ERIC Number: EJ1418716
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1547-5441
EISSN: EISSN-1547-3341
Longitudinal Examination of Potential Bilingual Advantage Effects for Selective Attention and Cognitive Functioning in Young Children
Larissa Maria Troesch; Jessica Carolyn Weiner-Bühler; Alexander Grob
Language Learning and Development, v20 n2 p174-193 2024
A good deal of research purports that bilingualism has a positive effect on some aspects of cognitive functioning. However, this effect is not consistent, and little research examines trajectories of cognitive skill development in bilingual children. Moreover, it remains unclear whether different types of bilingualism impact how cognitive abilities unfold. The reported study investigates children's data from three linguistic groups (179 sequential bilingual, 96 simultaneous bilingual and 57 monolingual German-speaking children) and examines differences (1) regarding cognitive outcome measures pertaining to selective attention, visuospatial thinking and abstract thinking and (2) searches for substantial developmental trajectory differences regarding said measures. Children were tested at 3 points in time; at age 4;10, 6;2 and 7;4. Results indicate no significant linguistic group differences in selective attention, visuospatial thinking and abstract thinking when controlling for gender, language comprehension of the child, and families' socioeconomic status. Moreover, the three linguistic groups did not differ in developmental trajectories. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Descriptors: Bilingualism, Psycholinguistics, Cognitive Ability, German, Child Development, Cognitive Development, Longitudinal Studies, Attention Control, Monolingualism, Preschool Children, Young Children, Spatial Ability, Visual Perception, Abstract Reasoning, Gender Differences, Language Processing, Second Language Learning, Language Acquisition, Foreign Countries, Intelligence Tests, Language Tests
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Switzerland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A