The Bilingual Child: The Future of Childhood Development

_{Photo by cottonbro studio}

Dora Przybylek is the author of bilingual & multilingual books for children ages 7 to 10, such as Luisita is Sick/Luisita está enferma. Her books–which are written in both English and Spanish side by side–are her personal efforts to create and push for a more multicultural and multilingual world.

Because in an interconnected world, the ability to speak multiple languages is becoming more and more common. This is happening with good reason.

Studies have shown that children raised in bilingual and multilingual environments benefit from far more developmental advantages than monolingual children.

What Is Bilingualism?

Bilingualism is the ability to communicate–with varying degrees of fluency–in two or more languages. While it may seem like a modern phenomenon, bilingualism has actually been present in many cultures throughout history.

In a more globalized world like ours today, more children are growing up in bilingual environments due to immigration, multicultural societies, and international business.

But what does being bilingual truly mean in terms of cognitive, social, and emotional development? The answer to that question goes far beyond simply speaking two languages.

The Bilingual Child

An area of prime concern in bilingualism is its effect on cognitive development. Research shows that bilingual children tend to perform better on cognitive tasks that require multitasking, problem-solving, and critical thinking. This can be explained as the result of the mental exercise that bilingual children are required to do when switching between languages. This cognitive exercise helps strengthen the brain’s executive functions.

The process of learning multiple languages is quite stimulating for many parts of the brain, most especially the prefrontal cortex, the area that is primarily responsible for decision-making, attention control, and cognitive flexibility.

As children switch between languages, they are exercising their ability to manage multiple cognitive tasks at once. This continual switching from one language to another sharpens one’s overall cognitive abilities.

In fact, bilingual children have been shown to outperform their monolingual peers in tasks involving memory, attention, and problem-solving.

_{Photo by Max Fischer}

Moreover, bilingualism enhances metalinguistic awareness. This means that bilingual children have a better, deeper, and more intuitive understanding of how language works. They are able to notice language structures and the rules of grammar in both languages they speak, which often results in better language skills overall.

This metalinguistic awareness fosters a love of learning and greater academic achievement as children learn how to approach new information critically and analytically.

Benefits Past Childhood

In addition to enhancing cognitive abilities in early childhood, bilingualism has been shown to have benefits that apply well into adulthood.

Research has found that bilingualism may delay the onset of cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s.

The theory behind this is that bilingual and multilingual individuals are constantly engaging in more complex mental tasks throughout their lives. This keeps their brains active and more resistant to cognitive aging. The more languages a person speaks, the more the brain is engaged, strengthening its ability to resist deterioration as the individual grows older.

This effect has profound implications for the future. As the world’s population ages, bilingualism may become an increasingly important factor in maintaining mental health and cognitive function in later life.

The Future of Childhood Development

As the world is now more interconnected, bilingualism plays a critical role in childhood development.

The ability to speak multiple languages opens doors to career opportunities, social connections, and cross-cultural understanding. Bilingual children are poised to succeed in an increasingly diverse and globalized world where multilingualism is an asset.

As parents, educators, and policymakers recognize the importance of bilingualism, it’s likely that we will see a greater push toward multilingual education programs, early language immersion initiatives, and supportive policies for bilingual families. With the right support and resources, the bilingual child is not just an asset to their family but to the world.

The future of childhood development is multilingual, and embracing bilingualism today means preparing the next generation for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

In a world where communication is key, the bilingual child is the future.

_{Photo by Vanessa Loring}

If you have or are planning on raising bilingual children, Dora Przybylek’s books are for you. They have wonderful and colorful illustrations that are accompanied by text in both English and Spanish.

Order a copy now by clicking this link.

Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom

– Roger Bacon