di((e$ g$eat&y, as, (o$ e3amp&e, i( the chi&d is &ea$ning one &anguage ($om a pa$ent 'ho 'o$ks at home

and the othe$ ($om a pa$ent 'ho 'o$ks outside the home* Thei$ &anguage e3posu$e can (&uctuate

g$eat&y o.e$ time, i(, (o$ e3amp&e, the pa$ent 'ho is the p$ima$y sou$ce o( one o( the &anguages takes a

ob in anothe$ city and is on&y home on 'eekends*

e$e a$e $esponses to some conce$ns that a$e common&y e3p$essed by pa$ents and chi&d ca$e

p$o(essiona&s about bi&ingua& ac/uisition in ea$&y chi&dhood*1. earning t!o languages in childhood is difficult and can result in delays in language

develo"ment.

Chi&d$en 'ho ha.e $egu&a$ and $ich e3posu$e to both &anguages on a dai&y o$ 'eek&y basis ($om

pa$ents and othe$ ca$egi.e$s e3hibit the same mi&estones in &anguage de.e&opment and at $ough&y the

same ages as mono&ingua& chi&d$en* +t is impo$tant to $emembe$ that the$e a$e &a$ge indi.idua&

di((e$ences in &anguage ac/uisition )) some chi&d$en ac/ui$e thei$ (i$st 'o$ds o$ use comp&e3

utte$ances much ea$&ie$ than othe$ chi&d$en* 8e&ay in the eme$gence o( these mi&estones does not

necessa$i&y mean that the$e is something se$ious&y '$ong in most cases it simp&y means that the chi&d

has taken &onge$ to $each this stage* The same kinds o( di((e$ences a$e cha$acte$istic o( bi&ingua&

chi&d$en*

+t is impo$tant that pa$ents o( bi&ingua& chi&d$en p$o.ide systematic e3posu$e to both &anguages a&& the

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time and that they a.oid $adica& changes to the &anguage en.i$onment o( the chi&d* Such changes can

dis$upt &anguage de.e&opment and c$eate di((icu&ties (o$ the chi&d*

#. Bilingual children have less e$"osure to each of their languages than monolingual children. As

a result% they never master either language fully and% com"ared to monolingual children% they

never become as "roficient.

#i&ingua& chi&d$en can ac/ui$e the same p$o(iciency in a&& aspects o( thei$ t'o &anguages o.e$ time as

mono&ingua& chi&d$en e.en though they usua&&y ha.e &ess e3posu$e to each &anguage* #i&ingua&

chi&d$en ac/ui$e the same p$o(iciency in the phono&ogica& and g$ammatica& aspects o( thei$ t'o

&anguages as mono&ingua& chi&d$en do in thei$ one &anguage, p$o.ided they a$e gi.en $egu&a$ and

substantia& e3posu$e to each* #i&ingua& chi&d$en may ha.e some'hat di((e$ent patte$ns o( de.e&opment

in ce$tain aspects o( &anguage in the sho$t te$m* %ocabu&a$y is one o( those a$eas* Sometimes, young

bi&ingua& chi&d$en kno' (e'e$ 'o$ds in one o$ both o( thei$ &anguages in compa$ison 'ith

mono&ingua& chi&d$en o( the same age* This is p$obab&y because a&& young chi&d$en ha.e &imited

memo$y capacities, and bi&ingua& chi&d$en must sto$e 'o$ds ($om t'o &anguages, not ust one* !s 'e&&,

because bi&ingua& chi&d$en &ea$n 'o$ds in each &anguage ($om di((e$ent peop&e, they sometimes kno'

ce$tain 'o$ds in one &anguage but not in the othe$* When the .ocabu&a$y that bi&ingua& chi&d$en kno'

in both &anguages is conside$ed togethe$, they gene$a&&y kno' the same numbe$ o( 'o$ds and ha.e thesame $ange o( .ocabu&a$y as thei$ mono&ingua& pee$s* Most impo$tant&y, 'hen and i( di((e$ences &ike

these occu$, they a$e sho$t te$m and a$e &ike&y to disappea$ by the time the chi&d$en begin schoo&*

+nte$pe$sona& communication is anothe$ a$ea 'he$e bi&ingua& chi&d$en sometimes di((e$* The 'ays o(

communicating in ce$tain socia& situations o$ o( e3p$essing ce$tain meanings can be /uite di((e$ent in

some &anguages* +( bi&ingua& chi&d$en a$e ac/ui$ing such &anguages and they ha.e not had (u&& e3posu$e

to one o$ both o( them, then they may not ha.e ac/ui$ed the abi&ity to e3p$ess these meanings o$ they

may not be p$o(icient in ce$tain socia& situations* Ai.en ade/uate and app$op$iate e3pe$ience 'ith thei$

&anguages, most bi&ingua& chi&d$en /uick&y ac/ui$e a&& o( the socia& &anguage ski&&s and 'ays o(

e3p$essing themse&.es they need*

Aene$a&&y speaking, bi&ingua& chi&d$en;s o.e$a&& p$o(iciency in each &anguage $e(&ects the amount o(

time they spend in each* Thus, a chi&d 'ho has ust $etu$ned ($om a .isit to a g$andpa$ent 'he$e on&y

one o( the &anguages 'as used, may p$e(e$ to use on&y that &anguage (o$ a'hi&e and, thus, may appea$to ha.e &ost some p$o(iciency in the othe$ &anguage* This is usua&&y a sho$t te$m, tempo$a$y shi(t in

p$e(e$ence that is co$$ected once the chi&d is e3posed to the neg&ected &anguage* +t is impo$tant not to

o.e$$eact to these tempo$a$y (&uctuations in p$o(iciency since they a$e usua&&y tempo$a$y*

Pa$ents can best ensu$e that thei$ chi&d$en achie.e (u&& p$o(iciency in both &anguages by p$o.iding $ich

e3pe$iences 'ith each and especia&&y 'ith the &anguage that might othe$'ise not get st$ong suppo$t in

the e3tended community (o$ e3amp&e, a mino$ity &anguage such as Spanish o$ Chinese in No$th

!me$ica* +t is impo$tant in this $ega$d that pa$ents 'ho do not speak the mao$ity &anguage o( the

community continue to use thei$ nati.e &anguage so that they e3pose thei$ chi&d to .a$ied and $ich

'ays o( using &anguage* This is di((icu&t to do i( pa$ents use a &anguage that they a$e not p$o(icient in*

+t is a&so impo$tant (o$ pa$ents to maintain use o( he$itage &anguages in the home because it is pa$t o(

the (ami&y cu&tu$e and an impo$tant pa$t o( the chi&d;s de.e&oping identity* +t he&ps them (ee& uni/ue

and connected to thei$ (ami&ies*&. oung bilingual children can't (ee" their languages se"arate) they use both at the same time)

they are obviously confused.

!t some stage, most bi&ingua& chi&d$en use sounds and 'o$ds ($om both &anguages in the same

utte$ances o$ con.e$sations e.en though the peop&e ta&king 'ith them a$e using on&y one &anguage*

Some pa$ents and ea$&y chi&dhood educato$s a$e conce$ned 'hen they hea$ this because they be&ie.e

that it means that the chi&d is con(used and cannot sepa$ate the t'o &anguages* esea$ch sho's that

this is not t$ue* The main $eason (o$ chi&d$en mi3ing thei$ &anguages in these 'ays is because they &ack

su((icient .ocabu&a$y in one o$ both &anguages to e3p$ess themse&.es enti$e&y in each &anguage* Thus,

they bo$$o' ($om the othe$ &anguage* +ndeed, this is an e((ecti.e communication st$ategy in most

(ami&ies because pa$ents and othe$ adu&ts 'ho ca$e (o$ bi&ingua& chi&d$en usua&&y unde$stand both

&anguages and may mi3 the &anguages themse&.es 'hen ta&king 'ith the chi&d*

#i&ingua& adu&ts in some communities mi3 thei$ &anguages e3tensi.e&y* esea$ch has sho'n that the

most p$o(icient bi&ingua&s mi3 the most and in the most sophisticated 'ays 'ithout .io&ating the $u&es

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o( eithe$ &anguage* +t is no$ma& (o$ chi&d$en g$o'ing up in these communities to mi3 thei$ &anguages

e3tensi.e&y because they a$e simp&y &ea$ning the patte$ns o( communication that a$e common in thei$

community*

+n any case, mi3ing &anguages is a natu$a& and no$ma& aspect o( ea$&y bi&ingua& ac/uisition, e.en

among p$o(icient adu&t bi&ingua&s* Pa$ents shou&d not t$y to stop thei$ chi&d$en ($om mi3ing* #i&ingua&

chi&d$en 'i&& natu$a&&y stop doing it, un&ess o( cou$se mi3ing is a ($e/uent (o$m o( &anguage use in the

community*

*. +sing both languages in the same sentence or conversation is bad. Parents can discourage and

even "revent their children from doing this by ma(ing sure that each of them uses one and only

onelanguage !ith their child at all times.,he same goes for other adults !ho interact !ith the

child.

esea$ch has sho'n that most bi&ingua& chi&d$en mi3 thei$ &anguages sometimes no matte$ ho' much

thei$ pa$ents mi3, (o$ the $easons mentioned ea$&ie$* !s 'e&&, most pa$ents mi3 thei$ &anguages 'hen

ta&king 'ith thei$ young chi&d$en because it is a natu$a& and e((ecti.e 'ay o( communicating 'ith one

anothe$ and thei$ chi&d$en* #ecause mi3ing &anguages is common among peop&e 'ho a$e bi&ingua&, it

can be di((icu&t and unnatu$a&, i( not impossib&e, to keep the &anguages comp&ete&y sepa$ate* +( most

peop&e in the chi&d$en;s 'ide$ community use on&y one &anguage, then the$e is p$obab&y no $eason to

'o$$y about ho' much pa$ents o$ chi&d$en mi3 the chi&d$en 'i&& e.entua& &ea$n the mono&ingua&patte$ns*

. What are the most im"ortant things for "arents or early childhood educators to (no! about

early childhood bilingualism

The$e a$e numbe$ o( impo$tant things to keep in mind