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Brigham Young University IdahoBilingual Education:The Benefits of Raising Children with a Bilingual EducationCarrie HighfillENG 252Brother Joseph GriffinOctober 17, 2012American recording artist, Whitney Houston sings the poignant words to Michael Masser and Linda Creed’s song, “The Greatest Love of All.” She compellingly sings, “We believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way” (1986). It’s these lyrical words that set the stage for my research paper, implicating the importance of educating our children because of who they are and what they represent--our future. IntroductionIn looking to the future we need to start seeing today. As Ivan W. Fitzwater said, “The future of the world is in my classroom today, [we] can’t lose one fragile opportunity to improve tomorrow." I’m a huge advocate of education. I see a need for some necessary educational reform in our society. When looking to our European neighbors, our schools are falling behind. I ask the question, what is going to be done to help our children gain a competitive edge in the global economy if they aren’t learning the necessary skills to thrive there? The educational approach I’d like to address is how our children can be better prepared to confidently and successfully develop their abilities in order to ‘improve tomorrow’. One way to accomplish this important task is through a bilingual education. Knowing more than one language is an asset. It bridges cultures and connects the world. There is significant research, studies, and empirical data to show the benefits for children who learn another language. Not only is this a great way to make a difference in the world, but it arms our children with the tools for their journey into the future. I became interested in the idea of a bilingual education when the option was presented to me during my five year old son’s kindergarten registration. The school district explained the program, emphasized the curriculum, highlighted the benefits, and addressed parental concerns. The children would not be at risk for losing or replacing their first language rather they would acquire a second language while maintaining and developing their first language.It is imperative to give children opportunities to excel academically and to receive the best education possible. I believe a bilingual education can do that. The results from research show astoundingly the academic, emotional, cognitive, interpersonal, and professional benefits for children. Not only is a bilingual education being made possible for families in America today, it is becoming more appealing. Unfortunately, it’s just not moving fast enough.According to U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan; “The United States is a long way from being the multilingual society that so many of our economic competitors are” (2011). If we’re looking to model our European neighbors, who seem to recognize the foreign language advantages, parents must consider the benefits of raising their children in a multi-lingual home; giving them the necessary tools they need to become successful members and leaders of our global society. This paper will highlight the benefits of raising children with a bilingual education. There is supporting data and research to show that bilingual children have increased cognitive ability, mental flexibility, and abstract thinking as well as an improved working memory which is essential for learning and problem solving (Westly 2011). These advantages may also have important, long-term benefits as well. It is my desire that through these findings I will adequately show the intellectual, cognitive, and medical benefits of a bilingual education during the early years of a child’s education experience. BackgroundBilingual education can be defined in many ways. The Department of Education defines bilingual education as “the use of two languages, one of which is English, as mediums of instruction for a pupil in a well-organized program. The program develops and maintains the children’s self-esteem and a legitimate pride in both cultures” (Guthrie, 4). Bilingualism can be evaluated in terms of listening, speaking, reading and writing. There are many different types of childhood bilingualism. The Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) recognizes three specific types of bilingualism; compound, coordinate, and sub-coordinate. The simultaneous learning of two languages in the same environment is called compound bilingualism. When two languages are being acquired in separate and independent systems it is called coordinate bilingualism. When there is one language dominance it is called sub-coordinate bilingualism. There is also another type called sequential or successive bilingualism. This happens when a child has one established language before learning a second language, whether in preschool or later (Rosenberg, 1996). Years ago bilingualism in the United States was frowned upon, mostly associated with prejudice. It was thought to put children at a disadvantage. Even today it continues to be a controversial issue in America. In some states law makers are trying to ban the bilingual programs in public schools. California’s Proposition 227, drafted by Ron Unz, outlawed most bilingual education in California’s public schools, stating they should be English-only. There seems to be a universal fear that new combers to America will not have an incentive to learn English if their native language is continually offered to them. While this may be true it is important to remember that America is a nation of immigrants who worked together to build this great nation. Providing a dual language or two-way immersion bilingual education program is an admirable way to combine the groups and work together for the greater good of the children.SignificanceThe remarks of Dr. Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana of the National Association for Bilingual Education express the significance of a bilingual education for our children. Dr Melendez says: No doubt many of you have heard the saying, ‘El que habla dos lenguas vale por dos’—roughly translated, that means, a person who speaks two languages counts as two people. To me, it suggests that someone who has mastered two languages is able to serve as an interpreter, a reconciler, and a mediator between the rich cultures, values and traditions that those languages represent. Such people are especially needed today. With deep roots in more than one world, they can form living bridges between individuals and communities. And as the late Cesar Chavez stated, ‘We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community and this nation’. (2010)There is value to learning a new language. There is also value to continue the native language. Neither has to be sacrificed for the other. Both are beneficial and much needed in our international world. BenefitsNot only do the bilingual benefits preserve ethnic and cultural diversity there are other benefits as well; including an increased cognitive ability, mental flexibility, abstract thinking, improved learning, problem solving, and important, long-term benefits.Increased cognitive ability is a benefit of bilingualism. The good news is that through science we are learning more about the cognitive benefits that come with being bilingual. It was