THE COGNITIVE BENEFITS OF EARLY MULTILINGUAL EXPOSURE: A FAMILY-BASED PERSPECTIVE
Keywords:
multiple languages, early childhood bilingualism, executive functioning, language adaptability, natural fluency.Abstract
Recent research underscores that exposing children to multiple languages early—particularly within family contexts—significantly shapes their cognitive and linguistic development. The brain’s neuroplasticity during infancy, combined with rich parental input (notably maternal engagement), enables seamless language acquisition. Case studies show that children in multicultural families frequently achieve natural fluency in two or more languages by age four. Evidence suggests early, interactive, home-based multilingual exposure provides cognitive advantages that equal or surpass those gained through later formal education, especially in executive functioning and language adaptability.References
1. Shichida, M. (2001). After three it’s too late.
2. Kuhl, P. K. (2004). Early language acquisition: Cracking the speech code.
3. Bialystok, E. (2001). Bilingualism in development: Language, literacy, and cognition.
4. Werker, J. F., & Byers-Heinlein, K. (2008). Bilingualism in infancy: First steps in perception and comprehension.
5. De Houwer, A. (2009). An introduction to bilingual development.
6. Hoff, E., & Core, C. (2013). Input and language development in bilingually developing children.
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Published
2025-07-29
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