Should All Students Be Bilingual - Essay Example

SHOULD ALL STUDENTS BE BILINGUAL? Introduction This essay is an attempt to persuasively argue for the “de rigueur” of bilingualism for students. At the outset, this paper’s position is that “second tongue” is not superfluous as, in fact, facility with second language proves very competitively necessary. The Myths of Bilingualism We begin by, first, citing the perceived disadvantages of bilingualism. In addition to what Parker (2008) calls potential downside of bilingualism – which he likewise dismisses as “myths” – such as “bilingualism confuses kids,” or “bilingualism causes language delays” – thus we shall not give a space for in this paper, Wales Home Education enumerates at least three nuisances of attempting to be bilingual: firstly, it may lead to failure to master both languages; secondly, to be bilingual or to raise one who is bilingual exacts more effort from the parents; and, finally, it may result to confusion of cultural identity. Because one language already requires an effort to master, another concomitantly mastered language is expected to logically double the effort. And, to make the matter worse, poor development in mastery of these languages is often correlated to student’s failure to cope in their studies. Thus, it is being advanced against bilingualism that it results to exaggeration of student’s weakness. And this problem becomes more pronounced when one is going to study subjects in a language in which they are under developed or below par. Now, should, say, parents resolve to raise a bilingual offspring, it’s definitely going to oblige more effort from them. This is on account of the fact that the design of the language development of anyone needs to be done thoughtfully and creatively in order to allow two languages to flourish together. That bilingualism, too, has as its outcome a “culturally-hyphenated” individual is being put forward against. Cultural identity is, of course, vital to personal identity especially since one’s personal identity is to a certain extent formed by the socialization process that one experiences as he lives within the perimeters of culture where one belongs. The Benefits of Bilingualism Having said thus, we cite the “other side of the coin,” so to speak. Bilingualism is not actually to be blamed for student’s failure to cope in his study, for the societal circumstances that create under developed languages in the student is more culpable. In here, we are saying that as in all facets of education the context of the educand is as crucial – if not more crucial – than the educative process itself. We put forward that bilingualism is not, in the first place, going to result to poor mastery of language that, in turn, leads to poor academic performance should study or mastery of two languages is only encouraged and supported. (We shall go back to this point later in this paper.) Likewise, we put forward here that the additional burden that bilingualism imposes on the parents’ shoulders constitutes “walking an extra mile” for their scions – to which most, if not all, parents would happily give in. Finally, while we do not belittle the factor of cultural identity that is formed part by language and we do not deny that there are few who would feel awkward traversing between two identities, we maintain that for most parents and their scions these do not constitute a problem. For they may speak two languages and remain determinedly identified with one ethnic or cultural group. That means, they do not really mind being “culturally-hyphenated.” Now, if our attempt to debunk the supposed disadvantages of bilingualism is still found wanting, we move on to consider the reward of knowing two languages. In general terms, we posit that bilingualism is going to have a positive effect on the lives of the students. Concretely, it translates into increased opportunities and choices – i.e., networks of friends and acquaintances, schooling, employment, marriage, preferred area of residence, travel, and even mental framework or one’s over-all worldview. As Wales Home Education – citing data from international research from 1960’s to today -- puts it in an equation, two languages equals twice the choices. First and foremost, bilingualism results to communication advantages. When one can read and write in two languages, it means facility in the use and enjoyment of idioms and sayings, folk stories and history, prose and poetry, and even music. It means indulgence into two literatures in their original language, which is potential to open up a more comprehensive understanding of different traditions, ideas, ways of thinking and behaving. And, oh, the pleasure of being able to communicate and make friends of people from different culture! There are cultural advantages, too, of bilingualism. First, it builds bridges between generations and/or ethnic groups – that in effect fosters a strong sense of belonging to “a bigger family,” and one is afforded an occasion to play a full part in societal life making one an heir to rich cultural and societal heritage. This is because when one knows two languages, one has an open access to two cultures containing two different worlds of experience. From one’s experience, it is truly enriching to have more complex grasp of other countries and other cultures! In addition, we can infer from the lessons of cultural anthropology that, because language is window to a culture as eye is to the soul, bilingualism permit one to have wider cultural experience that more often than not ends with greater tolerance of cultural, creedal and customary differences beyond his/her own experience. Moreover, we have to point out here that mastery of two languages has constructive effect on the brain – i.e., cognitive or mental advantages -- especially in the way one thinks. For one, bilinguals are more creative thinkers. This is true because a bilingual has at his disposal two or more words for each object and idea, to which the two languages usually affix different meanings. As an outcome, it means more flexibility to think about words and about almost everything. Further information of significance that we have is related to intelligence quotient (IQ). Research from around the world has shown that bilingual people tend to do better at IQ tests compared with the monolinguals of the same socio-economic