Poster #19 - Dual-Language Education: Academic Performance and Executive Functions Among Rural, Low-Income Children

• In Event: 75.043 - MTCC Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: 75.043-5 - Epistemic and Generative Interventions Promoting Learning Outcomes

Abstract

The media touts bilingual education programs as “brain training” based on recent research indicating academic and cognitive advantages for children in bilingual education. However, much of this work does not include demographics that may explain group level differences such as parent education and student intelligence. We created a yoked sample of students in either dual-language or English-language education, controlling for variables that may mask the challenges of bilingual education. We found no academic or cognitive disadvantages for bilingually educated children and where differences did emerge between education models, they favored those in bilingual education. The results support that bilingual education presents a net gain as children acquire a second-language with no evidence of harm to academic performance or cognitive development.

Author

• Alena G Esposito, Clark University