Running head: RESEARCH PAPER 1

RESEARCH PAPER

Early Childhood Themes and Life Cycle

Denise E. Maria

Pacific Oaks College

Sheree M. Bielecki,M. Ed

December 5, 2016
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We live in a world where language is the number one tool of communication. Language

is used to express our needs, feelings, and desires. Language is how we connect with people,

understand our environment and perceive our culture. For a lot of individuals, this rich verbal

atmosphere includes not only one language but many. Most of the world’s population speaks two

languages or more. Many Americans are bilingual and use more than just English in their daily

living to communicate; but what is Bilingualism? Bilingualism ranges from a minimal

proficiency in two languages, to an advanced level of proficiency which allows the speaker to

excel in two languages. Due to the multiculturalism in the world a lot of these individuals are

exposed to foreign languages during the early years. But what are the effects on learning a

foreign language at an early age? How can learning a new language can impact, influence or

shape a child’s cognitive, social and emotional development? How might it affect his/her

identity?

One of the concerns parents and teachers have with learning a second language at an

early age was how it can create confusion. Researches have shown that bilingualism hasn’t

shown any negative effects in the development of children, in contrast it has shown benefits on

their socio-cognitive as well as socio-emotional development. Even though is said that for most

part being bilingual has shown benefits it also has shown some problems or side effects that a

child can face as he is emerging to the learning of the second language.

Socio-cognitive development refers to how children think about social and verbal

matters while socio-emotional refers to how children express their emotions verbally. Studies

have shown that children who speak two languages have an advantage by understanding the need

of being able to communicate to others, and can be more sensitive when they can’t understand

someone speaking another language than children who speak only one language. Also,
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researchers found that children who are second language learners can obtain better grades when

mental exams are taken place including cognitive flexibility and in language clue-less problem

solving in job performance. Furthermore, being bilingual takes a lot of cognitive development

for the child by preventing the two languages contradict one another when communicating and

must learn how to manage both languages and use each language appropriately.

In regards to the socio-emotional aspect, investigations show that the way bilingual

families express their feelings influences the way children develop emotionally. The way the

child’s parents express their emotions and arguments teaches the child and plays a significant

role in how they perceive an understanding of expressions of emotions and self-regulation. When

parents teach their children to use oral communication to express feelings they are giving the

children a model of appropriate ways to express their emotions. For multilingual families, these

emotions can be expressed in either language and most likely the child may use the same

techniques thought to express himself. For example, it is discussed how when a family member

expresses how much they love another family member they might use his/her native language

because he/she feels is the best way to express his loved feelings for the other person. The same

way when expressing anger and arguments may use the second language or the native language

to help him/her cope with self-control. This type of linguistic changes is called code-switching

and its common on families with more than one language when emotional events happen.

A child being raised with a language other than English in the United States can be a

challenge and create confusion in some children. The time that it takes a child to learn the

language depends on the child but some of the problems or the phases that a child faces are the

following: speaking his home language continuously, the non-verbal stage, the use of one word

responses and how effectively he uses the new language learned.

When children are learning a new second language in the early age they can go to the

non-speaking stage. Teachers and parents can see it as a problem but as children observe and are

learning the new language they tend to be by themselves. Followed up with this they can present

behavioral issues of not following what adults are telling them to do. Teacher’s in school can see

these children not willing to participate in the activities presented and being part of the group.

Educators can see these actions as behavioral problems because the child observes and tries to

understand the language to learn it and can communicate with others. Additionally, some

children use critical thinking to pretend they understand the language by pretending or following

up his/her peers, but not necessarily because he understands what is going on. A second language

child can also be examined as a child at risk, because when they start acquiring the second

language they stutter or communicate using one word to express their wants.

Another important factor during the process acquiring a second language is making sure

that the learner acquires a self-identity. To ease the transition of learning a second language

his/her cultural identity must be defined, this would give the learner the confidence to use the

second learned language as a native speaker. Learning the second language and finding identity

are related. Researchers have come to an agreement that in order for someone to speak another

language and speak it perfectly it is critical for the individual to build upon home cultural

identity in order to minimize problems when learning the language. Problem arises when there is

inappropriateness in the home and the second language culture identity. During this process, self-

identity can be difficult because two cultures influence the learner: his/her home culture and the

culture of that other language that he/she is obtaining which tend to be distinct. Self-concept is

knowing and understanding to what social group they belong in. When an individual develops

self – identity, the majority move from dimining self to embracing the new culture acquired
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through the second language learned. It is suggested that with self-identity in his/her home

culture, a second language learner individual can make progress further in obtaining and

progressing in developing communication skills in that other language.

In conclusion, researchers had found that learning a second language doesn’t have any

negative effect of development in a child’s life. On the contrary children who are raised with two

languages show more advantages in socio-cognitive development when compared with children

who only speak one language. Even though it has been found that bilingual children can show

some delays in development compared to children who speak only one language. The lags in

development observed are minimal and these do not last for a long period (CEECD,2016). Being

bilingual can give children more opportunities, not only allowing them to relate with others that

speak the same language, but also to better known different cultures and their ways of

thinking.(Sara Giurgiu & Kristina Olson,2014). Early childhood educators and teachers need to

guide children through the process of learning the new language. It is also important that these

professionals gather information to make sure that they have a whole picture of the development

skills of the child. Educators not only need to understand or recognize the child’s abilities but

also learn about their cultural background. Teachers will learn to differentiate between behavioral

issues or behavior associated with the child’s cultural background but overall to help them

understand and support children’s development.

References

Association for Psychological Science. (2012, August 2). Speaking multiple languages can

influence children's emotional development. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 12,

2016 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120802184015.htm

Guirgis, S., & Olsen, K. (n.d.). When Does Bilingualism Help or Hurt? Retrieved December 12,

2016, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/developing-minds/201404/when-

does-bilingualism-help-or-hurt

Lin, L. F. (2009). Second language learners’ identity toward their home culture: Adding

pragmatic knowledge to language learning curriculum. Asian social science, 5(8), 43.

Marian, V., & Shook, A. (2012, September). The cognitive benefits of being bilingual.

In Cerebrum: the Dana forum on brain science (Vol. 2012). Dana Foundation.

Nicoladis, E., Charbonnier, M., & Popescu, A. (2006). Second language/bilingualism at an early

age with emphasis on its impact on early socio-cognitive and socio-emotional

development. Encyclopedia on early childhood development.

Santos, R. M., & Ostrosky, M. M. (2002). Understanding the impact of language differences on

classroom behavior. What Works Issue Brief No, 2.