The Benefits of Learning a Second Language
It’s a myth that learning a new language interferes with a child’s development.
December 28, 2017
Research shows that constantly managing two or more languages is a mental workout that helps the muscles of working memory grow stronger—boosting retention and speed of recall.
To dig deeper into the studies cited in the video, check out these resources:
- Ellen Bialystok’s paper on the impact on cognitive development of second-language acquisition and bilingualism at an early age (2017)
- Raluca Barac, Sylvain Moreno, and Ellen Bialystok’s study on behavioral and physiological differences in executive control between monolingual and bilingual children (2016)
- Judith F. Kroll, Susan C. Bobb, and Noriko Hoshino’s article about bilingualism as a tool to investigate language, cognition, and the brain (2014)
- Patricia K. Kuhl, Jeff Stevenson, Neva M. Corrigan, Jasper J.F. van den Bosch, Dilara Deniz Can, and Todd Richards’ findings on structural brain correlates of listening and speaking in a second language (2016)
- Olusola O. Adesope, Tracy Lavin, Terri Thompson, and Charles Ungerleider’s systematic review and meta-analysis of the cognitive correlates of bilingualism (2010)
- Jennifer L. Steele, Robert O. Slater, Gema Zamarro, Trey Miller, Jennifer Li, Susan Burkhauser, and Michael Bacon’s research on the effects of dual-language immersion programs on student achievement (2017)