What is the prevalence of language delay in children?4 answersThe prevalence of language delay in children varies across different studies. In the provided abstracts, the prevalence ranges from 7%to 24.86%to 15.3%. These studies were conducted in different regions, including India, the UK, and Nigeria. It is important to note that the prevalence of language delay can be influenced by various factors such as socioeconomic status, home environment, perinatal risk factors, and child characteristics. Factors such as male sex, receptive vocabulary delay, and parent-reported hearing concerns have been identified as significant risk factors for language delay. Additionally, a negative home environment and being a second-born child were associated with language delay. It is evident that language delay is a prevalent issue in children, and further research is needed to understand the specific risk factors and interventions for different populations.
How do children acquire language in a bilingual environment?5 answersChildren acquire language in a bilingual environment through various processes and factors. Language activities that allow children to express conceptual associations in their first language (L1) can simultaneously develop competence in their second language (L2). Teachers in the school context play a crucial role in promoting language acquisition in bilingual children, using bimodal utterances (gesture + speech) more with bilinguals and language scaffolding strategies to stimulate communicative initiatives and vocabulary development. Language intake, exposure volume and duration, and grammatical complexity influence children's language development, and these intricacies become more complicated as children differ from one another and pick up multiple languages. Bilingual first language acquisition (BFLA) children are influenced by the language input they receive and the need to speak both languages, reaching developmental linguistic milestones similar to monolinguals. Harmonious bilingual development depends on educational institutions and parental conversational practices supporting high proficiency in both languages.
Do bilingual children performed badly in academic performance test?4 answersBilingual children do not necessarily perform badly in academic performance tests. Research has shown that the learning and use of two languages does not have a detrimental effect on the verbal intelligence test performance of bilingual children. In fact, some studies have found that bilingual students outperform monolingual students on certain tasks, such as the low demand regular flanker task. Additionally, a study conducted in Madrid, Spain found that bilingualism does not lower children's performance in subjects taught in English or Spanish, and in fact, bilingual schools had significantly higher results in English compared to non-bilingual schools. However, it is important to note that bilingual children may face challenges when starting school, such as difficulty communicating with peers and adapting to the school environment, which can affect their academic performance. Overall, the impact of bilingualism on academic performance is complex and can vary depending on various factors.
How does bilingual disadvantage affect children's academic achievement?3 answersBilingual disadvantage can affect children's academic achievement in various ways. Research has shown that non-English-Dominant Bilinguals and non-English Monolinguals tend to start kindergarten with significantly lower reading and math scores compared to their English Monolingual peers, and by fifth grade, these groups still have significantly lower scores. Additionally, bilinguals may have lower language proficiency than monolinguals, including a smaller vocabulary. However, it is important to note that the impact of bilingualism on academic achievement is not solely negative. Mixed Bilingual children, for example, have been found to fully close the math gap with their White English Monolingual peers by fifth grade. Furthermore, municipalities with bilingual education programs have been found to have better than average results in national tests, suggesting a potential "bilingual advantage" in cognitive development. Overall, the effects of bilingualism on academic achievement are complex and can vary depending on various factors.
How does bilingualism affect the development of language and cognition in children?5 answersBilingualism has both advantages and disadvantages for children's language and cognitive development. On the disadvantage side, bilingual children may have lower language proficiency compared to monolinguals, including a smaller vocabulary. However, there are also advantages to bilingualism. Research suggests that bilingual children perform better on nonverbal tasks that require conflict resolution, such as the Stroop task, due to their effective use of executive function. Bilingualism is also associated with enhanced cognitive effects, particularly in attention and executive functioning. Additionally, bilingualism has been found to have positive effects on task initiation, as indicated by caregiver ratings. Overall, bilingualism can have both positive and negative impacts on language and cognition in children, and further research is needed to fully understand the relationship between bilingualism and cognitive development.
What are the specific challenges posed by bilingualism for children who are learning English as a second language?1 answersBilingualism poses specific challenges for children learning English as a second language. These challenges include difficulties in comprehending abstract concepts in subjects like Physical Sciences due to a lack of linguistic capacity. Additionally, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are raised in bilingual families may face language confusion or delays if they are not exposed to the language of schooling. Polish-English bilingual children in the UK also face challenges within the English education system, as the curriculum and assessment methods may not be suitable for a diverse population. These challenges can impact the psycho-social development and behavior of bilingual children, as well as strain the relationship between schools and parents.