A study conducted at the University of Granada and the University of York in Toronto, Canada, has revealed that bilingual children develop a better working memory -which holds, processes and updates information over short periods of time- than monolingual children.
Yet all research points to the exact opposite–not only that, but bilingual students pick up certain pre-reading skills faster than their monolingual classmates. In fact, bilingualism is associated with many other cognitive benefits like stronger multitasking skills, creativity, and working memory.
The main reason suggested for bilinguals' advantage is their need to process and manage the two languages, which are simultaneously activated whenever one of the languages is used [8,9,10,11]. This simultaneous activation requires a higher working memory (WM) capacity.
Speaking more than one language helps memory, attention
Seamlessly switching from one language to another, called “code switching,” may also help bilingual people juggle multiple complex tasks at once and keep their brains active. It can also help them express things in one language that may be absent in the other.
Native speakers of Left Branching languages have significantly better working memory capacity for items presented earlier in a memory task. Native speakers of Right Branching languages have a far better memory for details shown later. Otherwise, the way we speak affects the way we think and vice versa.
According to 2015 research from the Georgetown University Medical Centre, subjects who spoke two languages (bilinguals) had more gray matter in the brain (a very good thing) and better short-term memory, problem-solving skills, and attention management when compared to those who only spoke one language.
The neurological benefits of learning another language are fascinating. Studying a second language results in growth in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, improving the health of your brain. The brain's grey matter also becomes denser as the connections between neurons strengthen and expand over time.
Bilinguals often have a decreased vocabulary in both languages due to this. Especially if you aren't in constant contact with your first (or second) language, your vocabulary can suffer.
“When your brain processes language, it's not one place in the brain that processes language,” Marian says. “It's a network that's spread across all areas of the brain.” Because of that, bilingual brains have more pathways connecting different words, concepts and memories across different languages.
A recent comprehensive meta-analysis by Grundy and Timmer (Reference Grundy and Timmer2017), which was based on 88 effect sizes, 27 independent studies, and 2901 participants, provided evidence that bilinguals have a greater STM/WM capacity than monolinguals, reporting a significant small to medium population effect ...
The studies suggest the bilingualism improves the brain's executive function. It helps with ignoring distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from one thing to another and holding information in mind.
In addition to the obvious advantages when travelling to other countries or looking for a job, bilingual people have better skills such as memory or attention. Recent research has also shown that their brains delay the symptoms of dementia and that they recover better after suffering a stroke.
In the early nineteen fifties, researchers found that people scored lower on intelligence tests if they spoke more than one language. Research in the sixties found the opposite. Bilingual people scored higher than monolinguals, people who speak only one language.
According to a historical review in "The Journal of Genetic Psychology," various researchers held these beliefs, noting a "problem of bilingualism" or the "handicapping influence of bilingualism." Following studies reported that bilinguals performed worse in IQ tests and suffered in most aspects of language development ...
Summary: Speaking more than one language does not improve a person's general mental ability. However, while there is no cognitive advantage to being bilingual, there are broader social and lifestyle benefits that come from speaking multiple languages.
Bilingual speakers have two minds in one body, new research has revealed. Speaking two languages literally changes the way we see the world, and bilingual speakers think differently to those who only use their native tongue.
These results contribute to the growing body of evidence showing that bilinguals are more resilient in dealing with neurodegeneration than monolinguals. They operate at a higher level of functioning because of the cognitive reserve, which means that many of these individuals will be independent longer, Bialystok says.
According to the study, when bilinguals speak in their second language, their brain inhibits their emotions and intuitions, prompting them to make more rational decisions in their second language.
It concluded that starting to learn a new language before age 10 will give a learner the best chance of achieving proficiency similar to that of a native speaker.
Yes, being bilingual is a skill just like any other language skill, and you can definitely add it to your resume. In fact, it can be something that makes your resume take off. So add information on your bilingual skills throughout your resume.
You're more serious in Swedish, outgoing in English and funnier in French. Could it be true? Whether you've noticed it or not, research suggests yes, our personalities can shift depending on the language we are speaking.
Across multiple sources, Mandarin Chinese is the number one language listed as the most challenging to learn. The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center puts Mandarin in Category IV, which is the list of the most difficult languages to learn for English speakers.
Studies have shown that people who utilise their brains more through furthering their language tend to have lower rates of dementia and memory problems later in life regardless of education levels, gender or occupation.