MODULE 2: Reasons for becoming bilingual

INTRODUCTION: Module 2 consists of a description of reasons, benefits and advantages that bilingualism has over monolingualism. The purpose of this module is to encourage parents to consider the bilingual option for their children.

Most Americans think that English proficiency is tied to national identity. However, language minorities have always been part of this country, since “U.S. is now or always has been, and will continue to be multilingual and multicultural” (Wright, 2010, p. 52). Many people appreciate that proficiency in more than one language is a key factor to becoming not only citizen of U.S., but a citizen of the world. Nevertheless, they are now aware that English is not enough to succeed in a globalized world. A big number of parents have demonstrated interest for their children to experience other cultures and other languages, and view bilingualism as a way to explore the world (Steiner & Hayes, 2009).

REASONS FOR BECOMING BILINGUAL

 

There are around 6,000 languages in the world. Each language represents a vision of the past, the present and the future. Additionally, languages express social relationships, friendships, previous experiences, and ideas. Therefore, each language give us a different way of thinking and understanding the world which means that bilinguals have two different visions of the universe, two different ways to describe their world and to express their thoughts (Baker, 2006)

 The number of bilinguals in the world is increasing as a consequence of globalization and demographic changes. People who speak two or more languages are present in every country of the world, in every social class and in all ethnic groups (Baker, 2006). In the U.S., nearly 20 percent of the children are currently being brought up to be bilingual (Steiner & Hayes, 2009).

There are several reasons for becoming bilingual. According to Gallagher-Brett (2004), a research by the UK Subject Centre for Languages identified more than 700 reasons to speak more than one language. Additionally, they recognized 70 different areas in which bilingualism makes a difference (to read more about it go to: http://www.llas.ac.uk/700reasons). Baker (2006) explained that previous research demonstrated that learning a second language is beneficial in many ways such as cognitively, culturally, communicatively, for higher curriculum achievement, and to increase the chances of employment and promotion.

As the number of the reasons for becoming bilingual is so immense, a few of those reasons are mentioned next.

1.      Academic skills

·         Language expands your thinking (Gallagher-Brett, 2004).

·         Bilingualism directly impacts the development of cognitive process (Gallagher-Brett, 2004).

·         Learning a second language makes the minds stronger and more flexible (Centre for Language, Linguistics & Area of Study [CLLA], 2012).

·         Bilinguals are more creative and detailed when answering a test because their thinking is adaptable and flexible since they know words in more than one language (Steiner & Hayes, 2009).

2.      Accessibility to Information

·         Bilingualism engages the person with significant, remarkable and updated information of the world (Gallagher-Brett, 2004).

·         A second language opens up new avenues of cultural understanding and connection with diverse communities (Steiner & Hayes, 2009).

·         Bilingualism provides the ability of communicating and interacting confidently with people outside one's own community (CLLA, 2012).

·         “Languages provide access to information and (…) power” (Baker, 2006, p. 122).

·         “Multilingual international information opens doors to new knowledge, new skills and new understanding” (Baker, 2006, p. 122).

3.      Cultural awareness

·         Cultural sensitivity increases when a person knows more than one language (Baker, 2006).

·         Bilingualism develops the ability of enhancing acceptance, respect and tolerance among people culturally and ethnically diverse around the world (Steiner, & Hayes, 2009).

·         Learning a second language may provide the tools to access to the culture of the second language (CLLA, 2012).

·         Bilingualism and cultural awareness maximizes chances of human adaptability (CLLA, 2012).

·         Bilinguals may describe themselves as a bridge between cultures. Bilinguals develop a sense of belonging to both cultures (Steiner & Hayes, 2009).

·         Those second language learners who come from some generation of immigrants show a strong emotional bound to their native culture and create a bridge between them and the family members of different languages or cultures (Steiner & Hayes, 2009).

4.      Cognitive Development: which is defined as “the development of the ability to think and solve problems” (Steiner & Hayes, 2009, p.21).

·         Researchers had demonstrated that bilingual children understand rules and process information more easily than their monolinguals peers (Steiner, & Hayes, 2009).

·         Bilingualism is related to a strong development of problem solving skills, creativity and memorizing (Eldridge, 2010; Gallagher-Brett, 2004; Steiner & Hayes, 2009)

·         Bilingual children may show a slight superiority over their monolingual peers in IQ testing. The reason of this is not necessarily related to intelligence, but because they might be a better problem solvers (Steiner & Hayes, 2009).

