Sixth International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education: Connecting Research and Practice Across Contexts

Paper/Best Practice Session (1 hour)

Multiple

One-Way Second/Foreign Language Immersion
Co-Official/Regional Language Immersion
Two-Way Bilingual Immersion
One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education
Indigenous Language Immersion

Pre-K
Elementary (K-5)
Middle School/Junior High
High School
Post-Secondary

The cognitive and linguistic consequences of bilingualism for children are now well documented. In brief, bilingual children tend to have smaller vocabularies in each language than comparable monolinguals but typically perform better than monolinguals on tasks demanding selective or controlled attention. What is less clear is how these effects might be different for bilingualism in the context of bilingual education. Some children become bilingual through instructional programs such as immersion education, some children enter school as bilingual and need to transition to a different school language, and some children come to school as bilingual with the intention of maintaining both languages, typically the home and community languages. Overriding all this are demographic realities, particularly in the US, in which bilingualism is often confounded with socioeconomic status and ethnicity. This talk will present evidence that evaluates the role of bilingualism in the development of attentional control for children in various types of bilingual education programs, including children at risk.