Keywords
- CLAP-C,
- dominant bilinguals,
- cognitive-linguistic advantage
How to Cite
Steby Stephen, Sindhupriya C., Rupali Mathur, & Swapna N. (1). Cognitive-Linguistic Abilities In Bilingual Children. Journal of All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, 29(1), 1-11. Retrieved from http://203.129.241.91/jaiish/index.php/aiish/article/view/395
Abstract
There has been much debate among researchers and educators on the effects of bilingualism on the young children. Literature hints that bilingual children have a cognitive advantage. However, studies to explore the effect of bilingualism on cognitive and linguistic abilities are limited. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of bilingual children on cognitivelinguistic tasks. The participants in the study included 12 bilingual children and 12 monolingual children in the age range of 7-8 years. The Cognitive Linguistic Assessment Protocol for Children (CLAP-C) (Anuroopa & Shyamala, 2008) for children was administered on the selected participants. The CLAP-C assesses the performance of the children in three domains i.e. attention/ discrimination, memory and problem solving. The analyzed data was tabulated for each subject and subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. The results revealed that bilingual children were superior to monolingual children on all the cognitive- linguistic tasks, assessed in CLAP-C (attention/discrimination, memory and problem solving). Both the groups scored maximum in attention domain, followed by problem solving and then memory. The results of the present study revealed that bilingual children had a clear cognitive-linguistic advantage compared to monolingual children. The results firmly supported the claim that the bilingualism fosters the development of cognitive-linguistic functions in young children. Generalizing these results to the clinical population it is implicated that even children with communication disorders can be taught two or more languages, provided they have the potential to learn the languages.
References
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Arsenian, S. (1937). Bilingualism and mental development. New York: Columbia University Press.
Barke, E.M., & Perry-Williams, D.E. (1938). A further study of the comparative intelligence of children in certain bilingual and monoglot schools in South Wales. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 8, 63-77.
Ben-Zeev, S. (1977). The influence of bilingualism on cognitive strategy and development. Child Development, 48, 1009–1018.
Best, J.B. (1999). Cognitive psychology (5th ed).Belmont: Woodsworth Publishing Company.
Bialystok, E. (1991). Metalinguistic dimensions of bilingual language proficiency. In. E. Bialystok, Language Processing in bilingual children (pp.113-140). London: Cambridge University Press.
Bialystok, E. (1992). Attentional control in children's metalinguistic performance and measures of field independence. Developmental Psychology, 28,654-664.
Bialystok, E. (1999). Cognitive complexity and attentional control in the bilingual mind. Child Development, 70(3), 636-644.
Bialystok, E. (2001). Bilingualism in development: Language, literacy and cognition. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Bialystok, E., & Majumder, S. (1998). The relationship between bilingualism and the development of cognitive processes in problem-solving.Applied Psycholinguistics, 19, 69–85.
Bialystok, E., & Martin, M. M. (2004). Attention and inhibition in bilingual children: evidence from attention and inhibition - the dimensional change card sort task. Developmental Science, 7(3),325–339.
Brain, B. (1975). Toward an integration of Piaget and Vygotsky: Bilingual considerations. Linguistics, 160, 5-19.
Campbell, R., & Sias, E. (1995). Accelerated metalinguistic functioning in bilingual children. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 13, 61-68.
Carlson, M., & Meltzoff, N. (2008). Bilingual experience and executive functioning in young children. Developmental Science, 11(2), 282– 298.
Carrow, S.M.A. (1957). Linguistic functioning of bilingual and monolingual children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 22, 371-380.
Choi, (1997). Language-specific input and early semantic development. Evidence from children learning Korean. In D. I. Slobin (Ed.), The cross linguistic study of language acquisition, Vol.5: Expanding the contexts (pp.41-133). Mahwah, NJ: Elbaum.
Cromdal, J. (1999). Childhood bilingualism and metalinguistic skills: Analysis and control in young Swedish-English bilinguals. Applied Psycholinguistics, 20, 1-20.
Cummins, J. (1978). Bilingualism and the development of metalinguistic awareness. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 9, 131- 149.
Darcy, N.T. (1953). A review of literature on the effects of bilingualism on the measurement of intelligence. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 82, 21-57.
Darcy, N.T. (1963). Bilingualism and the measurement of intelligence: Review of a decade of research.Journal of Genetic Psychology, 103, 259-282.
De Groot, A. M. B., & Kroll, J. F. (1997). Tutorials in bilingualism: Psycholinguistic perspectives. Mahwah, New Jersey: Erlbaum.
Diaz, R. M., & Klinger, C. (1991). Toward on explanatory model of the interaction between bilingualism and cognitive development. In E. Bialystok (Ed.), Language processing in bilingual children. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Doyle, A.B., Champagne, M., & Segalowitz, N. (1978). Some issues in the assessment of linguistic consequences of early bilingualism. In M. Paradis (Ed.), Aspects of bilingualism (pp. 13-20).Columbia, South Carolina: Hornbeam Press.
Francis, W. S. (1990a). Cognitive integration of language and memory in bilinguals: Semantic representation. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 193- 222.
Feng, X., Bialystok, E., & Diamond, A. (2009). Do bilingual children show an advantage in working memory? Retrieved January 8, 2009, from http://www.devcogneuro.com/Publications/Feng_Bialystok_Diamond.pdf.
Galambos, S. J., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (1990). The effects of learning two languages on levels of metalinguistic awareness. Cognition, 34, 1-56.
Gollan, T.H., & Acenas, L.A. (2004). What is a TOT?: Cognate and translation effects on tip-of-the - tongue states in Spanish-English and Tagalog- English bilinguals. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 30, 246-269.
Gollan, T.H., Montoya, R.I., & Werner, G.A. (2002). Semantic and letter fluency in Spanish-English bilinguals. Neuropsychology, 16, 562-576.
Grabo, R.P. (1931). A study of comparative vocabularies of junior high school pupils from English and Italian speaking homes. Bulletin No.13. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Office of Education.
Harris, C.W. (1948). An exploration of language skill patterns. Journal of Educational Psychology, 32, 351-364.
Hoffman, C. (1991). An Introduction to Bilingualism.London: Longman.
Ingram, E. D. (1985). How native like? Measuring language proficiency in bilinguals. Journal of applied Linguistics, XI (2), 47-64.
Jensen, A. R. (1962). The effects of childhood bilingualism. Elementary Education, 39, 132-143.
Kamath, A., & Prema, K. S. (2003). Cognitive- Linguistic Assessment Protocol for adults. Research at AIISH, Dissertation abstracts: Vol: IV, 124-125.
Kessler, C., & Quinn, M. E. (1987). Language minority children's linguistic and cognitive creativity. Journal and Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 8, 173-186.
Kormi-Nouri, R., Moniri, S., & Nilsson, L. (2003).Episodic and semantic memory in bilingual and monolingual children. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 44(1), 47-54.
Lambert, W.E. (1977). The effect of bilingualism on the individual: Cognitive and sociocultural consequences. In E.A. Afendras (Ed.), Patterns of Bilingualism. Singapore: Singapore University Press.
Macnamara, J. (1966). Bilingualism and primary education. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Mohanty, A. K. (1982). Bilingualism among Kond Tribals in Orissa (India): Consequences, Issues & Implications. Unpublished Manuscript, Uktal University.
Rajasudhakar, R., & Shyamala, K. C. (2008). Effects of age, gender and bilingualism on cognitive linguistic performance. Student Research at AIISH Mysore (Articles based on dissertation done at AIISH), Vol: IV, Part B, 127-146.
Rosenblum, T., & Pinker, S.A. (1983). Word magic revisited: Monolingual and bilingual children’s Understanding of the word object relationship. Child Development, 54, 773.
Saer, D.J. (1923). The effects of bilingualism on intelligence. British Journal of Psychology, 14,25-38.
Singhi, P., Kumar, M., Malhi, P., & Kumar, R. (2007). Utility of the WHO Ten Questions Screen for Disability Detection in Rural Community-the North Indian Experience. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 53 (6), 383-387.
Smith, M.E. (1949). Measurement of the vocabulary of young bilingual children in both of the languages used. Pedagogical Seminary, 74, 305-310.
Stephens, M.A. (1997). Bilingualism, creativity, and social problem-solving. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Fordham University, New York.
Toukomaa, P., & Skutnabb-Kangas, T. (1977). The intensive teaching of the mother tongue to migrant children of pre-school age. (Research Reports 26). Tampere: University of Tampere, Dept of Sociology and Social Psychology.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Arsenian, S. (1937). Bilingualism and mental development. New York: Columbia University Press.
Barke, E.M., & Perry-Williams, D.E. (1938). A further study of the comparative intelligence of children in certain bilingual and monoglot schools in South Wales. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 8, 63-77.
Ben-Zeev, S. (1977). The influence of bilingualism on cognitive strategy and development. Child Development, 48, 1009–1018.
Best, J.B. (1999). Cognitive psychology (5th ed).Belmont: Woodsworth Publishing Company.
Bialystok, E. (1991). Metalinguistic dimensions of bilingual language proficiency. In. E. Bialystok, Language Processing in bilingual children (pp.113-140). London: Cambridge University Press.
Bialystok, E. (1992). Attentional control in children's metalinguistic performance and measures of field independence. Developmental Psychology, 28,654-664.
Bialystok, E. (1999). Cognitive complexity and attentional control in the bilingual mind. Child Development, 70(3), 636-644.
Bialystok, E. (2001). Bilingualism in development: Language, literacy and cognition. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Bialystok, E., & Majumder, S. (1998). The relationship between bilingualism and the development of cognitive processes in problem-solving.Applied Psycholinguistics, 19, 69–85.
Bialystok, E., & Martin, M. M. (2004). Attention and inhibition in bilingual children: evidence from attention and inhibition - the dimensional change card sort task. Developmental Science, 7(3),325–339.
Brain, B. (1975). Toward an integration of Piaget and Vygotsky: Bilingual considerations. Linguistics, 160, 5-19.
Campbell, R., & Sias, E. (1995). Accelerated metalinguistic functioning in bilingual children. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 13, 61-68.
Carlson, M., & Meltzoff, N. (2008). Bilingual experience and executive functioning in young children. Developmental Science, 11(2), 282– 298.
Carrow, S.M.A. (1957). Linguistic functioning of bilingual and monolingual children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 22, 371-380.
Choi, (1997). Language-specific input and early semantic development. Evidence from children learning Korean. In D. I. Slobin (Ed.), The cross linguistic study of language acquisition, Vol.5: Expanding the contexts (pp.41-133). Mahwah, NJ: Elbaum.
Cromdal, J. (1999). Childhood bilingualism and metalinguistic skills: Analysis and control in young Swedish-English bilinguals. Applied Psycholinguistics, 20, 1-20.
Cummins, J. (1978). Bilingualism and the development of metalinguistic awareness. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 9, 131- 149.
Darcy, N.T. (1953). A review of literature on the effects of bilingualism on the measurement of intelligence. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 82, 21-57.
Darcy, N.T. (1963). Bilingualism and the measurement of intelligence: Review of a decade of research.Journal of Genetic Psychology, 103, 259-282.
De Groot, A. M. B., & Kroll, J. F. (1997). Tutorials in bilingualism: Psycholinguistic perspectives. Mahwah, New Jersey: Erlbaum.
Diaz, R. M., & Klinger, C. (1991). Toward on explanatory model of the interaction between bilingualism and cognitive development. In E. Bialystok (Ed.), Language processing in bilingual children. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Doyle, A.B., Champagne, M., & Segalowitz, N. (1978). Some issues in the assessment of linguistic consequences of early bilingualism. In M. Paradis (Ed.), Aspects of bilingualism (pp. 13-20).Columbia, South Carolina: Hornbeam Press.
Francis, W. S. (1990a). Cognitive integration of language and memory in bilinguals: Semantic representation. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 193- 222.
Feng, X., Bialystok, E., & Diamond, A. (2009). Do bilingual children show an advantage in working memory? Retrieved January 8, 2009, from http://www.devcogneuro.com/Publications/Feng_Bialystok_Diamond.pdf.
Galambos, S. J., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (1990). The effects of learning two languages on levels of metalinguistic awareness. Cognition, 34, 1-56.
Gollan, T.H., & Acenas, L.A. (2004). What is a TOT?: Cognate and translation effects on tip-of-the - tongue states in Spanish-English and Tagalog- English bilinguals. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 30, 246-269.
Gollan, T.H., Montoya, R.I., & Werner, G.A. (2002). Semantic and letter fluency in Spanish-English bilinguals. Neuropsychology, 16, 562-576.
Grabo, R.P. (1931). A study of comparative vocabularies of junior high school pupils from English and Italian speaking homes. Bulletin No.13. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Office of Education.
Harris, C.W. (1948). An exploration of language skill patterns. Journal of Educational Psychology, 32, 351-364.
Hoffman, C. (1991). An Introduction to Bilingualism.London: Longman.
Ingram, E. D. (1985). How native like? Measuring language proficiency in bilinguals. Journal of applied Linguistics, XI (2), 47-64.
Jensen, A. R. (1962). The effects of childhood bilingualism. Elementary Education, 39, 132-143.
Kamath, A., & Prema, K. S. (2003). Cognitive- Linguistic Assessment Protocol for adults. Research at AIISH, Dissertation abstracts: Vol: IV, 124-125.
Kessler, C., & Quinn, M. E. (1987). Language minority children's linguistic and cognitive creativity. Journal and Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 8, 173-186.
Kormi-Nouri, R., Moniri, S., & Nilsson, L. (2003).Episodic and semantic memory in bilingual and monolingual children. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 44(1), 47-54.
Lambert, W.E. (1977). The effect of bilingualism on the individual: Cognitive and sociocultural consequences. In E.A. Afendras (Ed.), Patterns of Bilingualism. Singapore: Singapore University Press.
Macnamara, J. (1966). Bilingualism and primary education. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Mohanty, A. K. (1982). Bilingualism among Kond Tribals in Orissa (India): Consequences, Issues & Implications. Unpublished Manuscript, Uktal University.
Rajasudhakar, R., & Shyamala, K. C. (2008). Effects of age, gender and bilingualism on cognitive linguistic performance. Student Research at AIISH Mysore (Articles based on dissertation done at AIISH), Vol: IV, Part B, 127-146.
Rosenblum, T., & Pinker, S.A. (1983). Word magic revisited: Monolingual and bilingual children’s Understanding of the word object relationship. Child Development, 54, 773.
Saer, D.J. (1923). The effects of bilingualism on intelligence. British Journal of Psychology, 14,25-38.
Singhi, P., Kumar, M., Malhi, P., & Kumar, R. (2007). Utility of the WHO Ten Questions Screen for Disability Detection in Rural Community-the North Indian Experience. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 53 (6), 383-387.
Smith, M.E. (1949). Measurement of the vocabulary of young bilingual children in both of the languages used. Pedagogical Seminary, 74, 305-310.
Stephens, M.A. (1997). Bilingualism, creativity, and social problem-solving. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Fordham University, New York.
Toukomaa, P., & Skutnabb-Kangas, T. (1977). The intensive teaching of the mother tongue to migrant children of pre-school age. (Research Reports 26). Tampere: University of Tampere, Dept of Sociology and Social Psychology.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.