5.      Divergent and Creative thinking 

   Previous research findings suggested that bilinguals are superior to monolinguals on divergent thinking tests (Baker, 2006).

Because:

·         Bilingual individuals are more creative, imaginative, elastic, open ended and free in thinking. Learners of a second language do not look only for one answer; they try to find a variety of valid answers to solve one problem (Baker, 2006).

·         Bilinguals may increase fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration in their thinking (Baker, 2006).

6.      Metalinguistic awareness: defined as the ability to think about language (Eldridge, 2010).

·         Research suggested a relationship favoring bilinguals in terms of increased metalinguistic awareness. Bilinguals develop a more analytical orientation to language through organizing their two language systems (Baker, 2006).

·         Second language learners may comprehend symbolic representations of words earlier than monolinguals as they see words written in different ways. This early comprehension is a key factor in the development of reading in young children. Therefore, bilingual children may learn to read a little bit earlier than monolinguals (Baker, 2006).

·         Metalinguistic awareness of bilinguals develops the ability of selective attention to information. Bilingual children need to be attentive to which language is being spoken, by whom, where, and when. This attentiveness gives advantages in early number work, when attention to symbolic nature of number is needed. Therefore, bilinguals are ahead of their monolingual peers in developing concepts of number due their higher levels of attentiveness (Baker, 2006; Eldridge, 2010).

7.      Communicative sensitive

 

·         As bilingual individuals must be aware of which language to speak in which situation, they develop the ability to monitor the appropriate language in which to respond or in which to initiate a conversation (Baker, 2006).

·         Bilinguals are more communication sensitive, and they may be more aware of the needs of the listeners. Bilinguals have the ability to switch to the appropriate language to cover the needs of their listeners (Baker, 2006).

8.      Employment and promotion

·         Bilinguals have a linguistic capital as languages operate in a market place. Learners of a second language are investing in to enrich their social, cultural and economic resources. Learning a second language is an investment that may yield a return such as employment and promotion (Baker, 2006).

·         Nowadays, many employers expect to recruit people who have skills in understanding, speaking and writing more than one language (CLLA, 2012).

·         Skills in more than one language are viewed as an asset for initial job applications and may be used as a tie breaker in a final shortlist (CLLA, 2012).

·         Bilingual individuals may be of value to work locally for international and multinational corporations (Baker, 2006).

·         Bilinguals and multilinguals are more and more required in many occupations. Bilinguals may have the opportunity to work at tourism, retailing, airlines, public relations, banking, performing arts, fashion, media, information and communication technology, engineering, accountancy, business consultancy, secretarial work, hotels, law firms, teaching, and government agencies, to mention some of their possible areas of employment (Baker, 2006; CLLA, 2012).

·         Speaking more than one language can lead to promotion and opportunities abroad (CLLA, 2012).

9.      Personal reasons

·         Second language learners find learning more than one language enjoyable (Gallagher-Brett, 2004).

·         Bilingual individuals find bilingualism as a way to enrich their personal experiences and build their unique identity (Gallagher-Brett, 2004).

·         Bilingualism is seen as a way to increase confidence and self-esteem (Gallagher-Brett, 2004)

·         Learning a second language is an avenue to various changes on understanding, values, beliefs, and attitudes, hence a contributor to spiritual development (Gallagher-Brett, 2004).

·         Additionally, learning a second language develops confidence in the ability to stand up in from of others (Gallagher-Brett, 2004).

·         Second language learning promotes empathy to one’s surrounding world (Gallagher-Brett, 2004).

After reviewing the reasons for becoming bilingual, the following video is presented with the purpose to reflect on some other advantages that bilingualism has over monolingualism. Additionally, this video refers to a bilingual education program which main purpose is to achieve biliteracy, biculturalism and bilingualism. The next module describes the different bilingual education programs.

References

Baker, C. (2006). Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism (4^th Ed.). Buffalo: Multilingual Matters

Centre of Languages, Linguistics & Area Studies (CLLA). (2012). 700 reasons to study languages. Retrieved from http://www.llas.ac.uk/700reasons

Eldridge, G. (2010). Thinking beyond deficit: The benefits of bilingualism. The International Educator, (1), 15-18.

Gallagher-Brett, A. (2004). Seven hundred reasons for studying languages. The Higher Education Academy, 1-44.

Steiner, N., & Hayes, S. L. (2009). 7 steps to raising a bilingual child. NY: AMACOM.

Wright, W. E. (2010). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia: Caslon Publishing.