The Effects of Bilingualism on Cognitive Development Essay

What do we know about the effects bilingualism has on cognitive development? Our world is becoming progressively bilingual; in the US 21% of school age children between the ages of 5-17 years old can speak other than English at home and this number is expected to increase in the coming years. On top of social reasons, the positive effects to the cognitive development of the brain when introduced to a second language are of many. The age of acquisition is vital due to the plasticity of the brain, which according to the critical period hypothesis, begins to level after five years of age. In addition to plasticity, bilingual speakers are more capable of focusing their attention to solve complex problems compared to monolingual speakers.†¦show more content†¦This trend was also prevalent in the right hemisphere for bilinguals however not seen in monolinguals (x = 56, y = -53, z = 42; Z-score = 3.4; P0.001). Voxel-based morphometry revealed that overall proficiency correlated neg atively with age of acquisition (P0.01; r=-0.855) and second-language proficiency correlated with grey-matter density in exactly the same left inferior parietal region previously identified by a different study (x = -48, y = -59, z = 46; Z-score = 4.1; P0.05). (Mechelli, 2004) Bilingualism itself can be held responsible for increased levels of executive control and higher brain plasticity. In order to maintain a balance between two languages, the bilingual brain depends on executive functions, a monitoring system of general cognitive abilities that includes processes such as attention and inhibition. Laurent et. al 2010 aimed to determine bilingual experience enhances the development of phonological awareness. Children were exposed to early learning of a second language between the school grades 3-5 in primary school, ages ranging from 8 to 10 years old. The goal of this study was to promote the concept of â€Å"bilingual advantage† (Laurent, 2010) as researchers measured ex actly how long children required second language exposure in order to influence phonological awareness. These researchers expected that after 4 yearsShow MoreRelatedBilingualism And Bilingualism1307 Words   |  6 Pagesthe United States, where English is pre-dominantly used as a single language, a large number of people using non-English languages at home have increased by 140% since 1980. Thus, bilingualism is an extensive cultural, linguistic, and cognitive phenomenon that is extensively carried out in modern society. Bilingualism bridges the understanding of the world around us, communicating with others, promoting the sharing of cultural phenomena. 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