Full Description
This book pioneers the study of bilingualism across the lifespan and in all its diverse forms.
The study of bilingualism unfolds against a varied backdrop of sociocultural and sociopolitical factors. While the nature of bilingualism and multilingualism has often been misunderstood, the bilingual community is a dynamic and ever-growing part of the global population.
In framing the newest research within a lifespan perspective, the editors highlight the importance of considering an individual's age - from infancy to late adulthood - when researching how bilingualism affects language acquisition and cognitive development. Four major topics are explored:
early bilingualism
factors affecting bilingualism across the lifespan
academic achievement and literacy in bilinguals
cognitive effects of bilingualism
A key theme is the variability among bilinguals, which may be due to a host of individual and sociocultural factors, including the degree to which bilingualism is or is not valued in each country and context. This book is a call for language researchers, psychologists, and educators to pursue and promote a better understanding of bilingualism in our increasingly multicultural society.
Contents
Contributors
Introduction
Simona Montanari and Elena Nicoladis
Shifting Perspectives on Bilingualism
Fred Genesee
I. Early Bilingualism
Early Bilingualism: From Differentiation to the Impact of Family Language Practices
Suzanne Quay and Simona Montanari
Speech Perception in Simultaneously Bilingual Infants
Christopher T. Fennell, Angeline Sin-Mei Tsui, and Tamara M. Hudon
Early Lexical Development in Bilingual Infants and Toddlers
Barbara T. Conboy and Simona Montanari
Code-Switching in Childhood
W. Quin Yow, Ferninda Patrycia, and Suzanne Flynn
II. Factors Affecting Bilingualism Across the Lifespan
Quantity and Quality of Language Input in Bilingual Language Development
Sharon Unsworth
Factors Moderating Proficiency in Bilingual Speakers
Virginia C. Mueller Gathercole
Age of Onset of Bilingualism Effects and Availability of Input in First Language Attrition
Silvina Montrul
Age of Second-Language Acquisition: Critical Periods and Social Concerns
David Birdsong and Jan Vanhove
Code-Switching in Adulthood
Jeff MacSwan
III. Academic Achievement and Literacy in Bilinguals
Bilingualism and Academic Achievement in Children in Dual Language Programs
Kathryn Lindholm-Leary
Literacy in Adulthood: Reading in Two Languages
Judith F. Kroll, Jason Gullifer, and Megan Zirnstein
IV. Cognitive Effects of Bilingualism
Cognitive Effects of Bilingualism in Infancy
amp Aacute gnes Melinda Kov amp aacute cs
Bilingual Speakers' Cognitive Development in Childhood
Elena Nicoladis
Cognitive and Emotional Effects of Bilingualism in Adulthood
Max R. Freeman, Anthony Shook, and Viorica Marian
The Contribution of Bilingualism to Cognitive Reserve in Healthy Aging and Dementia
Hilary D. Duncan and Natalie A. Phillips
V. Conclusion
Concluding Remarks and Future Directions
Simona Montanari and Elena Nicoladis
Index
About the Editors
