I have found an excellent study on monolingualism versus bilingualism that I feel confirms that early acquisition of a second language fosters the best grasp of that second language.
Yazici, Ilter, and Glover's article, "How bilingual is bilingual? Mother-tongue proficiency and learning through a second language," begins by introducing the role of the mother tongue in children's lives. It states that language acquisition, whether first or second, follows the same developmental trajectory. Furthermore, language is so valuable because it allows people to communicate with others and understand the world, but also acquire cultural understanding, values and social rules and norms (Yazici, Ilter & Glover, 2010). Therefore, it becomes evident that learning a second language is beneficial to a child's cultural outlook, and allows him/her the opportunity to take perspectives outside of his/her own.
The authors define first-language acquisition as something that takes place from birth, amidst close family members. Second-language acquisition is different from mother-tongue acquisition in that it additionally takes place outside of the home. Therefore, the use of these two languages in their respective, appropriate scenarios is known as bilingualism. Children in the bilingual scenario are delicate cases, as poor management of two different languages can lead to marginalization. Those who do not feel wholly part of either culture (of which both languages they speak) may find themselves unable to identify with either culture, creating personality or identity problems and barriers to communication and integration within the society. However, proper integration with both cultures is very positive, as children can experience psychological acculturation and understanding. In addition, parents of bilingual children must be aware of when their languages are used. If the second language is only used in the academic setting and the mother-tongue is strictly used in the home environment, children might attribute the second language to success and experience weakness in the mother tongue. This in turn may create emotional difficulties in the home environment (Yazici, Ilter & Glover, 2010).
The authors fully stress bilingualism, as long as its instruction is positively carried out. Based on their research, the authors have found that across several countries, bilingual school programs have had positive effects on second language acquisition and self-esteem. They state, "[b]ilingual education supports children's personal development and assists a positive exchange between the two languages and cultures. This can contribute to self-esteem and mutual respect"(Yazici, Ilter & Glover, 2010). Therefore, bilingual education within schools is an excellent strategy for involving migrant children and native children in both cultural awareness, personal comfort, and academic success.
The learning of a second language is highly dependent on the effectiveness with which a child learned his/her mother tongue. Children with high grammar and vocabulary levels in their mother tongues have reportedly found it easier to learn a new language within the school setting and consequently, read and wrote more fluently and earlier. Therefore, the higher the mother-tongue competence, the greater readiness for reading in either the first or second languages (Yazici, Ilter & Glover, 2010).
After listing the information on acquisition and readiness in children both at home and at school, the authors mapped out a study, where they tested their research findings against realistic scenarios. The subjects included pre-school children from Turkish migrant families in three European countries (Germany, Austria and Norway) and compared them to children of similar backgrounds brought up in Turkey. All children in the study were bilingual; however, none of them were part of a bilingual school program. Therefore, the mother-tongue was only encountered within the home environment, with some parents attempting to use both in hopes to accelerate the second-language acquisition. The authors used two tests, the Descoudres Vocabulary Test and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test to assess various language categories (Yazici, Ilter & Glover, 2010).
In the following years, children in certain families lost fluency in the mother tongue, as emphasis was placed on second-language acquisition for success in the academic setting. The conclusion therefore states that focusing on second language development is important, but that adequate attention must still be paid towards mother-tongue competence if children are to benefit from biculturalism and social integration. Bilingual education programs in early childhood would therefore be very beneficial to children's education, bringing them acculturation and ability to speak, understand and read/write both languages equally and without favoritism towards one or the other (Yazici, Ilter & Glover, 2010).
Implications for this study are transferrable to the education of all children that are not necessarily migrant. Bilingual programs can also contribute to education by providing the cognitive and metalinguistic benefits of bilingualism to all young students. This will enable migrant and non-migrant children to reach a better understanding of one another and the varying cultural backgrounds and experiences from which they come.
This study is just as applicable to the American education system, as the United States is viewed as the "melting pot," with cultures varying even within just one state. Offering bicultural education will create less prejudices among children and a natural increased academic ability within schools. Awareness for the other plays a huge role in a child's personal success, both academically and socially, because comfort within one's culture is the launching point for self-improvement and understanding.
Here is a video explaining the benefits of bilingual/bicultural education in young children. It discusses the critical period for learning a second language, and demonstrates the implications of the aforementioned study on the American education system and its children.
No comments:
Post a Comment