+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Learning Two Languages as Baby Improves Cognition

  1. Link to Post #1
    Australia Avalon Member 7alon's Avatar
    Join Date
    30th August 2016
    Location
    Earth
    Age
    38
    Posts
    549
    Thanks
    2,634
    Thanked 3,568 times in 524 posts

    Default Learning Two Languages as Baby Improves Cognition

    http://theconversation.com/why-the-b...ame-time-57470

    Some Excerpts:

    Quote Language learning depends on the processing of sounds. All the world’s languages put together comprise about 800 or so sounds. Each language uses only about 40 language sounds, or “phonemes,” which distinguish one language from another.

    At birth, the baby brain has an unusual gift: it can tell the difference between all 800 sounds. This means that at this stage infants can learn any language that they’re exposed to. Gradually babies figure out which sounds they are hearing the most.
    Quote We found that the bilingual babies showed an equally strong brain response to English sounds as the monolingual babies. This suggests that bilingual babies were learning English at the same rate as the monolingual babies.

    Parents of bilingual children also worry that their children will not know as many words as children who are raised with one language.
    Quote Bilingual kids are at an advantage

    The good news is young children all around the world can and do acquire two languages simultaneously. In fact, in many parts of the world, being bilingual is the norm rather than an exception.
    Quote It is now understood that the constant need to shift attention between languages leads to several cognitive advantages. Research has found that bilingual adults and children show an improved executive functioning of the brain – that is, they are able to shift attention, switch between tasks and solve problems more easily. Bilinguals have also been found to have increased metalinguistic skills (the ability to think about language per se, and understand how it works). There is evidence that being bilingual makes the learning of a third language easier. Further, the accumulating effect of dual language experience is thought to translate into protective effects against cognitive decline with aging and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

    So, if you want your child to know more than one language, it’s best to start at an early age, before she even starts speaking her first language. It won’t confuse your child, and it could even give her a boost in other forms of cognition.
    Very fascinating how people that learn two languages from birth create endings or beginnings for words the other language. I find particular interest in the findings where they see improved ability to shift attention, switch between tasks and solve problems more easily.

    I better get to learning that Spanish then

  2. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to 7alon For This Post:

    BMJ (25th April 2017), ElfeMya (24th April 2017), Ewan (24th April 2017), guayabal (24th April 2017)

  3. Link to Post #2
    Avalon Member Flash's Avatar
    Join Date
    26th December 2010
    Location
    Montreal
    Posts
    9,637
    Thanks
    38,027
    Thanked 53,692 times in 8,940 posts

    Default Re: Learning Two Languages as Baby Improves Cognition

    I am from a mostly bilingual city, lots of children are bilingual and often multilingual (3 languages +) and there is not problems created by this from what i observed, on the contrary, it makes more opened to the world adults who have access to much more information and views.

    When working with people in monoculture environments (as i presently do, away from the major city), I find it difficult to express the open mindedness found in a multilingual multicultural city.
    How to let the desire of your mind become the desire of your heart - Gurdjieff

  4. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Flash For This Post:

    7alon (24th April 2017), BMJ (25th April 2017), Ewan (24th April 2017)

  5. Link to Post #3
    United States Avalon Member conk's Avatar
    Join Date
    17th March 2010
    Location
    Alabama
    Language
    Southern English
    Posts
    3,937
    Thanks
    11,067
    Thanked 11,145 times in 2,998 posts

    Default Re: Learning Two Languages as Baby Improves Cognition

    My ex-wife spoke fluent German and English. Her child's father spoke Italian. Her house maid spoke Spanish. The ex only spoke in German or English. The father only in....you get the idea.

    Well, the kid grew up to be an amazing young girl. Within 2 minutes of talking to her you realized that she was very unique and quite the little brainiac.
    The quantum field responds not to what we want; but to who we are being. Dr. Joe Dispenza

  6. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to conk For This Post:

    7alon (25th April 2017), BMJ (25th April 2017)

+ Reply to Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts