Experts to review bilingualism
It’s been estimated that more than half the world's population is bilingual. Yet is bilingualism a cognitive, social or cultural experience?
What factors favour second language fluency in some people, but not others? These are some of the questions that will be explored during a panel discussion hosted by the Centre for Research in Human Development (CRDH) at Concordia.
Krista Byers-Heinlein, assistant professor in the Concordia Department of Psychology, will open the discussion by talking about her research into how infants negotiate bilingual environments.
In a recent study, Byers-Heinlein and colleagues demonstrated that newborn infants born to bilingual mothers prefer to listen to both their native languages, while unilingual infants prefer to listen to their single native language.
They found an infant’s ability to discriminate between languages that differ rhythmically shows an early preparedness for bilingualism, specifically when two languages are encountered at an early age.
Erika Hoff, a psychology professor at Florida Atlantic University, will present further research on early child language development among Spanish-English speakers.
Her research suggests that English tends to dominate a young child’s experience unless both parents are native speakers of Spanish. Hoff has found that the greatest challenge to sustaining bilingualism is not the child’s ability to acquire a language, but the family’s inability to sustain regular use of two languages in the home.
What’s more, Concordia psychology professor Norman Segalowitz will review new training methods developed by his team for second language acquisition. He will also discuss the barriers many adults face in attempting to master a second language, the major challenges faced by researchers in this field and the promise research hold towards the improvement of language instruction.
The panel will be moderated by Diane Poulin-Dubois, a Concordia psychology professor and CRDH researcher, who is an expert in early language acquisition.
The panel discussion will be held on Friday, January 28 at 9 a.m. in Room 767 of the Henry F. Hall Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.) at Concordia. For further information, please contact Donna Craven at 514-848-2424, ext. 8640.
Related Links:
• CRDH Symposium Series 2010–11
• In Conversation: Living language laboratory -- NOW, November 22, 2010
• Second language gives toddlers an edge -- NOW, Janurary 19, 2010
• Centre for Research in Human Development
• Concordia Department of Psychology