Go Bilingual: It's healthy!

I run two companies. Have two small children. I'm on the go a lot and multi-task well.  People always ask how I get it all done.  Maybe now, thanks to the research of Ellen Biaystok, I may have a better answer than the usual "I dunno', I just do."

Ms. Biaystock is a cognitive neurosicentist and research professor at York University in Toronto.  In her recent interview with New York Times writer Claudia Dreyfus, "The Bilingual Advantage" (5/30/2011, NYT), she described her surprising findings regarding how bilinguals use their brains differently than monolinguals, and the most excellent benefits they can achieve as a result. 

For one, her studies have concluded that bilinguals make better multi-taskers than monolinguals.  This is because in learning and regularly using two languages, they learn to sort out the relevant (information, data, facts, etc.) from the irrelevent (the language or specific words used to communicate the information) in order to communicate quickly in whatever language.  This same skill or process becomes how they use their brain  on a regular basis, and according to her research, applies in non-verbal situations as well.

Ms Biaystock's research also concluded that bilingualism can delay the onset of Alzheimers symptoms by 5-6 years. Because of the improved cognitive function of bilingual minds, bilingual Alzheimer's patients were able to remain functional longer than their monlingual peers.  Bilingualism does not prevent Alzheimers, but it improved quality of life for those living with and managing the disease for longer periods. 

When asked about passing bilingualism on to children, Ms. Biaystock was clear: "There are two major reasons people should pass their heritage language onto children. First, it connects children to their ancestors. The second is my research: Bilingualism is good for you. It makes brains stronger. It is brain exercise. " 

She also pointed out that the benefits of her study were limited to those who used both languages regularly, occassional use did not yield the same results.

So- let's start talking- or hablando, nous parlons, wir sprechen....

-Consuelo Bova, CEO of SmartMouthLearning.com