Benefits Of Bilingualism

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Bilingualism has neurological benefits on one’s brain. As a matter of fact, the brains of bilinguals look and work differently than the brains of monolinguals (Nacamulli, 2015). This is because bilingualism can cause neuroplastic change to occur. According to Losin & Losin, neuroplasticity is the ability of one’s brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections (2011). Bilingualism can increase the neuroplasticity of one’s brain, as exemplified by previous research. One study followed students who were learning Mandarin and, in only six weeks, they displayed a more integrated neural network that connected the superior temporal gyrus with the frontal and parietal cortex (Lund University, 2012). It is well-known that the brain’s left hemisphere…show more content…
People who speak multiple languages have greater numbers of neural connections and grey matter than their monolingual counterparts. This engenders greater executive control (Sims & Ellis, 2015). Furthermore, researchers postulate that constantly and actively controlling two languages is like a workout for the brain. It challenges and exercises the brain’s grey cells, which keeps them from degenerating (“Bilingualism”, 2015). Not only does bilingualism increase the brain’s neuroplasticity and amount of grey matter, but it can also cause certain parts of the brain to grow and develop. When engaging a second language, there is more activity in certain regions of the brain. Using a second language triggers more activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, thus potentially strengthening it. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays a major role in executive function, problem-solving, multitasking, and focusing while filtering out irrelevant information (Nacamulli, 2015). This can justify the notion of bilingualism being advantageous to cognition, as was previously stated in this…show more content…
The brain structure of the control group remained unchanged. Meanwhile, specific parts of the brains of the language students grew, including the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory creation and retention. Studies have shown that learning a new language can increase the volume of the hippocampus which, in turn, improves and expands one’s memory. Areas in the cerebral cortex related to language learning also grew in the language students. “Students with greater growth in the hippocampus and areas of the cerebral cortex related to language learning … had better language skills than the other students. In students who had to put more effort into their learning, greater growth was seen in an area of the motor region of the cerebral cortex”, called the middle frontal gyrus. The middle frontal gyrus is partially responsible for executive attention. Therefore, development varies according to performance. “The areas of the brain in which the changes take place are … linked to how easy one finds it to learn a

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