Do the Advantages Out Weigh the Disadvantages of Language Development in Bilingual Children Versus Monolingual Children?
Do the Advantages Out Weigh the Disadvantages of Language Development in Bilingual Children Versus Monolingual Children?
Developmental Psychology
Reason behind study:
The reason I chose to study language development between bilingual and monolingual children is while reading our text book,(Lifespan Development, Denise Boyd and Helen Bee, Fifth
Edition, 2003, 2006, 2009, p.137); It discussed the advantages and disadvantages of being raised speaking two languages versus one single language. Our texts states that there are many advantages and disadvantages to being bilingual and ask’s if the advantages out weigh the disadvantages later in life? Obviously, the big advantage of speaking a second language is how marketable that person will be as an adult in any career he / she chooses. The number of Americans that speak a different language other than english is growing, or they are very limited in their speech and understanding of the english language. So, the ability to speak and understand a second language is very beneficial when put in a situation like this. On the down side, our text book states that," bilingual children hit their developmental milestones later than those learning a single language. They are behind monolingual infants in word knowledge no matter which language is considered." (Boyd , Bee, p.
137). This is thought to effect their writing abilities, and they may develop reading skills more slowly as well as a lack of memory tasks involving words. Even though bilingual children may hit
certain developmental milestones more slowly, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in that these children not only have a marketable skill later in life, they have learned how to overcome the language developmental challenges of learning two languages at the same time verses a single language. I have doubts about bilingual children hitting their developmental milestones more slowly as I have watched friends’ children, who are being
Developmental Psychology
Reason behind study:
The reason I chose to study language development between bilingual and monolingual children is while reading our text book,(Lifespan Development, Denise Boyd and Helen Bee, Fifth
Edition, 2003, 2006, 2009, p.137); It discussed the advantages and disadvantages of being raised speaking two languages versus one single language. Our texts states that there are many advantages and disadvantages to being bilingual and ask’s if the advantages out weigh the disadvantages later in life? Obviously, the big advantage of speaking a second language is how marketable that person will be as an adult in any career he / she chooses. The number of Americans that speak a different language other than english is growing, or they are very limited in their speech and understanding of the english language. So, the ability to speak and understand a second language is very beneficial when put in a situation like this. On the down side, our text book states that," bilingual children hit their developmental milestones later than those learning a single language. They are behind monolingual infants in word knowledge no matter which language is considered." (Boyd , Bee, p.
137). This is thought to effect their writing abilities, and they may develop reading skills more slowly as well as a lack of memory tasks involving words. Even though bilingual children may hit
certain developmental milestones more slowly, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in that these children not only have a marketable skill later in life, they have learned how to overcome the language developmental challenges of learning two languages at the same time verses a single language. I have doubts about bilingual children hitting their developmental milestones more slowly as I have watched friends’ children, who are being
References: Boyd, D. (2009). No easy answers. One language or two? In Lifespan Development Fifth Edition. (p.137). Boston: Pearson and AB. Ashman, L. (2005). Starry Safarie. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co.