class. Furthermore, bilinguals are found to be less fixated on the way they pronounce the words and more interested on the words’ meanings – which is very well giving a head start when one learns to read. Hitti (2004) writes about the research done by Andrea Mechelli of London’s Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience together with experts from the Fondazione Santa Lucia in Rome, which was about the mental densities of bilingual people. This research has made the conclusion that bilinguals really have a mental advantage over the monolinguals not only in terms of communication skills but more so in terms of brain density, which puts them in advantageous position in various abilities and skills. More precisely, this research has found out that bilinguals have denser gray matter in the brain, or the type of tissue associated with language, memory and attention. On this account, the researchers were saying that the experience of acquiring second language in fact alters – for the better – the structure of the brain. Character- or attitude-wise, too, bilingualism is constructive insofar as it develops the social sensitivity of people. A bilingual is observably more cognizant of with whom and when to speak; in effect, in comparison to monolingual people, a bilingual is more receptive to the needs of the listeners. This must be not only on account that a bilingual has “more exposed” brain (as being insinuated in the preceding), but also because of a perceived raise in one’s self-esteem that knowledge of two languages result to. For bilingualism affords a “feeling good” about oneself and one’s abilities. Normally, too, socially sensitive people are flexible and adaptable. For they have expectedly better interpersonal and social skills. Likewise, we cite the verified education benefits (culled from research involving the educational systems of Canada, USA, the Basque country, Catalonia and Wales) of bilingualism. Analysis of examination results in Wales shows that children taught in Welsh medium schools consistently outperform their English-medium counterparts. (While this is already backed up by a rigid research process, the education or curriculum benefits of bilingualism are also apparent from the preceding discussion on the effects of trainings in two languages to the student’s mental faculty.) Still, in relation to linguistics, there is growing body of evidence proving that bilingualism facilitates easier learning of a “third tongue.” This is attested to by people from Holland, Denmark and Finland who speak three or four languages with ease. Finally, we cite in here the employment advantage of being bilingual. Definitely, a wider choice of jobs awaits anyone with two languages. And this is true in the sector of tourism, transport, public relations, banking and accountancy, administration, marketing and sales, even in law and in teaching. For bilingualism is in effect an additional valuable skill. And, as such, it provides a huge advantage in competing for employment in the current flat world. Further Benefit of Bilingualism The case for bilingualism is, to me, even furthered by a study – that was done in Canada, India and Hong Kong -- of Ellen Bialystok of New York University about age-related cognitive changes (APA 2004). Convention holds that learned knowledge and habitual procedures, also known as crystallized knowledge, defy the ravaging of age and time, while the abilities that depend on keeping one’s attention on task (also called fluid intelligence or knowledge) actually decline as one advances chronologically. The study however reveals that those who are bilinguals most of their lives are better able to manage their attention to complex set of rapidly changing task demands. Technically put, according to the author, bilingualism reduces the age-related increase in the Simon effect (distractibility), indicating that life-long experience of managing two languages assuages the age-related decline in the efficiency of inhibitory processing. Said simply, bilingual speakers are better able to deal with distractions, thus making them better mental performers. Quoting Bialystok, Vedantam (2004) writes: “(B)ilingualism appears to offset age-related losses” in certain mental processes. For this, the hypothesis of Bialystok was that the ability to hold two languages in the mind at the same time, without allowing words and grammar from one to slip into the other, might account for the greater control needed to perform well on the Simon Task. In addition, their alternate hypothesis is that bilinguals are in possession of superior working memories for storing and processing information. Conclusion The benefits of bilingualism definitely outweigh its perceived disadvantages. That is, if at all the disadvantages were taken seriously (since they were already labeled “myths”). We’ve seen that bilingualism’s benefits extend even until the ageing of those who are in the school now. Actually, that bilingualism is rewarding is explicitly indicated by the experts’ suggestion: start your children young to learn their second language! References: American Psychologists Association (2004). “Being bilingual protects against some age-related cognitive changes, says new research.” Exploring Abroad. Available from: http://www.exploringabroad.com/articles/bilingual-benefits.htm [Accessed on 10 December 2008]. Council for Irish-medium Education. “Nine advantages of bilingualism”. Comhairle Na Gaelscolaiochta. Available from: http://www.comhairle.org/english/ime.asp?Action=Bilingual [Accessed on 10 December 2008]. Hitti, M. (2004). “Being bilingual boosts brain power (second language brain benefits start in childhood, study shows).” WebMD HealthNews. Available from http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20041013/being-bilingual-boosts-brain-power
[Accessed on November 20, 2008]. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/schoolgate/aboutschool/content/3inwelsh.shtml
Parker, S. (2008). “Raise a bilingual 21st century child.” MedWBblog. Available from: http://blogs.webmd.com/healthy-children/2006/05/raise-bilingual-21st-century-child.html [Accessed on 10 December 2008]. Vedantam, S. (2004). “Bilingualism’s brain benefits.” Science (washingtonpost.com). Available from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39338-2004Jun13.html [Accessed on November 10, 2008]. Read More