I know that after puberty it is increasingly difficult to learn a new
language, but I don't know what effect learning two languages has on
the overall speed of aquisition.  Does learning two languages at the
same time result in slower linguistic development?   Has research been
published on this issue?

<Learning two languages at the same time does not result in slower
linguistic development. Children who are exposed to two languages will
naturally acquire both languages just as easily as acquiring one
language.

There are a number advantages that bilingual children have over
monolingual children. Learning a second language benefits a child’s
cognitive development. Bilingual children also tend to perform better
in other subjects like mathematics and science. Children who are
bilingual also have an increased capacity for learning languages as
adults. Children who are bilingual do tend to dominate in one
language, often this will be the language of schooling.

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding bilingualism.
Many people believe that bilingual children get confused between the
two languages and will tend to mix them up. However children are
extremely proficient in separating the two languages. Some tasks like
mathematical skills will often be carried out in one language and then
translated to the other.

A second language is most easily acquired during the time frame from
birth to puberty. After puberty changes in the brain make it harder to
learn a second language. However adults still have the capability of
becoming highly proficient speakers of second languages. Studies have
shown that when age is related to language acquisition, age
differences reflect differences in the situation of learning rather
that the capacity to learn.

A great deal of research has been carried out on bilingualism. An
excellent source of this research can be found by following the link
given below to ‘Database of bilingualism’ where details of the latest
research in this field can be found. The link to age related factors
in second language acquisition also gives many links to research in
this field.>


<Additional links:>

<Database of bilingualism research.>
<http://www.edu.bham.ac.uk/bilingualism/database/ctlage.htm>

<Three misconceptions about age and L2 learning.>
<http://www.tesol.org/pubs/magz/tq/00spring.html>

<Research into bilingualism.>
<http://brj.asu.edu/>

<National association for bilingual education.>
<http://www.nabe.org/>

<Bilingual parenting in a foreign language.>
<http://www.byu.edu/~bilingua/faq.html#question06>

<Bilingualism.>
<http://www.lsadc.org/web2/faq/bilingualism.htm>

<Age differences in second language acquisition.>
<http://www.cal.org/ericcll/minibibs/AgeDiff.htm>

<First and second language acquisition.>
<http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~vcook/L1%20and%20L2.htm>

<Age-Related Factors in Second Language Acquisition.>
<http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/ncbepubs/classics/focus/02bage.htm>


<Search strategy>

<bilingualism in adults>
<://www.google.com/search?q=bilingualism+in+adults&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1>

<child adult differences in second language acquisition>
<://www.google.com/search?q=child+adult+differences+in+second+language+acquisition&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&start=10&sa=N>

<bilingualism age research>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=bilingualism+age+research>


<Hope this helps.>

---

Request for Answer Clarification by bariot-ga on 28 Oct 2002 20:44 PST

I appreciate the answer, but it seems to be just an answer.  The links
are all related to pro-bilingual groups who have opinions about the
topic but little facts to back it up.  You mentioned that "There are a
lot of myths and misconceptions" but perhaps these are as valid as the
opinion you put forth.  Are you able to back your answer up with any
data about performance of bilingual children. One of the links you
sent me offers references, are you able to access any of these
sources?

Your answer is good but currently not enough; unless you are an
athority on the subject I would like some proper sources.

---

Clarification of Answer by belindalevez-ga on 29 Oct 2002 03:08 PST

<The Bilingual Research Journal is a good source for recent research
into bilingualism. They have an online archive of research published
in the last 10 years. In order to read the studies in the Bilingual
Research Journal, you need an Adobe PDF reader installed on your
computer. You can download a free copy at the link given below.

The following are extracts from The National Languages Institute of
Australia’s publication ‘Bilingualism and Bilingual Education. This
publication gives an overview of  the research carried out in
Australia and overseas:

"Controlled groups of monolinguals and balanced bilinguals were
compared and the bilinguals were found to be significantly ahead of
their monolingual counterparts in verbal and non verbal reasoning,
divergent thinking and subject matter attainment."

"..a number of studies (...) have shown bilinguals to be more
creative, cognitively more flexible and to perform better on tests of
verbal and non-verbal intelligence."

"Sixth grade bilingual children were found to perform significantly
better on all tests than monolinguals (..)."

"They found that bilinguals demonstrated greater verbal ability,
performed better on measures of concept formation and scored higher on
tests of verbal originality than did monolinguals."

"(...) bilingual children, by virtue of their two languages, are
exposed to a more complex environment and to a greater amount of
social interaction compared to children acquiring only one language."

"(..) code switching means the switching from one language (or a
variety of a language) to another part of a sentence or conversation.
Many outsiders see code switching as a sign of linguistic decay, the
unsystematic results of not knowing at least one of the languages
involved very well. A wide range of research into bilingualism
indicate that the opposite is really the case (Appel & Muysken
1987:117)."

"(..) bilingual children appear to pass through similar sequences in
the development of both their languages as do monolingual children".

"Lambert and Tucker (1972) indicate that children who learn a second
language at school experience positive social development. These
children tend to adopt a dual reference group maintaining anchors to
the primary reference group of their original language and culture and
at the same time developing anchors in the secondary reference group
of the new language and culture. Children who learn a second language
can, therefore, add to their existing social repertoire without
compromising their existing social integration".

"Genesse (1987) has shown that children who acquire a second language
tend to be more open-minded and more tolerant than their monolingual
counterparts".>


<Additional links:>

<Adobe pdf reader –free download.>
<http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html>

<Bilingual Research Journal archive.>
http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/miscpubs/nabe/brj/>

<Cognitive development in bilingual children: A case for bilingual
instruction in early childhood education.>
<http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/miscpubs/nabe/brj/v20/20_34_lee.pdf>

<Cognitive development in bilingual children: A case for bilingual
instruction in early childhood education – downloadable pdf file.>
<http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/miscpubs/nabe/brj/v20/20_34_lee.htm>

<Bilingualism and bilingual education.>
<http://www.unavarra.es/tel2l/eng/BilingEd.htm>

<Scientific studies of bilingualism.>
<http://www.geocities.com/cheyenne_language/bilingual.htm>

<Camberwell primary school bilingual program.>
<http://www.camberwellps.vic.edu.au/bilingual.htm>


<Search strategy:>

<cognitive development in bilingual children>
<://www.google.com/search?q=cognitive+development+in+bilingual+children&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&start=0&sa=N>


<Hope this helps.>

After clarification, the answer to my question was nearly perfect.  I
definately got my money's worth.  Where do they find you people?  Why
haven't I ever worked in a group with anybody as competent as you
guys?  Perhaps that would be a good question to ask; How much do you
think that is worth - $10?
Anyhow, I think that google answers is a great idea.  Thanks again and
good work.