determined by Diane Poulin-Dubois and Agnes Blaye from the Centre for Research in Human Development in Canada that, “Bilingual children outscore children who only speak one language in tests that assess various cognitive skills like executive functions” (Dubois 2010). Cognitive neuroscientist and a distinguished research professor of psychology at York University in Toronto, Ellen Bialystok confirms this assessment by explaining: If you have two languages and you use them regularly, the way the brain’s networks work is that every time you speak, both languages pop up and the executive control system has to sort through everything and attend to what’s relevant in the moment. Therefore the bilinguals use that system more, and it’s that regular use that makes that system more efficient. It’s what makes it strong. (2011)Dr. Bialystok’s research also noted a difference in the way bilingual and monolingual children process language. Bilingual and monolingual children ages 5 and 6 years old were given a test that asked them if illogical sentences were grammatically correct. The bilingual children were able to recognize if the sentences were grammatically correct even if they made no sense at all; whereas, the monolingual children “couldn’t answer or they would stall”. It can be concluded from her research that bilingual children, overall, showed greater cognitive ability and are more efficient at staying focused on what is relevant at the time than monolingual children. Mental flexibility and improved learning are further benefits of bilingualism. According to psychology professor Judith Kroll; “When bilinguals prepare to speak, their brains seem to inhibit one language while using the other. Switching between two languages keeps the brain more alert”. It allows “bilingual people to multitask better, pick out key information faster and more effectively ignore surrounding distractions” (2011).It’s like exercises for the brain. The more this system has to work the stronger the brain is becoming. Dr. Bialystok calls it mental exercises and says “it may lead to important changes in the brain structure” (Kroen, 2011). Knowing more than one language has been proven to boost brain power, keeping it mentally fit. Abstract thinking and problem solving are additional benefits of bilingualism. Dr. Bialystok makes an interesting assessment regarding how monolinguals and bilinguals solve problems. She says:On certain kinds of nonverbal tests, bilingual people are faster. Why? Well, when we look in their brains through neuroimaging, it appears like they’re using a different kind of network that might include language centers to solve a completely nonverbal problem. There whole brain appears to rewire because of bilingualism. This new neuroimaging technology changes the way researchers and neuroscientists are able to see things. Literally, they can see the brain, see it working, and draw some concrete conclusions in regards to the benefits of bilingualism. And finally, science has found a significant long-term benefit of being bilingual. “Being bilingual helps ward off early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly” (Khan, 2011). A study conducted of 200 patients diagnosed with the Alzheimer’s disease found that “those who spoke one language saw the onset of symptoms four to five years earlier than their bilingual peers.” Dr. Bialystok has studied how bilingualism sharpens the mind. Her bilingualism research also found that being bilingual “helps forestall the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease” (2011). Being bilingual may not cure the disease, but there is evidence to show it helps “strengthen those parts of the brain that are susceptible to dementia’s early attacks” (Khan, 2011).Conclusion It’s these impressive benefits that can inspire a motivating plea for our nation’s children to receive a bilingual education. Raising our children with a bilingual education is a gift we can give them, a gift that keeps on giving, and a gift with many benefits including academic, cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, professional and mental. It is my belief that we should invest in the educational future of our nation’s children by providing them with an opportunity to learn a second language. Then they can confidently go forward with the skills necessary to be successful men and woman of this global society and future leaders of our world because of the benefits they acquired through bilingualism. The time has come to put aside the prejudices, hang-ups, personal vendettas and politics and embrace a dual language or two-way immersion bilingualism education program in America for our children. Why? Because they are our future leaders. “Like Whitney Houston sings, “…the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way”. Bilingualism is one way to teach our children to become better leaders for our future. Bibliography?Akinso, Wally. "Bilingual Kids May Have a Cognitive Advantage over Monolingual Kids, March 8, 2012 Audio Reports - National Institutes of Health (NIH)." National Institute of Health. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8 Mar. 2012. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. <, Ron, and Randy Prescod. "Effects of Bilingualism on Cognitive Abilities." Diss. N.d. Effects of Bilingualism on Cognitive Abilities. Web. <;. DissertationIntrabartola, Lisa. "Rutgers News Center." Bilingual Education Can Start Preschoolers on Path to Success at Rutgers FOCUS. Focus News, 20 Jan. 2012. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. <, Michael and Linda Creed. “The Greatest Love of All.” Lyrics. Perf. Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston. Artista/1986.D'Acierno, Maria R. "Three Types of Bilingualism." Department of Education, Mar. 1990. Web. 19 Oct. 2012. < De Santa Ana, Thelma, Dr. "Remarks of Dr. Thelma Melendez De Santa Ana to the National Association for Bilingual Education." U.S. Department of Education. N.p., 3 Feb. 2010. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <, Rick, PhD, and John M. Grohol, Psy.D. "Bilingual Kids Show Cognitive Advantages | Psych Central News." Psych . Association for Psychological Science, 10 Nov. 2010. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. <, D., et al. The effects of bilingualism on toddlers’ executive functioning. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology (2010), doi:10,1016/j.jecp.2010.10.009Poulin-Dubois, Diane, and Agnes Blaye. "Bilingualism Provides Cognitive Advantages for Children." Bilingualism Provides Cognitive Advantages for Children. FYI Living, 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. <, Marsha. “Raising Bilingual Children.” The Ambassador, The American School in Japan Alumni & CommunityMagazine Spring 1996. http//Articles/Rosenberg-Bilingual.htm. 1 October 2012"The Bilingual Advantage." Interview by CLAUDIA DREIFUS and Ellen Bialystok. The Bilingual Advantage-NYTimes. The New York Times, 30 May 2011. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <, Erica. "The Bilingual Advantage: Second Language Increases Cognitive Ability: Scientific American." The Bilingual Advantage: Second Language Increases Cognitive Ability: Scientific American. Scientific American, 21 July 2011. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. <;. ................
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