The Academic Advantages of a Bilingual Brain

Abstract

Bilingualism in young children has several cognitive benefits that lead to increased academic performance. Between monolingual and bilingual children, behavioral differences can be observed as early as infancy. Studies show that bilingualism influences the development of executive control, which includes cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, memory, and inhibition control. This early cognitive advantage carries into the classroom where skills such as problem solving and adapting to new information are critical for educational success. Learning a second language trains the mind to better recognize linguistic patterns that can be applied to increased reading skill.