An interesting paper, just published in Learning and Individual Differences. Here are the highlights:
• Using large-scale datasets, we examined the relation between bilingualism and math achievement.
• We found that bilingualism significantly predicted preschoolers’ math achievement.
• The positive predictability of bilingualism persisted from kindergarten through first grade.
• Bilingual advantages in executive functioning likely extend to mathematical achievement.
Is there a bilingual advantage for working memory? A paper published in Learning and Individual Differences suggests that there is.
Since bilingual individuals must often process two languages simultaneously, it seems reasonable to suspect that the extra cognitive work might confer benefits. Here are the highlights of the paper:
• The four working memory component model exists in mono- and bilingual 8–12 year-old children.
• Working memory construct is conceptualized similarly in mono- and bilingual 8–12 year-old children.
• There were significant differences in the latent factors means that favored the bilinguals in the four WM components.
There is evidence that bilingual individuals are more resistant to dementia.
peakmemory
