Spreading Wings of Two Languages: Reading Abilities and Potential in Bilingual Children

The misconception that bilingual children lag behind monolingual children in reading is now a thing of the past. Decades of research clearly demonstrate that bilingual learners excel in reading and enjoy a significant linguistic advantage over their monolingual peers.

With proper guidance and consistent practice, bilingual children can achieve proficient biliteracy. Today, we'll delve into the positive impact of reading in multiple languages on children's brain development and literacy, drawing on various studies.

1. The surprising benefits of reading books in multiple languages

Bilingual reading instruction helps students develop the key elements needed for successful reading.

Development of metalinguistic awareness

Research shows that bilingual children tend to use more sophisticated reading strategies than monolingual children, which is associated with higher levels of metalinguistic awareness.

Metalinguistic awareness refers to the ability to understand language (structure, grammar, phonetics, vocabulary, etc.) and apply it to various situations. Research has shown that bilingual children acquire these skills early and learn language faster than children in monolingual environments.

Source: Oshchepkova ES, Kartushina NA, Razmakhnina KO. Bilingualism and Development of Literacy in Children: A Systematic Review. Psychol Russ. 2023 Mar 15;16(1):3-25.

Acquiring biliteracy

Reading in two or more languages can provide additional benefits for literacy acquisition while developing metalinguistic and language skills.

In particular, reading the same storybook in multiple languages has a positive impact on children's understanding of word structures and building a broader vocabulary by exposing them to multiple languages from an early age. These foundational skills are also said to help bilingual learners develop more complex vocabulary in later grades.

Research has shown that learning multiple languages simultaneously (alternating between languages when reading a storybook) is more beneficial for bilingualism at a young age than learning them sequentially.

Source: Kovelman, I., & Petitto, L.A. (2013). Should bilingual children learn reading in two languages at the same time or in sequence? Bilingual Research Journal. 36, 1. 35-60.

 

2. What is the impact of biliteracy on cognitive development?

Children raised in bilingual environments generally exhibit superior working memory and attention spans. Naturally, this should have a positive impact on their academic performance, right?

Additionally, the process of freely switching between two languages fosters flexible thinking and problem-solving skills. This means strengthening the ability to evaluate and solve complex problems across different language systems.

Reading Development in Bilingual Learners

Bilingual children develop reading skills differently depending on their language exposure. Research has shown that bilingualism does not hinder or disrupt reading development; rather, it can even enhance reading skills compared to monolingual children.

For example, simultaneous bilinguals, who are exposed to two languages early in life, tend to perform better on phonological awareness tasks than monolingual learners.

Sequential bilinguals, who learn a second language during school age, have a different acquisition pattern than simultaneous learners, but they also show that they develop stronger cognitive and linguistic abilities as they learn two language systems.

Source: Jasinska, K. and Petitto, L.A. (in press). Age of Bilingual Exposure Changes the Contribution of Phonological and Semantic Knowledge to Reading Development. Child Development, DOI:10.1111/cdev.12745

 

3. A customized solution for bilingual students' reading fluency!

However, without proper guidance, literacy in one language can weaken, ultimately leading to the development of only one language. The following methods can be used to strengthen the reading skills of bilingual students.

• Recognize the differences between the two languages and provide additional support to learners considering where they might be confused (e.g., provide additional practice opportunities when learning English and Chinese writing systems).
• Strategically choose a simultaneous or sequential bilingual program that suits your learner's situation.
• Strengthen literacy skills and promote connections between languages by assigning reading assignments in both languages.
• Provide reading materials, such as reading the same book in two languages, to support language development at home.

While acquiring two languages may be a bit different from monolingualism, the unique advantages gained along the way can help children excel in reading and language skills throughout their lives.

If you found today's content helpful and would like to learn more about biliteracy and bilingual development, please refer to the Everbloom Path Bilingual Handbook! (Click the link )

Thank you for reading today :)